CHENNAI: Owing to large number of people visiting their hometowns in view of Pongal festival, there had been a surge in new virus cases last week in Tamil Nadu, Health Minister Ma Subramanian said on Tuesday.
During the course of this week, the actual prevalence of virus will emerge in the state, the minister told reporters, adding that various preventive measures have been taken by the government, including vaccination drives, to contain the spread of the virus.
"In view of Pongal festival, people travelled to their villages following which the virus spread (in such areas). Over the next three days, the actual prevalence of the virus in the state will emerge," he said.
Though the virus spread is more in neighbouring states, the intensity of the virus is low in Tamil Nadu on account of the measures taken by Chief Minister M K Stalin, he said.
Subramanian denied that the mortality rate in Tamil Nadu was increasing and added that the aged and those ailing with comorbidity and have tested COVID-19 positive were admitted to hospital. "Deaths due to COVID-19 and Omicron variant has been low", he said.
Appealing those who undergo COVID-19 tests to share the right information to the government, he said, "People should not misunderstand the focussed monitoring by health officials. Those affected by the virus are monitored only for their benefit." People who tested positive and are asymptomatic have been advised home isolation while health workers monitor them through telephone and also by visiting them regularly.
As of January 24, the COVID-19 caseload in Tamil Nadu went up to 31,64,205 with 30,208 people testing positive while 46 fatalities mounted the death toll to 37,264, a medical bulletin issued by the health department had said.