CHENNAI: For the second consecutive day, Tamil Nadu reported less than 500 COVID-19 cases. On Friday, 489 cases and four deaths were recorded taking the tally to 8,40,849 and toll to 12,379.
The State also vaccinated 11,396 frontline and healthcare workers, against a capacity to vaccinate 69,650 people on the day. Chennai reported 158 cases and two deaths. After 153 people were discharged, the capital had 1,575 active cases. Chennai's neighbouring districts of Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur reported 45, 15 and 35 cases respectively.
Meanwhile, four districts -- Kallakurichi, Krishnagiri, Perambalur and Sivagangai -- reported zero new cases, and 24 other districts reported less than 10 new cases on the day.
Three passengers, two from West Bengal who travelled by road, and one from Karnataka who travelled by air, are among those who tested positive. The State tested 52,656 samples and 52,487 people on the day. After 506 people were discharged the State had 4,446 active cases.
According to the media bulletin issued by the Directorate of Public Health, among the deceased, only one patient did not have any comorbid conditions. The patient was a 63-year-old man from Chennai who tested positive on January 23. The patient was admitted in Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital on February 2 at 2.27 pm and died on February 3 at 6.45 pm due to Covid pneumonia/respiratory failure.
Meanwhile, of the 11,396 people who received the vaccines on Friday, 8,894 were healthcare workers and 2,502 were frontline workers. Of them, 11,286 people received Covishied and 110 received Covaxin. Among 110 people, who received Covaxin, 109 were health care workers and one was a frontline worker.
Among the 11,286 people who received Covishield, 8,785 were healthcare workers and 2,501 were frontline workers. The State has so far vaccinated over 1.5 lakh people.
Dr T S Selvavinayagam, Director of Public Health said that the State is planning to begin administering the second dose of the Covid-19 vaccines from February 13.
Amid continuing hesitancy among healthcare workers, Health Secretary J Radhakrishnan on Friday visited the Government Stanley Medical College and Hospital and spoke about the need to receive the vaccine. He encouraged the medical officers, nursing staff, paramedical workers and students to come forward and voluntarily get the jab.
The hospital’s dean, Dr P Balaji, said around 100 people have been vaccinated in the hospital every day and a total of 1,500 healthcare workers have received the shots at the hospital till date. The vaccine drive for health workers will be completed within a fortnight.