Authorities said over 40 health personnel mostly doctors working in government-run medical college hospitals here have tested positive for the virus.
There are five medical college hospitals including the ESI hospital in the state sector in Chennai to which a string of health facilities like the Royapettah Hospital are attached.
Greater Chennai Corporation said FIRs have been registered against 40 asymptomatic COVID-19 patients in the city for venturing out of their homes flouting isolation norms.
Despite advisory against going out of home while being treated for COVID-19 in home isolation, they went out of their residences creating scope for other people to get infected, the GCC said.
Strict action will be taken against positive patients violating home isolation norms by filing complaints against them with the police, the civic body said.
The total number of cases, meanwhile, now stood at 40,698 and the 18 deaths took the toll to 367, the Health department said in a bulletin.
Tamil Nadu also saw the number of those discharged recording a new high on Friday with 1,342 people getting cured from the virus cumulatively leading to 22,047 till date.
Chennai continued to lead in the number of people testing positive among districts by registering 1,477 more infections, totalling 28,924 so far, the bulletin said.
Among the total of 28,924 positive cases in Chennai, 14,723 have got cured while there were 13,906 active cases in the city.
Of the 1,982 newly infected, 49 were those who arrived in the state from various destinations in India and abroad.
The state also saw 18,231 people tested on Friday leading to a total of 6,73,906 people till date.
The number of active cases, including those in isolation was 18,281 in the state, the bulletin said.
Among the 18 people who died on Friday, 10 were from government hospitals while eight in private healthcare institutions.
A 38-year old man from the city breathed his last due to respiratory failure and 'multi-organ dysfunction' syndrome while 17 others who died were suffered from co-morbidities, including 'diabetes mellitus'.
Chennai also ranked on top in the number of deaths, accounting for 294 of the 367 in the state.
Those infected below the age of 12 years were 2,097 while people, aged above 60 who tested positive for COVID-19 numbered 4,559.
Those aged between 13 and 60 constituted the majority of COVID-19 cases at 34,042 till date, the bulletin said.
The health department advised people to adhere to health and travel advisories issued by the state government.
The public should also cover their faces with handkerchiefs or towels while coughing and frequently wash their hands with soap and water, it said. VIJ COR VGN SS