COVID-19: Tamil Nadu records highest single-day toll, four-day-old girl youngest victim in state
CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu on Wednesday recorded 5,175 new COVID-19 cases and 112 deaths, the highest single-day toll, including a four-day-old girl, the youngest victim in the state so far.
The fresh cases increased the tally to 2,73,460 and toll to 4,461 on Wednesday. Chennai alone recorded 1,044 cases. With 997 discharged after treatment, the number of active cases in the city stood at 11,811. Of Chennai's neighbouring districts, Chengalpattu recorded 487 cases, Kancheepuram 342 and Tiruvallur 472 cases.
Singer SP Balasubrahmanyam was among those who tested positive. The 74-year-old confirmed it in a video on Wednesday, adding that he was doing ‘perfectly well’.
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According to the media bulletin issued by the Directorate of Public Health, eight of the deceased had no co-morbidities. Among the victims was a 4-day-old girl from Madurai admitted on 29 July in the Government Rajaji Hospital, Madurai.
The baby died on 2 August due to acute respiratory distress syndrome and meconium aspiration syndrome.
Meanwhile, Health Minister C Vijayabaskar said an additional 1,000 beds are being added to the exclusive facility for COVID-19 treatment set up at the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital Tower-III.
The facility is already functioning with 1,000 beds and now we are adding an additional 1,000 beds. Also 150 beds are added to ICU in the first floor of the facility," the minister said speaking to reporters after inspecting it.
He also said various facilities like pre arrival intimation facility, video call facility for patients and attenders interaction were also set up at the government hospitals.
RGGGH alone treated 15,000 COVID-19 patients and sent them home. So far, 3,374 pregnant women who tested positive for COVID-19 were treated and discharged after delivery.
Chennai Rotary Club of Guindy also donated a bus and medical equipment to the Government Stanley Medical College Hospital and Government Kilpauk Medical College Hospital in the presence of the health minister.