477 test positive in Tamil Nadu with three deaths

Three people succumbed to COVID-19 in Tamil Nadu on Saturday while 477 tested positive, taking the number of those infected to 10,585, the Health department said.

While the number of fresh cases was below the 500 mark for the second straight day, the state also saw another encouraging sign with a whopping 939 people being discharged, taking the total number of those cured so far to 3,538.

Health Minister C Vijaya Baskar appealed to the people not to panic, saying the government was adopting aggressive testing, early diagnosis and clinical management and new strategies to contain the spread of the virus.

The toll due to COVID-19 in the state rose to 74 with the addition of



three deaths including that of a 78-year-old man, he said.

A bulletin issued by the Health department said the three people who died on Saturday due to coronavirus were also suffering from various ailments including ''community acquired pneumonia and respiratory failure''.

It said there were 6,970 active cases in Tamil Nadu and one government and two private labs have been approved to carry out COVID-19 tests taking the total number of testing facilities in the state to 61.

The Minister told reporters that of the 477 new infections, 93 were those who arrived from other countries and states.

According to him, 10,535 samples were tested on Saturday.