CHENNAI: The State government inaugurated yet another exclusive Covid hospital in the city on Tuesday, even as the number of cases continued to dip, with 3,616 cases being reported across the State. Chennai alone accounted for 1,203 new cases. The State tally now stands at a little over 1.18 lakh and the toll at 1,636, with 65 deaths reported on the day.
The new hospital, located at the King Institute, is the third exclusive Covid facility in the city. It was initially built to house the National Institute of Ageing at a cost of Rs136.86 crore, and was converted into a Covid hospital over a span of two weeks. “The hospital has been designed to be on par with the likes of AIIMS and JIPMER,” CM Edappadi K Palaniswami said after inaugurating the facility.
The government has recruited 100 doctors, 90 nurses and 100 non-medical staff for the facility. The hospital has 300 beds with oxygen lines, 60 beds for intensive care treatment and 40 exclusive beds, the CM said. The other exclusive Covid hospitals in the city are the ESI hospital in Ayanavaram and the one at Omandurar Estate.
He said the cases in Chennai have come down because of the intensified lockdown. “The government also ensured that lives of people are not affected. The State was under lockdown for around 105 days. It cannot be extended further because it will have an impact on the economy,” he said, while denying community transmission in the State.
CM denies community spread
Edappadi, while stating that the State cannot extend the lockdown further, denied community transmission in Tamil Nadu