CM warns of stage III spread; TN to get 4 lakh rapid test kits

Buy Commodities For A Week, Don’t Go Out, Says EPS

Julie.Mariappan@timesgroup.com

Chennai:10.04.2020

As Covid-19 positive cases soared in Tamil Nadu, chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Thursday expressed apprehension that the state may go to stage III of virus transmission and sought people’s support in combating the outbreak. Any decision on extending the lockdown will be based on the severity of the infection and views of the health department expert committee with which the CM is scheduled to hold a videoconference on Friday.

“We are in stage II transmission. There is a chance of it going into stage III transmission. The government is taking all steps to contain the spread in stage II… I request you all not to venture out unnecessarily. Get commodities to last you for a week. Protect yourself from this contagious disease,” he said. At least 32,371 beds in isolation wards are ready to treat Covid-19 patients in public and private hospitals.

On whether the state would extend additional cash support in view of lockdown extension, the CM said, “The government can afford to spend depending on how much money it has. The other state governments have not extended similar gesture and they also cut salaries of staff, but we haven’t.”

The state had placed orders to procure four lakh rapid test kits for quick screening and expected the arrival of 50,000 kits by Thursday night. The Union government will supply 20,000 kits on Friday.

Rapid testing kits from China to reach TN on Friday night

Hospital dean Dr R Jayanthi said, “Nevertheless, he continued to stay in the isolation ward because he had a block in his heart. He had hypertension and diabetes as well,” said . “We were happy when test results turned negative twice, but the virus had caused damage to his ailing heart. He developed abnormal heart rhythm and the pumping function was severely affected. We lost him,” she said.

Health secretary Beela Rajesh said 84 of those who tested positive were from the Tablighi Jamaat cluster, taking its total count to 763.Of the remaining 12 patients,threeofthem had inter-state travel history. The other nine included a doctor from Nagapattinam. The 67-year-old retired senior civil surgeon in the district was running a clinic in Velippalayam. Public health experts say he must have been infected while treating patients at his clinic.

Of the799 patients admittedto varioushospitals, six of them are sick and one of them is on ventilator support at a private hospital, the health secretary said.

So far, five doctors, a lab assistant and a PG naturopathy student have tested positive among health professionals. The Chennaibased doctor continues to remain on ventilator, but his condition is stable, doctors said. Hospitals across the state have discharged 27 patients who were cured of the viral infection. The state, she said, will be getting the rapid testing kits tonight from China.

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