Tamil Nadu reported 48 new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday, taking the total number of positive cases in the state to 738. Twenty one patients have recovered so far and eight persons have died due to the disease till Wednesday. Five patients are in critical condition.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Tamil Nadu Health Secretary Dr Beela Rajesh said that out of the 48 new cases, the infection of 42 persons arose from a single source event - the Tablighi Jamaat conference held between March 8 and March 21 in New Delhi. Adding that out of the 42 new cases, eight of them travelled as a group and 33 others were their contacts, Beela Rajesh said that a Malaysian national has also been tested positive from the same event. Of the remaining six, two were already on quarantine and four others are from Chennai, with the source of their infection yet to be identified.
When questioned about the number of persons from Tamil Nadu who had attended the event, Beela Rajesh said, “As of now, 1480 persons who attended the single source event have been traced by revenue, police departments.” She also added that those who have been tested positive recently include four doctors who were treating COVID-19 patients. As of Wednesday, 679 persons from a single source event have tested positive which includes 553 who had travelled as a group to the event and 105 of their contacts. The 679 positive cases also include seven foreign nationals and their 14 contacts. 344 samples are under process, according to Beela Rajesh.
Indicating that the Tamil Nadu government has also been testing those without any links to the single source event, Beela Rajesh said that the department has also been testing those showing up with Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI) since February.
Of the 48 new cases, Theni district reported 16 cases, followed by Chennai with seven new cases of novel coronavirus. Chennai has a total of 156 cases of COVID-19 as of Wednesday evening, the highest in Tamil Nadu. Coimbatore has 60 cases and Dindigul district has 46 cases of COVID-19.