A syringe is prepared with the COVID-19 vaccine at a clinic. (Photo | AP)
CHENNAI: An analysis of Covid-19 deaths in government hospitals showed that unvaccinated persons accounted for 90 per cent of deaths in the last two months, said Health Secretary J Radhakrishnan.
Speaking to reporters at the Government Omandurar Medical College Hospital after inspecting the fourth mega vaccination camp on Sunday, Radhakrishnan said 7.4 per cent deaths occurred among people who received a single dose and 3.5 per cent deaths among people who received both doses. But these deaths were due to other complications.
Pudhupet during the mega vax drive | P Jawahar
No other variant of SARS-CoV-2 has been detected in the State other than the Delta variant. So far, 20 samples have been tested at the Whole Genome Sequencing Lab at the DMS campus and all have been Delta variants, he added. “Also, a majority of patients who are in ICUs are unvaccinated. Till Saturday, the State had vaccinated 4.79 crore people. During the first mega vaccination camp, the State vaccinated 28.91 lakh people, in the second camp 16.43 lakh people and in the third, 24.85 lakh people,” Radhakrishnan said.
Vaccinating people above 60 years has been challenging and only 42 per cent of eligible senior population has been vaccinated. Others should come forward to take the dose for their own safety, he said. Radhakrishnan also said Covid-19 cases in some western districts have started seeing a downward trend, but people should continue to be cautious and follow Covid-appropriate behaviour.
‘20 dengue cases daily’
The Health Secretary said till date, 2,919 dengue cases and two deaths have been reported in the State. Rapid response teams are visiting places of people who come to hospitals with dengue and other diseases. They will visit the area if there are three in-patients or 10 out-patients in any hospital. Daily, the State is reporting 20 dengue cases. Still, many people are not closing water-storing drums at home properly which act as a breeding source for aedes mosquitoes. Every year, in the last three months of the year, dengue cases will increase, the Health Secretary said.
Rs 22L missed second dose’
The Health Secretary also said 22 lakh people who had received the first dose hadn’t received their second dose. They should make use of the mega camps. At least 62% among the eligible population received the first dose and 22% got the second dose. The State has 33.05 lakh vaccine doses in stock — 27.96 lakh Covishield and 5.56 lakh Covaxin doses, he added
TN Covid watch
New cases 1,531
Deaths 23
Tests 1,50,410
TPR 1.01%
Total recoveries 26,15,873
Total deaths 35,650
Active cases 16,972
Total tests 4,74,49,936
State vaccinates 17.19L
Chennai: The government vaccinated 17.19 lakh people till 8.03 pm in the fourth mega vaccination drive conducted across the State on Sunday. According to data, the State vaccinated 17,19,544 people, of whom 9,68,010 received the first dose and 7,51,534 got the second. There will be no vaccination drive on Monday. In Chennai, where more than 1,000 camps were held, the highest number of people were vaccinated — 1,50,851.
Class 11 boy tests +ve
Madurai: A Class 11 boy, studying in Government Higher Secondary School, Therkkutheru in Melur, tested positive for Covid-19 on Friday. The boy is the first student to test positive in the district after schools were reopened. Speaking to TNIE, District Educational Officer Pangajam said after the boy tested positive, PHC staff collected samples from his classmates and teachers. The school has been closed till Monday.
