CHENNAI: In a new high, Tamil Nadu recorded 6,472 new COVID-19 positive cases, from testing a whopping 60,375 people, taking the tally to 1,92,964 on Thursday. The state also recorded 88 deaths on the day, with a total of 3,232 people succumbing to the viral infection.
While Chennai alone recorded 1,336 cases and 11 deaths, the neighbouring districts of Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur recorded 375, 330, and 416 cases respectively. Health department data from March till July 21, shared exclusively with The New Indian Express, has revealed that Chengalpattu district has the highest positivity rate in the state at 19.83 per cent.
The capital district’s positivity rate stands at 17.77 per cent while the figure for Tamil Nadu is 9.07 per cent against the national average of 8.30 per cent. Virudhunagar (14.13 per cent), Ramanathapuram (11.71 per cent), and Ranipet (11.65 per cent) are the other districts recording a positivity higher than the all-India figure. In total, 19 districts in the state have recorded a positivity above 5 per cent. Experts have pointed out that positivity of 5 per cent or less indicates that the spread of the disease is under control. Of these districts, Madurai, which has seen a surge in cases this month, has a positivity rate at 8.85 per cent from 97,279 samples tested. In comparison, Coimbatore, which has tested 1,02,107 samples, has a positivity rate of only 2.31 per cent.
The data also showed that Tamil Nadu's tests per million is 24,262, more than twice the national figure of 10,421. Chennai and 12 other districts have surpassed the Tamil Nadu figure on this front. Chennai has conducted 68,028 per million, Kanniyakumari 38,542, Theni 32,624, The Nilgiris 29,238, Tirunelveli 28,871, Tiruvannamalai 27,423, Madurai 27,423, Vellore 26,490, Erode, 26,443, Thanjavur 25,990, Thoothukudi 25,948, Coimbatore 25,068 and Chengalpattu 24,544.
Chengalpattu has tested 51,771 samples against Chennai's 4,90,804. Tiruvallur and Kancheepuram, which have a positivity rate of 14.71 and 13.91 have tested 67,948 and 37,505 samples respectively.
According to the data, the incidence of the disease per million population in Chennai and five other districts was higher than the Tamil Nadu figure of 2,200. Chennai, with an incidence per million of 12,086, leads the pack and is followed by Chengalpattu (4,867), Kancheepuram (3,287), Tiruvallur (2,822), Madurai (2,428) and Vellore (2,395).
Among the 88 deaths recorded on Thursday, 11 of the deceased did not have any comorbid conditions. Tamil Nadu has tested 21,57,869 samples and 20,75,522 people so far, according to the media bulletin issued by the Directorate of Public Health.