The number of fresh cases in all districts in the State fell below 100 on Monday, with Chennai recording 96 cases.
Across the State, 366 persons tested positive for COVID-19, taking the tally of active cases to 5,745. Till date 34,49,373 persons have been infected. Mayiladuthurai, Perambalur, Tenkasi, Tirunelveli, Thiruvarur and Villupuram did not record any new cases while Ariyalur, Karur, Madurai and Theni recorded one each.
The State recorded the death of an 86-year-old man in Coimbatore, bringing up the toll to 38,004. Till date 28,17,926 in the 13 to 60 age group and 5,03,667 senior citizens have been infected. As many as 1,27,780 children below 12 have also contracted the disease till date.
In a day, 1,013 persons recovered from the infection, taking the recovery tally to 34,05,624.
Collectors advised caution
District-level teams should monitor the trajectory of cases and test positivity, and maintain sustained and critical level of testing, particularly for all symptomatic persons in any setting, Health Secretary J. Radhakrishnan said.
In a letter to Commissioners and Collectors, he complimented the district-level field teams for controlling COVID-19 but advised caution. Testing should be continued and maintained as per the Centre’s guidelines and instructions issued by the Director of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, he said.
Officials should advocate self-regulation and follow COVID-19 appropriate behaviour now that the restrictions have been lifted. Field teams should continue fever surveillance and watch out for clusters, besides advocating hand-washing, mask wearing and physical distancing, Mr. Radhakrishnan said.
Vaccination and post-treatment follow-ups are mandatory, and a vigil for new variants must be maintained. Adoption of public health measures advocated by experts had brought down new cases, and together with vaccination, hospitalisation was minimised, he added.
Permanent infrastructure of COVID-19 facilities should be maintained, and their upkeep must be strengthened, while vacant COVID Care Centres should gradually be scaled down, the Health Secretary added. “Hospital infrastructure and COVID-19 beds can now also be utilised for other services in a calibrated fashion,” he wrote.
Though the national and international trends of COVID-19 would be monitored, and depending on emerging trends, further guidance would be given, he added.
