Biggest single day spike in Tamil Nadu, free face masks for all ration card holders
Chennai: Even as Chennai and neighbouring northern districts continue to report a surging number of coronavirus positive cases (the figures today were Chengalpattu-182, followed by Thiruvallur-105, Kancheepuram-33, Ranipet-24 and Thiruvannamalai-23), the State government issued a G.O. to implement the Chief Minister, Edappadi K Palaniswami's recent announcement to provide free face masks to all ration card holders to help reduce the spread of the infection. Accordingly, 13,48, 31,798 cloth masks have been ordered to be procured to family members of 2,08, 23,076 ration card holders in Tamil Nadu.
The 'rate fixation committee' should take a call on the appropriate specifications of the cloth masks to be supplied free to the people and it should also be satisfied that the price of the mask is reasonable and confirming to the specifications, the G.O. issued by Chief Secretary K Shanmugam said.
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In yet another uncontrolled day-wise spike, 1,927 persons tested positive for Covid-19, novel coronavirus, in Tamil Nadu on Wednesday, taking the total number of positive patients in the State to 36,841, even as Health Minister, Dr C Vijayabaskar brushed aside suggestions that the virus has entered the 'community transmission' stage.
While Chennai alone accounted for 1,390 Covid-19 positive cases today, and the State's death toll due to the virus jumping to 326 with 19 more deaths confirmed by the Health department today, Dr Vijayabaskar told reporters in Salem that the Government was taking utmost precautions and care in treating the coronavirus patients across the State.
"Don't fear the rising numbers," said Dr Vijayabaskar after he visited the Government Mohan Kumaramangalam medical college hospital in Salem, inspected the Covid-19 treatment facilities there, and discussed the preventive measures to be continued with the doctors. "It is for the Centre to announce, if there is any such thing (community spread)," he quipped.
Adding to what the minister said, the Health Secretary Dr Beela Rajesh said in Chennai that the government was doing everything possible within its Means to ensure that there is no shortage of beds in the various government hospitals.
The total number of beds in the major government hospitals in Chennai was being doubled from 5,000 to 10,000, she said. The treatment facilities were also being constantly upgraded, she assured.
Asked about the reported new mutation of the coronavirus, 'Clade A3i', found mostly in the Southern States of Telangana and Tamil Nadu in a recent study by the Hyderabad-based Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Dr Beela Rajesh said, "there is no need to worry about it."
