Chennai: In yet another steep day-wise up-climb in persons testing positive for Covid-19, novel coronavirus, Tamil Nadu on Tuesday added 1,685 to its tally, even as 21 deaths confirmed by the Health department on a single day has pushed up the total fatalities due to the virus to 307.
The total number of persons testing positive for Covid-19 in the State till date consequently took another big leap to 34,914 cases, with Chennai alone accounting for 1,242 fresh cases in a dizzy northward ascent. This is followed by a sizzling high of 158 cases in Chengalpattu, 90 in Thiruvallur and 32 in Kancheepuram, making these four districts a corona hotbed.
The only comfort for the authorities is that the number of patients discharged went up by 798 persons, taking their total to 18,325 as on date, against 16,279 active cases throughout Tamil Nadu as on date. With another spike in Covid-19 positive cases in Chennai, number of containment zones (CZ) has jumped by 70 on a single day from 242 CZS' to 312 CZs'.
Sensing the urgency of the situation, Health Minister, Dr C Vijayabaskar, accompanied by the Health Secretary Dr Beela Rajesh and other officials, clinched a 500-beds Covid hospital facility at the King Institute in Guindy, for treating Covid-19 patients, especially geriatric patients with co-morbidities. It has all facilities including ICU and oxygen pipelines, he said.
Apart from adding additional beds in the four government medical colleges in Chennai and enlisting the support of more private hospitals for making them Covid-19 isolation and treatment centres, Mr. Vijayabaskar said 300 more beds each were being readied in the Chennai Port Trust old hospital and in the old compound of the historic Egmore Eye hospital.
Chennai alone will be getting 4,900 additional beds and people need not panic, he once again urged as he sought their full cooperation with the government. The Government has also recruited more doctors and para-medics, besides calling for more volunteers to fight Covid-19, he said.
Of the 21 deaths due to coronavirus confirmed today in the State, 12 of the 15 fatalities that took place in government hospitals were of elderly patients with co-morbidities. Only three patients died in government health facilities without co-morbidities, namely directly due to respiratory failure and Covid pneumonia. Among the six others who died in private health facilities, four of those deaths had the co-morbidities tag on the patients.
