While there has been an overall decrease in the number of daily COVID-19 infections in the State, the numbers were fluctuating in a few districts such as Thanjavur, Kallakurichi and Cuddalore. Such districts were under continuous monitoring, Minister for Medical and Family Welfare Ma. Subramanian said on Friday.
On Wednesday, the State recorded 4,506 COVID-19 cases. The daily tally dropped to 4,481 on Thursday. “Though there is a decline in the overall caseload, cases rose marginally by 10 to 20 in four or five districts, such as Thanjavur, Kallakurichi and Cuddalore, while seven or eight other districts registered a small rise when compared to the previous day,” he told reporters shortly after flagging off 10 vehicles to spread awareness of COVID-19 prevention and vaccination in places such as markets where people converge in large numbers.
He said Health Secretary J. Radhakrishnan had discussed steps to be taken with the Collectors of the respective districts. He, along with Dr. Radhakrishnan, would be visiting Cuddalore and Tiruvannamalai.
The Minister said that although the cases had dipped to 4,500, the number of tests remained at 1.6 lakh to 1.7 lakh a day. The government was keen on not reducing the number of tests, he added.
Vaccine stock
The State, as on Friday, has 8,16,890 doses of COVID-19 vaccines. The Centre had allocated 71 lakh doses of vaccines for July. The State had so far received 1,56,26,550 doses of vaccines from the Centre, including the State’s own purchase of 29.92 lakh doses, he said.
Reacting to Deputy Opposition Leader O. Panneerselvam’s criticism of the government on vaccination, the Minister said that COVID-19 vaccination was rolled out on January 16, following which the previous AIADMK government administered 61,000 doses a day for five months.
He said if the previous AIADMK government had taken steps to operationalise HLL Biotech in Chengalpattu earlier, the State would have started to manufacture vaccines.
Focus on prevention
The Health Secretary had asked all Collectors to keep the focus on COVID-19 prevention measures as the effect of relaxing restrictions would start to show only after a few days.
He called for effective workplace interventions and checking on clusters, however small they may be.
The Collectors of Kallakurichi, Thanjavur, Madurai, Tiruvannamalai, Tirunelveli and other districts, where there was a marginal increase or stagnant trend, should check the reasons for increase in cases or no reduction with reference to locations contributing to the cases and act immediately.
Street or habitation-level checks for clusters and reasons for increase in cases should be taken up. He said that fever camps should be conducted to ensure attendance of at least 100 persons.
