Chennai, June 14 () Tamil Nadu registered 1,974 new coronavirus cases on Sunday, pushing the overall tally to 44,661 in the state, where 38 people died of the deadly virus, raising the fatality count to 435. With a significant number of deceased so far having suffered from comorbidities, the government urged those with issues like diabetes and blood pressure to keep them under control by following the prescribed medication properly.
On Sunday, as many as 1,974 new cases were reported and Chennai retained the unenviable top spot with over 1,400 of the fresh infections. As many as 38 people succumbed to the deadly virus from June 1 to 14, taking the toll to 435 in the state, a health department bulletin said. However, on the brighter side, the number of recoveries stood at 1,138, with a cumulative tally of 24,547 discharged so far.
Subsequently, there were 19,676 active cases, including those in isolation.
Chennai continued to record a high number of COVID-19 cases--1,415 on Sunday, even as its cumulative infections soared to 31,896.
The state capital was followed by neighbouring Chengalpet, which saw 178 new cases, the bulletin said. Of the total 1,974 newly infected people, 33 of them were returnees from domestic and overseas locations.
The government which has been focusing on enhancing the testing of COVID-19 samples said 18,782 of samples were tested taking the total tally to 7,10,599. According to the health department, of the 38 fatalities, 22 died in government health care institutions and 16 in private hospitals. While two of the deceased today were without comorbidities, 36 others were suffering from 'pre-existing comorbidities', the bulletin said. The deceased include a 30-year-old woman from the city ailing from 'systemic Lupus Erythematosus', 'pulmonary hypertension' and an 82-year-old man with severe acute respiratory disease syndrome and pneumonia.
With the death of persons with comorbidities spiking, Health Minister C Vjaya Baskar stressed that those suffering from diabetes and blood pressure should keep them under check.
The aged persons, especially, should take extra care in this connection and meet their doctors, he told reporters here.
"We are repeatedly insisting--comorbidity, especially for the aged... please keep diabetes under control.
Those with diabetes and blood pressure should take proper medication.Take your medicines properly.
When you keep these under check you can come out of it," he said, apparently referring to COVID-19. VIJ SA ROH ROH