The state of Tamil Nadu has reported 716 fresh cases that were tested positive for Coronavirus (COVID-19) on Tuesday taking the total number of the affected cases to 8,718 so far in its territory including the active, recovered, and deceased patients. The state has also recorded eight fresh fatalities claimed by the pandemic. 

The state health department has issued the official press release concerning the outbreak in the state. According to the press release, Tamil Nadu has tested 2,66,687 samples so far including 11,788 that were tested on Tuesday of which 716 returned positive for the virus. The current reporting includes 427 males, 288 females, and one transgender. 

The official press release stated that of these 716 cases, 510 belong to Chennai, 36 belong to Ariyalur, 35 belong to Chengalpattu, 27 each from Perambalur and Thiruvallur, 24 belong to Kancheepuram, 13 belong to Thiruvannamalai, nine belong to Ranipet, seven belong to Theni, four each from Karur, Virudhunagar, and Airport quarantine - four passengers returned from other countries reported positive on Tuesday and they have been kept under the airport quarantine. 

Total number of positive cases in Tamil Nadu stands at 8718 after 716 new cases were reported in the state today. 8 deaths recorded today, taking the total death toll to 61. A total of 2134 people have been discharged till date: Health and Family Welfare Dept, Govt of Tamil Nadu pic.twitter.com/tAQcerEQL0

— ANI (@ANI) May 12, 2020

Three belong to Tirunelveli, two each from Dindigul, Kallakurichi, Thoothukudi, and Trichy, and one each from Cuddalore, Kanyakumari, Tenkasi, Vellore, and Villupuram. The current reporting has become one of the highest single-day rises and in the span of five days, the state has reported over 3700 cases amid the restrictions and lockdown.

The state has reported 83 fresh discharges on Tuesday taking the total number of discharges to 2,134 and the state has also recorded eight fatalities - which has been marked as the highest single-day rise in the number of deaths and the state's death toll currently stands at 61. According to the press release, a 69-year-old male, a 63-year-old male, a 43-year-old female, and a 55-year-old female had died due to the infection in Rajiv Gandhi Government Hospital in Chennai. 

A 75-year-old male, a 70-year-old male, and a 58-year-old female had succumbed to the virus in Kilpauk Medical College Hospital while a 57-year-old female had died at the Stanley Medical College Hospital in the city. All these fatalities have been identified to be suffering from co-morbid conditions. 

Chennai has added over 1600 cases in its count in the last three days. With the current reporting of 510 cases, Chennai has reported 4,882 cases so far - the highest in the state and city has contributed about 50% of the total affected cases in the state. Earlier on Sunday, Chennai's nodal officer Radhakrishnan has attributed the rise of the cases in the city to the increase in targeted testings in the Koyambedu and North Chennai clusters. 

The state has been witnessing the sharpest rise in the number of positive cases despite the measures rolled out the flatten the curve of the affected cases. On Monday, the state has reported 798 cases which had been recorded as the highest single-day rise in the state since the outbreak. As of Tuesday evening, the state has reported 8,718 positive cases so far of which 6,520 are active, 2,134 have been discharged, and 61 had succumbed to the virus. 

To read the press release, visit: https://stopcorona.tn.gov.in/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Media-Bulletin-12.05.2020-23-Pages-English-584-KB.pdf