Journalism of Courage
The Tamil Nadu government Friday said four more passengers who had returned from the United Kingdom tested positive for Covid-19. Health Secretary J Radhakrishnan said their samples have been sent to the National Institute of Virology in Pune for genomic analysis and the results of the same are expected in two days.
A mutated, highly infectious strain of the coronavirus has emerged in the UK since November 25 and genome analysis will help identity the same. Follow Covid-19 India Live Updates here
Radhakrishnan added that one UK returnee who had tested Covid-19 positive earlier is undergoing treatment at Rajiv Gandhi Government Hospital where an exclusive 120-bed capacity ward will be set up for passengers and their contacts who have to be tested for the new strain of coronavirus.
Addressing the reporters, Radhakrishnan said only senior doctors and nurses will be allowed to enter that ward.
“Dean, deputy directors, joint directors, district collectors, and SPs are constantly monitoring to curb the spread of the new strain virus. Anyone who is entering Tamil Nadu will have to undergo an RT-PCR test. We had taken a list of passengers who had reached the state from November 25 to December 21. Of these four members, one from Madurai, two from Thanjavur, and one from Mogappair in Chennai have tested positive. The patient from Madurai returned on November 29, the two Thanjavur patients reached Tamil Nadu on December 16 through Delhi and the Mogappair resident arrived on December 17.”
“A high-level team is monitoring them and checking their blood pressure, CT scan, and their parameters are normal. There is no need for panic. The person who is undergoing treatment now at RGGH is being provided high-quality treatment. The samples have been sent to the National Institute of Virology in Pune for genomic analysis, we are expecting the results in two days,” Radhakrishnan said.
He added that till Thursday there are about 2,390 returnees from abroad. Of them, 1,034 were from Chennai, 226 from Chengalpattu, 202 from Kancheepuram, 110 from Coimbatore, 107 from Tiruchy, 88 from Madurai, 72 from Thanjavur, 71 from Tiruvallur, 38 from Tiruvarur, 39 from Nagapattinam, 36 from Cuddalore and 34 from Tirunelveli. “We have taken 1,026 samples of these persons and till Thursday, we have received about the results of 440 samples,” Radhakrishnan added. He appealed to the public not to panic and urged them to follow the safety guidelines issued by the government.
Earlier, the health secretary said the state has prepared a list of people who should be inoculated on priority. According to PTI, a total of 21,000 personnel were being trained and 46,000 centres have been identified in the state for the rollout of the immunization exercise after the vaccine is made available.
Tamil Nadu reported 1,027 new Covid-19 cases on Friday with 292 cases being reported from Chennai. According to the media bulletin by the Tamil Nadu Health and Family Welfare Department, a total of 8,12,142 positive cases have been reported in the state till date. As many as 65,510 samples have been tested on Friday and overall 1,37,95,803 samples have been tested. The state reported 12 deaths on Friday, taking the toll to 12,048. There are still 9,129 active cases in Tamil Nadu.
