1 more TN doctor tests +ve, 48 new cases recorded

Health Secretary Dr Beela Rajesh said that of the other six positive cases, two were under quarantine after a travel or contact history, while the source of infection of four other positive cases are being tracked now. “There are five patients with symptoms of acute respiratory infection. However, they are not on ventilator or critical care,” said Dr Rajesh.

Currently, the single cluster source cases in the State have reached 679, including seven foreign nationals and their 14 contacts. Among the cluster cases, 553 patients travelled together and 105 others are their contacts.

Patients from other sources are 59 in number including 26 with travel history while 33 of them are contacts. The Health Secretary stated that an expert committee of doctors has been appointed to conduct an audit as the deaths reported so far are a sudden deterioration in the health condition of the patient.

Elaborating on the alleged breach of protocol that arose during the death audit in the case of a 71-year-old man from Ramanathapuram at Stanley Medical College and Hospital, the Dr Rajesh said that there were a lot of constraints in the way the body was taken from the hospital. “However, the guidelines have been issued and about 200 people in the contact history of the case have been quarantined,” she said. 

Meanwhile, Health Minister C Vijaya Baskar inspected the Walk-in- Sample- Kiosks (WISK) set up at the Stanley Medical College and Hospital to collect swabs from persons exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 with minimal contact

More than 20,000 people who are under quarantine due to direct contact with COVID-19 patients, are awaiting confirmatory tests as the State struggles to test all those who are suspected to be carriers, a highly placed official told DT Next. According to the official, more than 60,000 people are under home and hospital quarantine but only 10% did primary, secondary tests. “Even close kin of positive patients are yet to be tested properly. The situation is worse in Thanjavur, Villupuram and Theni areas as there are not adequate facilities,” he added.