TN reports 2 COVID-19 deaths: CM puts Chennai, other urban areas under full shutdown mode

(EDS-adds details)

Chennai, Apr 24 (): Tamil Nadu Chief MinisterK Palaniswami has announced a complete shutdown beginningSunday in Chennai, Coimbatore and Madurai for four days tocheck the COVID-19 spread, as two people--a 67-year-old manand a 70-year-old woman -- died due to coronavirus while 72people tested positive on Friday.

The fresh cases have taken the total aggregate inthe state to 1,755, a health department bulletin said.

With the death of the two people, the total numberof deaths in the state now stands at 22.

Fifty-two of the 72 cases were from Chennai alone,taking the tally in the state capital to 452, the bulletinsaid.

According to the health department, the 67-yearold man who was admitted to the Rajiv Gandhi GovernmentGeneral Hospital here on April 14 died on April 22.

It was confirmed later that the patient wasCOVID-19 positive, the department said.

The 70-year-old woman who was admitted to thegovernment hospital in Madurai died early Friday.

The number of those discharged after recoverytoday witnessed a spike with at least 114 patients being senthome taking the total in the state to 866.

Of the 72 cases, 26 constituted women while theremaining were men, with the youngest being a 11-year-old girland the oldest a 98-year-old man (both hailing fromChennai).

As many as 13 people were suspected to be primarycontacts of the total 72, the bulletin said.

Chennai continued to rank top with 452 positivecases among the districts followed by Coimbatore 141, Tiruppur110.

Madurai and Salem recorded 56 and 30 cases,respectively.

Incidentally, the government announced that thesefive districts would undergo complete lockdown till April 29as part of measures to control the spread of virus.

The government has, hence, decided to tightencurbs under the Disaster Management Act, 2005 in select urbanregions based on expert opinion, Chief Minister K Palaniswamisaid in a statement.

"The lockdown will be fully implemented in thecorporation areas of Chennai, Coimbatore and Madurai from 6 amon April 26 till 9 pm on April 29," Palaniswami said addingSalem and Tirupur corporation zones will see similar completelockdown between Sunday 6 am and Tuesday (April 28) 9 pm.

In all other districts of Tamil Nadu, the existingcurbs will continue to be in force, Palaniswami said andappealed to the people to fully cooperate to prevent thespread of COVID-19. VIJ VGN BNWELCOME BNWELCOME