Covid-19

Virus cases cross 6,000-mark in TN, 1,589 linked to Koyambedu

399 New Cases In City, 3 More Deaths In State

Chennai:  09.05.2020

The Covid-19 count in Chennai was one short of 400 on Friday as Tamil Nadu recorded 600 fresh cases. Of the total 6,009 cases recorded in the state as on Friday, 1,589 were linked to the Koyambedu cluster, authorities said. Tamil Nadu also recorded three deaths, pushing the toll to 40.

A 78-year-old Tambaram man with comorbidities admitted to RGGGH since April 30 died on Thursday at 9pm. Two hours later, a 56-year-old man admitted on May 6 died. An 83-year old man with comorbidities died at Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital.

At a review meeting with Union health minister Harsh Vardhan, state health officials have asked for a separate classification of deaths due to comorbidities in Covid-19 patients. “It is under review,” said a top official.

Chennai, the worst hit city in TN, crossed the 3,000-mark with its highest single-day jump of 399 cases. The city now has 3,043 cases. Since its first case of March 7, Tamil Nadu took two months to cross 5,000 cases, but the high infection rate in Chennai may see the state breach the 10,000-mark sooner, according to epidemiologists. TNN

LIFE-GIVING: Volunteers donate blood on World Red Cross Day, at a camp in Chennai on Friday

Govt hospitals given all-clear to start using plasma therapy

On Friday, Chennai’s neighbouring Tiruvallur recorded 75 cases, Kancheepuram 8 and Chengalpet 26. The swelling Koyambedu cluster left 34 people in Cuddalore and 25 people in Villupuram infected. Cases were reported from 13 other districts including low incidence Krishnagiri, which now has10 cases, and Dharmapuri, four cases. Within Chennai city, cases increased in Pudur in Ashok Nagar, Vepery, Tiruvanmiyur and in several police quarters.

The state health department reviewed its treatment protocols after the ICMR gave permission to government hospitals to start two clinical trials – using plasma therapy and broad spectrum antiviral Remdesivir. While Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital (RGGGH), Rajaji Government General Hospital in Madurai and Tirunelveli Medical College will soon start plasma therapy trials on critically-ill patients, Omandurar multispecialty hospital and RGGGH will start trials with Remdesivir, now being touted as the most probable drug of choice.

As Chennai continues to account for half the state’s infections and active cases, the Greater Chennai Corporation is concentrating on infections within containment zones and among frontline workers such as policemen, firemen, doctor, nurses, health workers, sanitary and conservancy staff.

“We have identified common causes for spread in different containment zones. While in some areas the public toilets were outside the containment zone, in some areas it was the public tap.

In another area, we found that an ATM was still functioning inside the containment zone.

A few people who went to the ATM were tested positive,” said GCC special nodal officer J Radhakrishanan. On Friday, officials in the corporation headquarters, brainstormed strategies including involvement of NGOs to bring in behavioural changes.