MADURAI: Principal Secretary to the department of Health and Family Welfare, Dr J Radhakrishnan, claimed that only fewer than 10 Covid-19 deaths reported in the State on a day are caused directly by the virus and attributed the surge in deaths to various factors including comorbid conditions.
He noted that representations seeking a change in guidelines to count the deaths were sent to the Union Health Ministry.
“According to the guidelines of WHO, even if a person who is positive to the infection dies in an accident or by suicide, it should be accounted as Covid death,” said Radhakrishnan.
He pointed out that the death of a person due to cardiac problem was accounted under the respective comorbid category before the pandemic outbreak.
“However, the death of a Covid-19 patient with the same cardiac issue would now be considered as Covid death.
This apart, as intensive testing is carried out on anyone who visits hospital, the death rate seems to be higher.”.
The State has seen a dip with fewer than 55,000 cases a day on an average for over six weeks now.
“Madurai has only 1,039 active cases. This is attributed to intensive testing, increased fever camps and door-to-door fever surveillance,” he said.
‘Coronavirus positivity rate remains 8.5% in Tamil Nadu’
Dr J Radhakrishnan added that the positivity rate remains 8.5 per cent in the State.
“Various measures are being taken to curb the spread of the virus in districts that record more than 10 per cent positivity rate. Medical and paramedical staff have also been appointed through Medical Services Recruitment Board and adequate drugs have been stored."
“The health officials have also been directed to concentrate on non-Covid ailments,” he added.
Pointing out an incident where 40 police personnel donated plasma in a single day in Chennai, he urged those between 18 and 40 who have recovered from the virus infection to come forward and make donations.
Urging the people to approach government-run hospitals for treatment, he said that stringent actions were being taken against private hospitals that levy exorbitant treatment charges.
Fresh cases 5,950
Deaths 125
SHAR works suspended
After a surge in Covid-19 cases in Shar and Sullurpeta housing colonies, the ISRO has suspended all regular activities of SDSC-Shar till the completion of contact-tracing, sanitising and fumigation activities