NE NEWS SERVICE
CHENNAI, JUNE 20
Continuing the declining trend, Tamil Nadu logged 7,817 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday, including three returnees from other states, pushing the caseload to 24.22 lakh, while 182 deaths took the toll to 31,197.
As many as 17,043 people were discharged, taking the tally to 23,21,928, leaving 69,372 active infections, a health department bulletin said.
— TN DIPR (@TNDIPRNEWS) June 20, 2021
Tamil Nadu recorded its highest daily infection count of 36,184 on May 21 and since then has been reporting a decline in cases. On June 17, it fell below the 10,000 mark.
Coimbatore, Erode and Salem reported in excess of 500 cases today, while 24 districts recorded new infections in triple digits.
Chennai registered 455 new cases, aggregating 5,29,211 till date. The number of COVID-19 related fatalities in the state capital also reached 8,046.
Of the deceased, 28 did not have any co morbidities. A total of 1,72,543 samples were tested on Sunday, pushing the cumulative number of specimens examined so far to 3,11,69,341, the bulletin said. It said a private COVID-19 testing facility in neighbouring Chengalpet district was barred from conducting COVID-19 related tests following a directive from the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) to the effect. Tamil Nadu has 272 COVID-19 testing laboratories, of which 203 are run by the government.
Zero Delay Ward at ICHHC
Earlier in the day, Chief Minister M K Stalin inspected the ”Zero Delay Ward” at the Institute of Child Health and Hospital for Children in the city, equipped with 250 beds. The facility has been set up to meet exigencies arising out of a possible third COVID-19 wave, a press release said.
Minister for Medical and Family Welfare Ma Subramanian told reporters after inaugurating the vaccination programme for leprosy affected patients that Tamil Nadu has so far received 1.26 crore vaccine doses and has five lakh in stock.
He said there has been a surge in the number of people taking the shots and the figure now stood at 1.18 crore. “People are showing keen interest in getting the jabs,” he said.
Subramanian said the Centre has increased the monthly allotment for Tamil Nadu to 70 lakh doses for July against 42 lakh allotted in June.
“Of the 42 lakh vaccines, Tamil Nadu has received 24 lakh till date. We are waiting for the remaining number of doses to be sent before June 30”, he said.
