Chennai, Apr 16 () As a fresh COVID-19 death wasreported taking the virus toll in the state to 14 onThursday,Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami describedcoronavirus as a "disease of the rich" and a "big challenge",and said the state has managed to contain the spread of thecontagion as the daily positive cases were showing a dip.
A committee under Finance Secretary S Krishnan hasbeen formed to devise the exit strategy post May 3 when theextended lockdown announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi isscheduled to end, he said.
The exit strategy could be a 'phased' one, he said,adding, the commitee will also discuss on finalising whatindustries may be allowed to function after April 20, aspermitted by the Centre.
On Thursday, the state reported a fresh COVID-19 deathwhile 25 more people tested positive for the disease, takingthe toll due to it to 15 and total cases to 1,267,Palaniswami said.
"This disease is a big challenge," the chiefminister told a press conference after chairing a meeting ofdistrict collectors to take stock of the preventive measuresbeing implemented across the state.
As many as 180 people have been discharged so far, asagainst the 118 on Wednesday, he said.
Palaniswami said the lower number of fresh casesshowed the government was containing the spread of thecontagion.
Fresh cases on Wednesday stood at 38, a little morethan Tuesday's tally of 31, unlike higher numbers seen earlierin the week.
The state had reported 98 fresh cases on Monday and 106on Sunday.
As many as 87 lakh people had been screened in 558containment zones in the state.
So far, 11 doctors, including six government ones,have been infected with the virus and this number was lesscompared to other states like Delhi and Mumbai, he said.
Further, it was a "disease of the rich," he said,indicating it has lagely affected the affluent.
"It is a disease of the rich. People who had travelledabroad or to other states have imported it (to Tamil Nadu). Itdid not originate here," he said.
Divulging details and statistics to explain the state'sfight against COVID-19, the chief minister said it took anearly lead by launching screening of air passengers andplacing orders for personal procurement equipment as earlyas in January.
There were adequate stocks of ventilators, PPE andmasks while enough strength of health workers has beenensured, including new appointments.
Further orders have also been placed.
The rapid test kits ordered by the state with Chinahave been "diverted to another nation," and even Centre wasawaiting the consignment, he said.
The state was in the second stage of the spread andtoday's new number of cases of 25 against 38 yesterday showedthe state has managed to contain it, he said.
He expressed hope the number will soon touch zero asthe rate of people getting cured was also increasing.
Further, extending government support to journalists,he said it will bear all the expenses incurred if theycontracted the virus and would provide an ex-gratia of Rsfive lakh in the event of their "unfortunate death."
These will apply to accredited journalists, he added.
Hitting out at the opposition DMK for its criticism ofthe government over the handling of the contagion, the chiefminister accused its president M K Stalin of finding faultduring any disaster, including the earlier cyclones in thestate like Gaja and Ockhi.
"This is a planned criticism as we are effectivelycontaining the spread," he said and wondered what the 38 LokSabha MPs of the DMK and its allies had done for Tamil Nadu inthe state though "people have elected them to do something."
A similar criticism was made against the AIADMK by theDMK when the former had 37 of the 39 MPs from the state in theprevious Lok Sabha, Palaniswami said.
"DMK is a party which only criticises," he said andadded that this was not the case with other states.
He regretted that there was "politics over a disease"in Tamil Nadu.
To a question, Palaniswami said people's essentialneeds, including of those in the containment zones, were beingtaken care of by the government.
This included cash assistance and provisions of freerice and pulses to rice ration card holders and financial helpto those in the unorganised sector.
About 13,000 migrant labourers were lodged in 311facilites and their needs were being taken care of, he added.
The police were also strictly enforing the lockdown,with the authorities having clamped section 144 of the CrPC,which bars assembly of more than five people, for thispurpose.
Police have filed 1.94 lakh cases and arrested overtwo lakh people for lockdown violations, besides seizing 1.79lakh vehicles, he said.
A sum of Rs 89 lakh has been collected as fine.
Meanwhile, the police announced returning the seizedvehicles and said this will be done after verifying thedocuments.
The process will be carried out at the local policestation limits and the vehicles will be returned to ownersafter informing them, police said. SA BNWELCOME BNWELCOME