Chennai registered a slight dip in fresh COVID-19 cases on Friday, with 939 persons testing positive for the infection. In Chengalpattu another 474 persons tested positive while in Tiruvallur another 191 persons were infected.
The State reported 2,722 new cases, including three passengers from the UAE and one from Bangladesh.
With this, the overall tally rose to 34,96,321. As many as 18,687 persons are undergoing treatment.
According to the Directorate of Public Health’s daily bulletin, 2,413 more persons recovered from the infection, taking the total number of recoveries to 34,39,606.
Till date, 38,028 persons have succumbed to the infection.
The department has approved two laboratories – one each in Madurai and Tirunelveli - to test for COVID-19 infection.
Meeting with Union Minister
Earlier, State Health Minister Ma. Subramanian participated in a virtual meeting with Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya.
Senior health officials, including the Director of Public Health, and National Health Mission officials participated in the meeting. Mr. Subramanian apprised the Union Minister of the measures taken in the State to prevent vector-borne diseases such as malaria, filaria, dengue and Japanese Encephalitis.
The Minister said that so far this year, 2,866 persons had been infected with dengue and 140 had malaria. While 8,023 persons with filaria had received financial assistance, 13 persons were treated for Japanese Encephalitis.
Mr. Subramanian further said the State had 78,78,980 doses of COVID-19 vaccines, of which 35.52 lakh doses would expire by September. He appealed to the Union Ministry to permit the State to administer precautionary doses to those eligible in government facilities instead of their having to go to private vaccination centres.
