NE NEWS SERVICE
CHENNAI, MAY 17
Tamil Nadu on Monday reported 33,075 new coronavirus cases and 335 related fatalities. The new cases, including 6,150 in Chennai, a bulletin said.
Though there was a slight dip in the new infections, the fatalities rose by 24 as against the previous day. Of the 335 deaths – 152 were in private and 183 in government hospitals. This took the total number of fatalities to 18,005 in the State.
The toll on Sunday was 311, including 60 in Chennai. The total number of people testing positive till date increased to 16,31,291 and the number of active cases, including isolation, remains at 2,31,596, according to the bulletin.
The number of positive patients discharged after treatment today stands at 20,486 and the total has gone up to13,81,690. In Chennai, 5,067 people were discharged, and the total recoveries stand at 3,90,364. While 4,44,371 are total positive cases, the active cases remain at 48,156. The toll is 5,851 so far including 86 deaths today.
Next to Chennai, Coimbatore registered 3,264 cases, Chengalpattu 2,154, Thiruvallur 1,829, Tiruchirappalli 1,544, Madurai 1,288, Kancheepuram 1,241, Kanyakumari 1,069, Thoothukudi 1,024 and Thanjavur 1,019.
Steam inhalers installed in public places are not safe; warns Minister
Meanwhile, Minister for Medical and Family Welfare Ma Subramanian warned people against using steam inhalers installed at some few public places, promoting them as COVID-19 preventive measure.
Advising those who test positive for COVID-19 to consult a doctor for appropriate treatment, the Minister said COVID- 19 can affect the lungs directly, and steam inhalation should not be taken without doctor’s advice.
Do not resort to steam inhalation by following social media posts, as this could lead to the rapid spread of the virus. Do take it only on the advice of the doctor, he said in a statement here.
Necessary to show accurate figures, says Madras HC
The Madras High Court on Monday referred to ”concerns” of under-reporting of Covid-19 cases and said it was ”necessary” that accurate figures are shown so as to ensure adequate allocation of drugs and vaccines, among others, based on the said numbers.
The first bench of Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy also called for every endeavour to ensure dignity to the departed.
The bench made the observations while hearing a case taken up on its own on covid management in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.
“Some concerns have also been expressed on the under reporting of cases. Indeed, the ICMR guidelines pertaining to the recording of Covid deaths and the WHO guidelines in such regard have been placed.”
“It is also necessary that accurate numbers are indicated so that the allocation of drugs, oxygen and even vaccines can be made based on the true figures. At any rate, the testing rates should not dip to artificially show lower numbers,” the court said.
The court further noted that several appearing parties had highlighted the way in which bodies have been kept in the hospital wards several hours after the death of the patient and the manner in which “some deaths are not attributed to Covid” and also protocol in such cases not being maintained.
“Surely, the authorities need to remove the dead bodies as soon as possible, but it is also to be appreciated that the number of deaths may be more than the mortuary facilities available at the hospital,” the court added.
However, if there has been a Covid death, even though the overwhelming factors may have been other co-morbidities suffered by the patient, the protocol has to be maintained so that the body is disposed of in accordance with such protocol and it does not become a source of further infection, the judges said.
“In several cases, there appears to be a lack of dignity in how the dead bodies are treated and all concerned should make every endeavour to accord a level of dignity to the departed, at least for the final time,” the court noted.
