Three more patients from Tamil Nadu tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday, taking the total number of coronavirus-infected in the state to 12.
The latest patients include a 25-year-old man from Chennai, a 48-year-old man from Tiruppur and a 54-year-old man from Madurai. The men from Chennai and Tiruppur had both returned from London, United Kingdom. The man from Madurai, the 12th patient in the state, has no travel history.
Speaking to the media in a press conference on Monday, Health Minister C Vijayabaskar said, “The Madurai patient alone has comorbidities. He already has cardiac disease, uncontrolled diabetes and uncontrollable hypertension. The presence of comorbidities is a risk. He does not have a history of international travel or travel to other states. So the department is checking if he had been in contact with those who had travelled abroad or to other states. Once we find out who he was in touch with, we will openly state to the press how many people we have contact traced.”
#coronaupdate: 3 new #COVID19 positive cases in TN. 25 Y M Purasaivakkam, London return at #RGGH. 48 Y M Tiruppur,London return at #ESI Hosp. 54 Y M,MDU - Annanagar at #Rajaji Hosp. All 3 in isolation & treatment. @MoHFW_INDIA @CMOTamilNadu #Vijayabaskar
— Dr C Vijayabaskar (@Vijayabaskarofl) March 23, 2020
As of Monday, 11,519 were in home quarantine in the state, according to figures provided by the Health Minister. These included people who have returned from coronavirus-affected states and countries. 552 people have been tested for COVID-19, of which 503 returned negative and 12, including the one recovered patient who has since recovered, tested positive. 37 tests are currently under process, said the minister.
Regarding reports of an Armed Reserve police constable being admitted to the Government Rajaji Hospital in Madurai, the Health Minister said, “He was admitted to hospital in Virudhunagar with fever. He was recommended to be admitted to the Government Rajaji General Hospital in Madurai where he is admitted now. We have now asked for samples to be taken. We will know only after the test results come back.”
Following reports of people violating home quarantine protocol, the minister clarified that home quarantine was not a request but an order from the government.
“The Chief Minister has passed orders today and accordingly, we are pasting stickers on the homes of those who have been home quarantined. It is the government’s order that those who have returned from affected countries be quarantined at home for their own welfare as well as that of others and to prevent community spread. They have to obey it,” said the Minister.
We are pasting stickers on their homes with the help of the district administration, police department, health authorities and revenue department, the minister said.
The top eight districts with high numbers of those in home quarantine are Chennai, Kanyakumari, Thanjavur, Coimbatore, Pudukkottai, Trichy, Sivagangai, Cuddalore, Thiruvarur, and Tirunelveli. Collectors in these districts have received special instructions to those in home quarantine adhere to protocol.
The minister took umbrage to reports that pointed to a shortage of Personal Protection Equipment for healthcare providers. He said, “Doctors, nurses and paramedics are the ones who need to have masks in hospital." He also noted that orders have been placed for three-ply and two-ply masks.
"We have stock of two lakh N95 masks, we have also placed an order, it is in the pipeline,” the minister said.
He added, “We already have 1,100 ventilators. We have received 560 ventilators now. We have ordered 500 more ventilators. An exclusive 300-bed hospital will be set up in B Block, Government Medical College Omandurar Government Estate in one or two days for coronavirus treatment. We have readied 100 beds in other hospitals including Stanley and Kilpauk.”
He also said that the Chief Minister had reached out to private hospitals to free up 25 percent of their facilities.