Chennai’s COVID-19 count over 9000, as Tamil Nadu surges past 14,000 cases

Chennai: The COVID-19 count in Chennai went past the 9,000 mark on a day Tamil Nadu surged past the 14,000 case mark since the outbreak of the global pandemic. With 786 patients, including returnees, testing positive for the novel coronavirus, the state’s tally touched 14,753. Chennai's number stood at 9,364 with as many as 569 patients testing positive. Health Dept said 4 patients succumbed. Tamil Nadu overall death toll now stood at 98. “3 zones in the Greater Chennai Corporation – Royapuram, Kodambakkam and Thiru Vi Ka Nagar, now have each recorded over a 1,000 cases. We are paying more attention to the state capital to keep the spread of coronavirus under check,” a senior official said. One of the districts in western Tamil Nadu, Erode, which had rem­a­ined in the green zone for 37 days after all COVID-19 patients had recov­ered and discharged, saw a fresh case on Friday. “Erode is no longer Co­rona free with this revival in case,” he added. The number of patients di­s­charged has not exceeded the number of active COVID-19 cases in the state, which stands at 7,524. TN govt has permitted autos and cycle rick­shaws to ply between 7 am and 7 pm from Saturday. —Dravida Thambi