Chennai: The number of fresh Covid-19 cases being reported on a single day in Tamilnadu touched a new high on Sunday, with 4,979 persons testing positive. This has triggered fears of community spread and whether it is a fresh wave of coronavirus infections.
However, officials denied both and said the rising numbers are due to increased testing and the pandemic situation is under control in the State. The total number of active cases as on date is 50,294 (including those under isolation), and the total number of positive cases is 1,70,693.
Chennai, the capital city, continued to lead the rest of the State in new cases as 1,254 more people tested positive on Sunday. However, cases surged in other districts as well. Of Chennai’s neighbouring districts, Chengalpattu recorded 306 cases, Kancheepuram 220 and Tiruvallur 405.
According to Greater Chennai Corporation Commissioner G Prakash, the civic body was the first in the country to have conducted five lakh RT-PCR tests.
Till 18 July from March, five lakh tests were conducted, he said and added that sample testing has been increased to 13,000 per day from about 4,500 (in recent times) in the Corporation areas.