DMK's General Secretary Duraimurugan has on Thursday confirmed to have contracted the COVID-19 viral infection. The development has come days after DMK's leader Kanimozhi had tested positive for the pandemic and after receiving two doses of vaccine. It also has come when the state has been witnessing the second wave of COVID-19 with severe infections across its territory.

83-year-old Duraimurugan is the DMK's candidate from Katpadi in the recently held assembly polls in the state. He was active in the party's campaign rallies across the state and he has now tested positive for novel coronavirus two days after the elections. According to reports, Duraimurugan has isolated himself at his residence. The development has shocked his supporters and DMK members and they have expressed their wishes for the octagenarian to get a speedy recovery. 

Tamil Nadu has been recording an unprecedented surge in COVID-19 cases and there have been the biggest jumps in fresh cases in recent weeks, leaving the state government to consider imposing restrictions. Some of the candidates have tested positive for the pandemic in the state. Last Saturday, DMK MP Kanimozhi had tested positive for the viral infection after which she was admitted to the Apollo Hospitals in Chennai. 

Kanimozhi had arrived by ambulance wearing a PPE kit to cast her vote on Tuesday in a polling station in Mylapore. On Wednesday, she had recovered from the viral infection following which she was discharged from the hospital. Apart from Kanimozhi and Duraimurugan, Makkal Needhi Maiam's candidates Santhosh Babu and Ponraj, who contested in Velachery and Anna Nagar constituencies respectively had tested positive for the COVID-19 viral infection amid the campaign rallies.

Santhosh Babu had unveiled his campaign on social media and interacted with the voters virtually while getting treatment in the hospital. Manithaneya Makkal Katchi's Chief Jawahirullah had tested positive for the pandemic days ahead of the polls. He has contested in the Papanasam Assembly constituency in the DMK alliance. Tamil Nadu had gone through the single-phase poll on Tuesday and the votes will be counted on May 2, during which the results would be announced. 

According to the state health department, Tamil Nadu has reported 9,11,110 COVID-19 cases so far as of Wednesday of which 27,743 are active, 8,70,546 have been discharged, and 12, 821 had succumbed to the viral infection. On Wednesday alone, the state has reported 3,986 fresh cases, 1,824 discharges, and 17 deaths.