Tamil Nadu\'s daily average of COVID-19 deaths is 26 over last 20 days

Average 26 people in Chennai succumbed to COVID19 every day for the last twenty days though the recovery rate of patients has significantly improved in the same period. This data analysis of the last 20 days comes as the city continues to add at least 2,000 daily fresh cases for the last few days.  

The analysis shows that at least 17,956 patients have recovered in the last 20 days (897people per day) while the number of active cases has fallen down to 10,868 (543 every day). When it comes to the positive cases, at least 29,229 people tested positive with a daily account of 1461 adding to the 533 death cases in the last twenty days.

According to the data as of June 23 published by Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC), the total death toll is 668, active cases 18673 and total recovered cases is 26473.  And the positive cases recorded as 45814.  Meanwhile, the death toll rose from 17 on May 3 to 668 as of June 23 (almost two months). The number of recovered cases quadrupled from May 3 to May 13, doubled between May 13 and May 23, and rose by nearly 70 percent in the last twenty days.

Whereas the active cases increased from 1007 in May 3 to 4012 in May 13 to 5461 in May 23 to 7805 in June 3 to 18673 June 23. The growth of the positive cases shows 1273 in May3 to 4882 in May 13 to 9364 in May 23 to 16,585 in June 3 to 45814 in June 23.

It was on March 9 the first case of Covid 19 was reported in Chennai. But the cases started spiralling as a result of attendance of Chennaites at Tablighi Jamaat conclave held in Delhi in March and the crowds at the Koyambedu vegetable wholesale market. The spread of the virus to the densely populated slums in the city was also one of the reasons.

As per the data available with GCC, five zones including Tiruvika Nagar, Kodambakkam Teynampet, Royapuram, and Tondiarpet accounted over 60 per cent of the active cases while Royapuram remains the worst-hit.

Meanwhile, State Health Minister C. Vijayabasker, in his latest press briefing on June 22, said the mortality rate remains low in the state compared to other states. ‘Tamil Nadu is in the top in terms of testing with 9,19,204 tests and the state has managed to maintain the highest recovery rate in the country so far. The minister also pointed out that most of the death cases are with comorbid conditions.    

Meanwhile, the strict lockdown announced till the end of this month has helped the authorities to avoid gathering of people in the public places, but the biggest challenge remains is to monitor the positive cases sent to home quarantine. The other day, to tackle this issue, the Chennai Corporation had introduced a home-quarantine monitoring system deploying 4,000 volunteers to observe those quarantined and cater to their basic needs.