Four more die of COVID-19 in TN,toll to 44; 526 test positive

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Chennai, May 9 (): Four COVID-19 deaths were reportedin Tamil Nadu on Saturday with the state recording 526 morepositive cases, including a five day old baby, taking thetotal number to 6,535, the health department said.

The deceased were all women, with three hailing from thecity and one from Ramanathapuram.

With this, the death toll has gone up to 44, a healthdepartment bulletin said.

A 58-year-old woman from the city passed away on May 8while a 67-year-old with co-morbid conditions breathed herlast late Friday.

Another 73-year-old woman from the city died on May 8while a 70-year-old from Ramanathapuram died on Saturday atSivagangai Medical College.

Of the total of 526 positive cases, Chennai continued tolead the numbers with 279, followed by Villupuram 67 andChengalpattu at 40. The bulletin also said none of the 526 COVID-19 positivepatients were primary cases and all were contacts of thesepeople.

Of this number 360 were men and 166 women.

The baby was among 18 children aged below 10 years whotested positive for COVID-19, the bulletin said.

In stepped up screening on Saturday, a total of 13,254people were tested in 53 centres across the state.

The bulletin said 1,867 positive cases are linked toChennai's Koyambedu market, identified as a hotspot.

While Chennai has 3,330 cases till date, 10 districts sawthe number of positive cases crossing the three digit mark.

According to the bulletin, 1,824 patients have beendischarged after treatment.

The department advised people to strictly adhere tohealth and travel advisories issued by the government. "Public should follow the cough etiquette by coveringtheir faces with handkerchiefs or towels and frequently washtheir hands with soap and water", the department said. VIJAPRRAVINDRANATH VIJAPRRAVINDRANATH