CHENNAI: As the number of Covid-19 cases is increasing by the day in the state, health minister Ma Subramanian on Friday said 100% face mask compliance will be ensured in all government hospitals across Tamil Nadu from Saturday.
At least 139 people tested positive for Covid on Friday, up from 123 on Thursday and 112 cases on Wednesday. This was a steep increase compared to last month when only three had tested positive on February 3.
Speaking to reporters after inaugurating a health council conference at the Government Multi Super Speciality Hospital in Omandurar Estate on Friday, the minister said hospital heads will ensure 100% mask compliance on the premises. All patients, attendees, and healthcare workers, including doctors, nurses and paramedical staff, must wear face masks at all times in hospitals, he said.
Subramanian said the instruction has been issued as cases first start increasing from hospitals. Though the situation is not alarming, people should protect themselves by wearing masks, he said. Passengers from Singapore and Dubai are mostly testing positive for Covid-19 in the random 2% test being carried out at airports, the minister said.
Invoke TN public health act: Director
The director of public health and preventive medicine, Dr T S Selvavinayagam, in a circular issued to all deputy directors of health services has instructed them to ensure 100% mask compliance in health care facilities. If needed enforce the compulsory wearing of masks using provisions of the Tamil Nadu Public Health Act, 1939, the circular said.
Meanwhile, the Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) test report shared by the directorate of public health recently showed that the XBB variant of Omicron dominates in the state. In March, 93.7% of samples tested positive for the XBB variant and 1.5% for BA.5. Union health secretary Rajesh Bhushan in his recent letter said that most of the new Covid-19 cases in the country are being reported from a few states like Kerala (26.4%), Maharashtra (21.7%), Gujarat (13.9%), Karnataka (8.6%) and Tamil Nadu (6.3%).
According to the directorate of public health, of 139 cases reported on Friday, 38 cases were from Chennai and 14 cases each from Chengalpattu and Coimbatore districts. The state tested 3,597 samples on Friday and the TPR was 3.8%. One traveller from UAE tested positive on Friday. Active cases stood at 777 and 88 people were discharged from hospitals.