Tamil Nadu records 69 new coronavirus COVID-19 cases; 63 returned from Tablighi Jamaat event

Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami launched district wise helpline numbers to help farmers sell their produce, sort out transport, pass and storage issues. He also waived off cold storage fees for fruits and vegetables till 30th April, ahead of mango harvest.

Image courtesy: ANI

New Delhi: Tamil Nadu on Tuesday (April 7) recorded 69 new coronavirus COVID-19 cases, of these 63 are linked to Tablighi Jamaat's congregation at Delhi's Nizamuddin Markaz, putting the total tally in the state at 690. The state also reported one more death which now reaches seven. 

According to reports, the 64-year-old female patient died today was admitted to a hospital in Chennai. Notably, 19 COVID-19 positive have been discharged. 

Tamil Nadu's Health Secretary Beela Rajesh said, "the patient had comorbidities of hypertension and diabetes. There has been some debate over the degree of testing, particularly that of people who have recent travel history to countries impacted by the Coronavirus."

The health secretary stated that preventive measures were far more important, adding "For its benefit, Tamil Nadu, which ranks second only to Maharashtra in total positives, also does maximum testing."

"Today one may test negative but tomorrow the same person may test positive...what is important now is to practice social distancing as that is the only way to contain the spread of virus," Rajesh said.

Earlier in the day, Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami launched district wise helpline numbers to help farmers sell their produce, sort out transport, pass and storage issues. 

The Chief Minister also waived off cold storage fees for fruits and vegetables till 30th April, ahead of mango harvest, according to a statement by Tamil Nadu CM Office.

In Karnataka also, 12 new positive coronavirus cases were confirmed, taking the total number of affected in the state to 175, the Health department said. Among the 12, four had attended the Tablighi Jamaat congregation from March 13-18. One person each hailed from Bagalkote and Bengaluru Rural, besides two from Bengaluru city.

In Kerala, positive cases witnessed a marginal increase with nine new patients, including two who had Tablighi link, in the state.

Meanwhile, Nizamuddin West in Delhi has emerged as a major epicenter for the spread of coronavirus in different parts of the country after thousands of Tablighi Jamaat members participated in a religious congregation from March 1-15, and travelled to different states across the country.