TN Minister urges people not to lower guard against Covid-19

After inspecting various ongoing projects at the Government Rajaji Hospital, the Minister for Medical and Family Welfare expressed happiness over the decline in new cases and zero related deaths reported for over a month in the state. "I am happy to note that no deaths have been reported due to Covid-19 for more than a month. However, it is necessary that one has to follow the appropriate Covid-19 behavior (in public places), the reason being that even neighboring Kerala reports high cases, and there as been 10 to 20 fatalities due to the pandemic (there)," he told reporters here.

Even countries like Singapore and Malaysia have registered 30,000 cases; adding in several European countries, the infection rate has not dropped.
He noted that the health department in Tamil Nadu was taking all measures to prevent the spread of the virus. "We are regularly conducting fever screening camps at all four international airports while two percent of the passengers who arrive overseas undergo random tests," he said.

Though six districts accounted for most cases reported in Tamil Nadu on Saturday, as many as 32 districts have reported zero points, he said. To a query on the construction work for the proposed All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) at Thoppur in the district, he said, "During his recent trip to New Delhi, Chief Minister (M K Stalin) has taken up the issue with the Prime Minister (Narendra Modi)... even Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya has informed the state that the construction work will begin soon."

On the initiatives taken at AIIMS, the Minister said various departments had been ramped up at the hospital, including upgrading the burns ward, intensive care unit, and thyroid department.