CHENNAI: The number of COVID-19 cases in the state rose to 571 with 86 new cases confirmed on Sunday. Of the 86, 85 are linked to the Tablighi Jamaat conference in Delhi. The total number of positive cases linked to the Delhi meet is now 522. The state also reported two deaths, taking the number of deaths in TN to five.
Meanwhile, a government order issued on April 4, said that the Tamil Nadu
government is making fund allocations for the police department to enable it to enforce prohibitory orders under CrPC section 144 till April 30.
While the earlier government order said that the prohibitory order is in force only till April 14, the new order suggests that the state government is mulling to extend it at least till April 30. However, it is expected that the list of restrictions under the prohibitory orders will vary after April 14 and a decision on this is expected in a few days.
A senior government official said that the new government order (issued on April 4) is only concerned about the police logistics. The order allocated funds to provide food till April 30 for police personnel involved in enforcement of the prohibitory orders as it is anticipated that the prohibitory orders will be extended.
Of the deaths reported on Sunday, one was of a 60-year-old man who died in Government Stanley Hospital. His funeral was conducted without his family which is under quarantine. The other death was of a 70-year-old man who had returned from Dubai. He died on Thursday but his test result was reported on Sunday, triggering outrage as his relatives alleged they hadn’t been told he might be a COVID-19 patient. Following this, Directorate of Public Health issued fresh guidelines on handling deaths of patients.
Speaking to reporters of the new cases, Health Secretary Dr Beela Rajesh said, “Of the 571 cases, eight have been discharged, seven are undergoing treatment in private hospitals and the condition of seven patients is critical. Total 1,246 people who attended Delhi conference were traced so far.”
She added that samples were taken from 650 people with severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) and among them, four with contact history were positive. The State is still in Stage-2 of COVID-19 and has enough RT-PCR testing kits. The aim of the government is to set up testing facilities in all medical colleges in the State. “An expert team constituted by the government is also studying how the virus has progressed in other countries. The team has also projected how the State would fare in a worst-case scenario. The government has also devised short-term and long-term plans,” Dr Rajesh said. She said a population of 38,88,896 was covered under containment plan and 15,000 field workers were engaged in the task.
101 people quarantined
As many as 101 people, who attended the Ramnad funeral of the 70-year-old man, including the local MLA, had to be quarantined after his test result came back positive
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A clarification on Section 144
In a report carried in print editions of the The New Indian Express dated April 6 in Tamil Nadu, it was erroneously mentioned that the state government had extended the restrictions under CrPC Section 144 till April 30.
Senior government officials on Monday clarified that this was a misinterpretation of a government order issued on April 4. The order issued by the Revenue and Disaster Management department on April 4 said that the police have to enforce the prohibitory orders until April 30. This, when the earlier order had said the prohibitory orders are in force only till April 14.
The Government Order by Revenue Department is in no way connected to the extension of Section 144 and it dealt with police logistics, according to Revenue officials. The officials stated that revenue department, in no way, has the power to decide on extending Section 144.
However, the officials said the order was made only in view of making fund allocation for the police department. The extended dates are mentioned only in anticipation that the prohibitory orders may be extended and even in that case, the list of restrictions enforced under Section 144 may vary. A final decision on this is expected in a few days.