NE NEWS SERVICE
CHENNAI, MAY 6
The surge in number of COVID-19 cases continued unabated in Tamil Nadu as the state on Wednesday recorded a new all-time single day high of 771 additions, a big chunk linked to the hotspot of Koyambedu market here, and two fresh deaths, taking the total infections to 4,829, officials said.
The death toll due to the disease rose to 35 and the new cases are ”contacts” of patients, most of whom were connected to the wholesale market cluster which has emerged as a super-spreader in the state, which recorded 500 plus additions for the third straight day on Wednesday.
While there are 40 children, including an 18-month baby, below the age of 13 among the freshly infected, as many as 324 were from the state capital, whose tally alone rose to 2,328 cases, a health department bulletin said.
Close on the heels of a Deputy Commissioner of Police tested positive recently, five more policemen are among those who have been confirmed to carry the pathogen.
Of the five, two were said to be the DCPs assistants and all of them have been admitted to two Government Medical College Hospitals here, sources said.
A 68-year old man with co-morbid conditions admitted to the Stanley Medical College Hospital and a 59-year old man treated at the Kilpauk Hospital died of the contagion on Tuesday, the bulletin said.
The trend of high number of fresh cases seen in the last few days continued and there are 3,275 active cases and 1,516 discharged as on date. The state crossed the 3,000 mark on Sunday and is now just 171 short of the 5,000 mark in only three days as it reported 527 cases on Monday, 508 on Tuesday and on Wednesday 771.
Significantly, the Koyambedu hotspot has propelled the number of cases in districts including Cuddalore (324) and Ariyalur (222) while Krishnagiri, which was a green district till a few days ago, too has come under the virus attack with four cases now. Notably, only after April 26, the cases from the market here emerged one by one and soon the numbers climbed rapidly.
Within 10 days, the number of those infected due to this lone spot in the city is estimated to have crossed 1,300 patients. Totally, 1,507 women, 3320 men and two transgender people have tested positive for the contagion.
However, Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami had on Tuesday attributed the rise in cases to ramping up of testing.
The Koyambedu vegetable market, which receives supplies from across the state, has since been closed and its operations shifted to suburban Thirumazhisai as part of the containment strategy on Wednesday by the government.
