TN logs 6,700 plus new COVID-19 cases, CM says state has adequate vaccine doses

Chennai: Tamil Nadu on Monday reported 6,711 fresh COVID-19 cases, taking the tally to 9,40,145 while Chief Minister K Palaniswami said the state has adequate vaccine doses and urged industries and others to get their employees vaccinated.

While 19 fatalities pushed the toll to 12,927, 2,339 patients were discharged following treatment. So far 8,80,910 people have recovered and there are 46,308 active cases.

Chennai (2105), together with three nearby districts of Chengelpet (611), Tiruvallur (333) and Kancheepuram (277), contributed to almost 50 per cent of the total fresh cases.

From 10,487 active cases on March 25 when electioneering peaked for the April 6 Assembly polls, Tamil Nadu has added a whopping 35,821 fresh cases in a span of about 17 days.

Palaniswami, who chaired a high-level meeting at the Secretariat to review the COVID-19 scenario, said Tamil Nadu has adequate vaccine doses and the general public should get vaccinated without fail.

"Till April 11, Tamil Nadu has received 54,85,720 vaccine doses from the Centre," he said. All government officers and employees should for sure get vaccinated within two weeks, he said. Arrangements are in place to innoculate 1.60 crore people this year and till April 10, 37.80 lakh people have been vaccinated, he said, adding that confidence 'should be built among the people' on getting vaccine administered.

Industries, restaurants and commercial establishments must come forward to vaccinate their employees and government is ready to work with them to complete innoculation drive in their respective premises. Similarly residential apartment complexes and managements of markets too should extend support in vaccination, he said.

While 15,000 additional medical personnel were recruited, life saving drugs, including anti-viral Remdesvir have been procured and dispatched to all state-run hospitals.

As many as 80,284 beds are ready, which include 32,102 with oxygen support, 6,997 with Intensive Care Unit facility and 6,517 with ventilators.

On tests, Palaniswami advised officials that as against the current average of about 85,000 RT-PCR tests daily, at least 90,000 tests be done in tune with increased and aggressive testing and results must be declared within 24 hours.