Chennai: Following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement today to extend lockdown till 3 May to prevent the spread of coronavirus, the Tamilnadu government, sources said, will issue an order to extend Section 144 in the State till the above date.
Last evening, Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami announced that the lockdown, which was set to end today, would be extendedt till 30 April. “However, the Centre has decided to extend it till 3 May considering holiday on 1 May and Saturday and Sunday on 2 and 3 May. Following this, the State government will issue an order extending prohibitory measures till 3 May,” sources said.
The Greater Chennai Corporation has said people must wear masks compulsorily once they step out of their homes and warned of action in case of violation.
“All persons are to wear masks compulsorily once they step out of their homes,” a release said. Officials said Rs 500 fine will be levied, vehicles be seized and permits revoked if people venture out without masks.
Similar orders are in place in cities like Coimbatore and Tirupur to prevent the spread of coronavirus. On Monday, 98 more people tested positive for coronavirus, taking the tally to 1,173 in 34 districts of the State.
Talking to reporters here, Health Secretary Dr Beela Rajesh said the number of positive cases in the state increased from 1,075 to 1,173, and the death toll remained at 11, which was less than one per cent (0.9 per cent), when compared to other States.
She said of the total positive cases, 31 were children below the ten years of age. Beela Rajesh said 58 corona positive tested patients were discharged after treatment, including eight Monday. Of the 98 cases, Tiruppur for the second day in succession reported the highest number of 18 cases, followed by Karur (15) and Madurai (14).
Chennai, with nine more testing positive, continued to remain on the top of the chart with 208 cases, followed by Coimbatore which reported seven cases today, (126), Tiruppur (79), Erode (64), Dindugul and Tirunelveli (56 each), Chengelpat (46),Namakkal (45), Trichy (43), Theni (41), Karur (40) and Madurai
(39).
Beela Rajesh said as on date the State has 34 testing centres, 25 in government and nine in private hospitals. She said 33,850 people were under home quarantine, 136 in the government quarantine centres and 63,380 patients have completed the 28 days treatment. Beela Rajesh said of the 12,746 samples tested so far, 1,173 have tested positive.