State’s epicentre Chennai reports 103 of 121 positive cases

With 103 more testing positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday, Chennai continues to be the top hotspot for the virus in the State. With less than a week for the lockdown to end, the city seems to be nowhere close to containing the virus spread with a total of 673 patients and more adding to the tally by the hour.

The number of cases in Tamil Nadu crossed the 2,000 mark, recording 2,058 cases after 121 cases were reported on Tuesday. The new cases included a 5-day-old girl child at Chengalpattu.One more death was recorded in the State, taking the toll of the total number of deaths to 25. A 68-year-old patient from Chennai, who was admitted in a private hospital, died due to the infection on Tuesday. Pulianthopu in Central Chennai appears to be emerging as the new hub for cases with around 25 persons testing positive on Tuesday alone, Mylapore zone recorded 11 positive cases, Ambattur 3 and Nungambakkam recording 2 new cases. More than 55% of all positive cases come from three zones – Royapuram, Tondiarpet and Thiru-Vi-Ka Nagar - clearly indicating that it is the middle- and lower-middle class neighbourhoods that are most vulnerable to the spread of the virus.

A total of 19 patients at the Madras Medical College have tested positive for the virus on Tuesday.

Of the total cases in the city, 12 are primary cases, while about 20 contact cases are under investigation by the district officials. Statewide, of the total number of positive cases, 18 cases were primary while others are contacts of the existing cases. “The recent cases are from the people who have been infected 15 days ago. If a person tests negative, it doesn’t mean they may not turn positive later. For example, if a person is infected and tested within 5 to 7 days the result will show negative. The reason for the highest number of cases in Chennai is density of population. Within a week, the second lockdown period is to end, so by next week the cases should be reduced. If there is more awareness and people maintain social distance, the cases might decrease,” said Dr Sivakumar, member of Tamil Nadu Expert Committee for COVID-19. 

Of the 121 new cases, about eight children below the age of 12 were reported as positive on Tuesday. So far, Tamil Nadu has 121 cases of children below the age of 12 years.

The State currently has a total number of 902 active cases after 27 more patients got discharged in the State on Tuesday.