NE NEWS SERVICE
CHENNAI, JUNE 26
Tamil Nadu logged 5,415 new COVID-19 cases, including two returnees from Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, pushing the overall caseload to 24,60,747 while 148 deaths took the toll to 32,199.
Recoveries continued to outnumber fresh cases with 7,661 people getting discharged, taking the tally to 23,83,624, leaving 44,924 active infections, a health department bulletin said.
Tamil Nadu reported its highest daily infection tally of 36,184 on May 21 and has since then been reporting a decline.
#TamilNadu #COVID19Update | 26.06.2021
State Dashboard @MoHFW_INDIA @RAKRI1 @DoHFWTN @TNDPHPM@pibchennai @TNDME1 @104_GoTN @PIB_India#tn_together_againstcorona #stopcoronatn pic.twitter.com/Ze84IxVXVM— National Health Mission – Tamil Nadu (@NHM_TN) June 26, 2021
The figure fell to below 10,000 on June 17. Coimbatore and Erode reported an excess of 500 cases each today, while 21 districts reported new infections in double digits. Chennai registered a further decline in new cases with 314 people contracting the contagion, aggregating to 5,31,443 till date.
The number of COVID-19 related fatalities in the State capital also reached 8,152. A 100 year-old man was the lone fatality who had co-morbidities, while 17 of the deceased did not have any, the bulletin said. A total of 1,70,963 samples were tested on Saturday, pushing the cumulative number of specimens examined so far to 3,21,88,107.
Need notworry about Delta Plus variant: Ma Subramanian
Meanwhile, Minister for Medical and Family Welfare Ma Subramanian said the Union health ministry has written to the state health secretary and chief secretary on the necessary measures that need to be taken in the wake of Tamil Nadu reporting nine Delta Plus variant cases. “The state already reported its first Delta Plus variant case.
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It was a nurse who recovered after completing 14 days home quarantine and is now pursuing her usual routine. Her contacts have also tested negative. We have commenced monitoring the homes and contacts of eight other delta plus variant tested individuals,” he said. One of the nine affected by this variant had become the first fatality in the state, he said. Allaying fears about the spread of the Delta Plus variant, he said the samples sent to InSTEM, Bengaluru (The Institute of Stem Cell Science and Regenerative Medicine) were taken in May when COVID-19 was at its peak in Tamil Nadu. “Since there is a declining trend of COVID-19 cases these days, people need not worry about (Delta Plus variant)”, Ma Subramanian said.
On the possibility of COVID-19 third wave, he said the department was not taking any chances and has enhanced medical infrastructure in the state to tackle it if such a need arises.
“We have ensured availability of beds, oxygen equipped beds, pediatric wards for children, retaining COVID-19 Care Centres,” he said.
There was some difficulty during the second wave since beds and other facilities like COVID-19 Care Centres were withdrawn following the decline of cases post COVID-19 first wave”, he said.
“Now we have adequate infrastructure”, he said. On the vaccination front, he said till date 1.44 crore vaccines have been received in Tamil Nadu and 1.36 crore people had been administered the shots. “We have about six lakh doses in stock”, the minister said.
