The number of coronavirus cases in Tamil Nadu has risen steeply yet again, with 102 additional patients testing positive in a single day. From 309 on Thursday night, the total number has risen to 411 as of 4.40 pm on Friday. Health Minister C Vijayabaskar tweeted the new figures on Friday.
Of the 102 new cases, 100 are those who had been a part of the Jamaat conference in Delhi. The other two cases include a patient with travel history to the United States of America. Speaking to reportes, Health Secretary Beela Rajesh said, "This disease can affect anyone. So our full focus is on containment. Even if there is high risk contact. Then there is a buffer zone. We are going door to door. 5000 health care workers were on field yesterday (Thursday) and more have started today (Friday). We are covering 5 lakh houses."
A total of 364 cases have emerged in connection to the Tablighi Jamaat meeting as of Friday. This is currently the largest source of infection in Tamil Nadu, with around 1200 people from the state participating in the conference that took place from March 8 to March 22.
The Health Department had earlier admitted that tracing the contacts of those who took part in this conference is a challenging task as the participants came back to Tamil Nadu and other southern states in several batches. However, following an appeal from the Health Department on Tuesday, hundreds of people who participated in the conference voluntarily went to government hospitals across the state to get tested.
Members of the Jamaat came back on flights and trains after the nationwide lockdown was announced on March 24. They were, however, staying in close quarters with thousands of other participants and preachers who had travelled to India from countries which were already affected by the coronavirus.
The Health Department revealed that thorough containment measures were being enforced in areas where the participants are from to avoid further spread of the virus.
As per the Tamil Nadu Health Department’s data on Friday, the state government has screened 2,10,538 passengers and has 1580 patients isolated in government hospitals. A total 3684 samples have been tested, of which 2789 persons have tested negative.
On Thursday, Chennai Corporation requested all those who visited the Phoenix Mall in Velachery, especially the Lifestyle store in the shopping complex, between March 10 and 17 to stay cautious and immediately report themselves to the Health Department should they develop any COVID-19 symptoms. This came after three employees who were working at the mall contracted the infection.
On March 27, a 25-year-old woman, an employee of the store, tested positive for COVID-19. She is currently admitted at Ariyalur Government Hospital. Health Secretary Beela Rajesh said that the woman had come in contact with a man from Kerala who tested positive in Sri Lanka.