CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu's COVID-19 toll crossed the 6,000-mark with 121 more deaths, including that of a teenage girl, taking the figure to 6,007 on Tuesday. The State also reported 5,709 new cases, taking its tally to 3,49,654.
Chennai alone recorded 1,182 cases while cases continued to surge in its neighbouring districts of Chengalpattu (344 cases), Kancheepuram (249) and Tiruvallur (489) cases. The State’s transport minister MR Vijayabhaskar and his family members were among those who have tested positive. The minister, his wife and their daughter have been admitted to Apollo Hospital in Chennai for treatment, according to officials at the hospital.
Meanwhile, as per the media bulletin issued by the Directorate of Public Health, among the deceased 13 did not have any comorbid conditions. Tamil Nadu has seen a rise in deaths since July, with those succumbing including youngsters as well.
A 39-year-old-man from Kancheepuram was among those who died without comorbidities. The man was admitted at Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital on August 11. He died on August 17 due to respiratory failure and COVID-19 pneumonia. A 16-year-old-girl, with comorbid conditions, was among the deceased.
The girl, from Dindigul, was admitted at Government Rajaji Hospital in Madurai on August 11. She died on August 16 due to seizure disorder, hypothyroidism and COVID-19. While Tamil Nadu reported its first Covid case on March 7, it reported the first death due to COVID on March 25.
The State’s death toll crossed the 1000-mark on June 27 when 68 deaths reported on the day took the figure to 1,025. The toll doubled less than a month later on July 13 when 66 more deaths took the figure to 2,032.
Just about a week later on July 22 the toll spiked to 3,144 as the state recorded 444 deaths following a reconciliation process aside from adding 74 deaths on the day. On August 1, the toll rose to 4,034 as 99 deaths were reported and nine days later on August 10 it reached 5,041 as 114 deaths were reported.