CHENNAI: The initial coronavirus wave wintessed last year was 'small,' but the current one was like a 'tsunami' and a pandemic of such huge proportions can be tackled only with full public cooperation, a top government official said here on Thursday.
The government and the Greater Chennai Corporation have been taking all necessary steps to manage the situation like ensuring availability of beds, medical oxygen and drugs in hospitals, Special Coordinator (COVID-19 management in the metropolis), Principal Secretary to Government, M A Siddique said.
"The previous wave witnessed last year was small, but the one that is coming towards us is like a Tsunami," he said and pointed to surge in cases in several places including Delhi and Bengaluru.
Through all efforts were being taken by authorities, full public cooperation is needed to tackle the pandemic of such huge proportions, he told reporters.
All steps were being taken to increase oxygen lines in the state capital.
In government sector, as of now, there are 2,545 oxygen beds here and 3,129 non-oxygen beds and about 2,500 in private sector, he said.
About 500 more oxygen beds have come up today in government hospitals here (including at Egmore) and within a span of 10 days, a total of 2,400 oxygen beds would be added here which includes converting non-oxygen into oxygen beds and setting up fresh ones, he said.
A Covid Care Centre facility, being set up at the Chennai Trade Centre at Nandambakkam here, would also have 250 'oxygen points' initially in 10 days and 250 more shall come up later.
Though there was no need for panic, adequate precautions must be taken by people and COVID-19 appropriate behaviour like wearing mask, avoiding crowded places and maintaining social distanceing must be followed without fail, he said.
If a person tests positive for the virus, there is no need for concern and he or she may call 104 or the corporation helpline (044 46122300 /25384520) and 'focus voluteers' would assist them to reach screening centres.
Based on the outcome of tests at the centres, they may be referred to Covid Care Centres or hospitals, he said.
The number of RT-PCR tests here have been increased to about 25,000 now from 11,000 last month.
The state recorded an all-time high of 17,858 new cases of coronavirus in a single day, pushing the total caseload to 11.48 lakh.
The toll rose to 13,933 as 107 more died of the virus, a medical bulletin said.
Recoveries on Thursday aggregated to 10.21 lakh with 15,542 patients being discharged, leaving 1,12,556 active infections, it said.
The state capital accounted for the bulk of the total cases reported today by adding 5,445 new infections, totaling 3,28,520 till date.
The metropolis also leads in the number of fatalities with 4,701 people succumbing to the virus.
The number of samples tested in the last 24 hours was 1,40,589, pushing the cumulative number of specimens examined so far to 2.25 crore.
Besides Chennai, Chengalpet added 1,164 cases, Coimbatore 1,008 while 31 districts clocked new infections in triple digits.
Cuddalore 249, Dharmapuri 154, Dindigul 245, Erode 473, Kallakurichi 214, Kancheepuram 352, Kanyakumari 211, Karur 138, Krishnagiri 371, Madurai 604, Nagapattinam 265, Namakkal 298, Pudukottai 102, Ramanathapuram 205, followed by others.
Among the deceased, 19 of them, including a 31 year old man from Villupuram succumbed to the virus without any pre- existing illness.
As many as 39 of them who tested positive today were returnees from various destinations, the bulletin said.
Meanwhile, the government said one returnee from the United Kingdom recently tested COVID-19 positive and was under treatment in an isolation ward.
The state has reported 40 primary and 20 contact cases so far.
In another notification, the government said a private lab in Chennai was accorded approval to hold COVID-19 testing recently.