6 more cases in Tamil Nadu; minister rules out community transfer – Times of India

CHENNAI: Six more people tested positive for Covid-19 in Chennai on Tuesday, taking the total number in Tamil Nadu to 18. Health minister C Vijayabaskar ruled out any chances of community transmission, saying all 18 had either travelled abroad or had contact with people who had travelled abroad.
However, indicating a cluster, Vijayabaskar said the 54-year-old Madurai patient who tested positive on Monday had been infected because he was in touch with the two Thai nationals who tested positive and were admitted to the IRT Medical College in Perundurai.
“Until yesterday, we did not the source of infection for the 54-year-old patient in Madurai. Today that has been established. In two other cases, we have seen transmission of disease from relatives who had travelled abroad,” he said. On Tuesday, a 55-year-old woman from Saidapet, who has been admitted to Kilpauk Medical College and Hospital, got the infection from her son, who travelled from London, he said. “We don’t have a case of community infection yet. We can stop it if everyone in quarantine stays home. If not, we will not hesitate to initiate legal action. We must maintain social distancing,” he said.
The six who tested positive on Tuesday included a 65-year-old man who returned from New Zealand and was admitted to a private hospital in the city and a 25-year-old man, who returned from London, and was admitted to Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital.
Earlier in the day, the minister announced that a 74-year-old man and a 52-year-old woman, both of whom returned from the US, were admitted to Stanley Medical College and Hospital, and a 25-year-old patient, who returned from Switzerland, admitted to Kilpauk Medical College Hospital had tested positive.
To help people with chronic ailments such as diabetes, hypertension, heart diseases, and those who have undergone surgeries such as renal transplant the state will supply medicines through it mobile medical unit.

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