For the first time this month, Tamil Nadu reported less than 50 COVID-19 cases in a day. On Tuesday, April 14, 31 new COVID-19 cases were reported from the state. With this, the number of positive COVID-19 cases in Tamil Nadu stands at 1204.
Of the 31 new cases, 21 are related to the Tablighi Jamaat event. One patient has inter-state travel history and the rest are contacts. This number includes 16 women and 15 men.
The district-wise split of 31 patients includes nine from Dindigul, five patients from Chennai, four from Thanjavur, three from Tenkasi, two from Madurai, two from Ramanathapuram, two from Nagapattinam and one each from Salem, Cuddalore, Kanyakumari and Sivagangai.
The state has tested 19,255 samples so far from 15,502 individuals. The number of children below 10 years of age having COVID-19 in the state are 33.
69 Severe Acute Respiratory Infection cases were tested on Tuesday of which none tested positive for COVID-19. As of April 14, 81 patients infected with SARS-CoV2 have recovered in the state and 12 have succumbed. Speaking to reporters, Health Secretary Beela Rajesh explained, “It takes time to discharge people because we keep them 14 days even if they don't have symptoms.”
Beela further added, “We are taking all the measures we can. There is no delay, we are in fact going ahead of the issue. This is a pandemic. It is a medical health disaster. Everyone has to coordinate and work together. We want to save all lives.”
When asked about the rate of testing in Tamil Nadu compared to other states, the Health Secretary maintained that the first case in Tamil Nadu came much after some other states and that the rate of testing cannot be compared.
The Health Secretary also addressed the incident which took place in Chennai on Monday, where a deceased doctor who had died because of coronavirus could not be cremated. The patient who was from Vellore was undergoing treatment in Apollo Vanagaram. His body was taken to a crematorium in Ambattur but locals stopped the cremation over fear of spread of the virus.
“We need better coordination between hospital officials and Collectors,” admitted the Health secretary. “Yesterday’s incident was unfortunate.”