Number of people with symptoms in hospitals goes up to 211 from 116

CHENNAI: Hours after a Covid-19 patient died at a government hospital in Madurai around 2am on Wednesday, marking the first such death in TN, eight more patients — including four Indonesians — have tested positive for the virus in the state. The total number of positive cases in Tamil Nadu now stands at 26.The health condition of the 54-year-old patient who was on life support deteriorated on Wednesday. Doctors said the patient had comorbidities including chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder, diabetes and hypertension. His body was handed over to his family and he was buried at a burial ground in Melamadai in the presence of policemen.On Wednesday, however, the Covid-19 control room was able to map out a clear cluster of infected cases and high-risk contacts in Vellore, Erode, Salem, Sivagangai and Dindigal. Among the clusters were four Indonesian nationals and their Chennai-based guide, said health minister C Vijayabaskar. They were on quarantine from March 22 and are now being treated at the Salem Medical College Hospital . The four Indonesians, he said, had visited the two Thai nationals who tested positive a few days ago at a mosque in Erode.At least, 70 of their contacts have been advised quarantine. Another patient, a 66-year-old man who tested positive, had also been in contact with the Thai nationals. He is admitted to IRT, Perundurai, the minister said.“The patient in Madurai also visited him at a mosque in Erode. The Thai nationals and Indonesians have been visiting various mosques as part of religious practice. They pray, stay and eat at the mosque,” he said.Islamic practitioners from across the globe travel for Tablighi Jamaat the outreach society to spread faith. Their aim is to urge Muslims to practise their religion. The public health department have quarantine people who visited all the mosques they have gone to with the help of police. “We have also requested mosque authorities to give us the list of foreigners who visited the mosque in the last three weeks. If we are able to put people-at-risk on quarantine we will be able to slow down the spread,” health secretary Beela Rajesh said.Another 63-year-old patient from Dubai admitted to Walajah GH tested positive. “He came from Dubai on March 17 developed symptoms on March 23. We are trying to get more information about his contacts,” officials said.Meanwhile, the number of people admitted to hospitals with symptoms went up to 211 from 116 on Tuesday, and nearly 200 more people were added to home quarantine taking the list to 15,492. In addition, 104 asymptomatic passengers from highly-affected countries are being quarantined in facilities near airport.The state has also increased the number to tests to 890 and results of 110 are under process. At present, 22 patients are undergoing treatment for the viral infection in the state. One patient, who was cured, was discharged from hospital last week.