As the sequel of reporting a spike in the Covid-19 cases, Tamil Nadu Health Secretary J Radhakrishnan has instructed all the district collectors to stay alert and strictly enforce the restrictions and government guidelines to curb the spread. 

In the circular on Friday to the district collectors, the Health Secretary has said that the increase in the Total Positivity Rate (TPR) is not in the wake of the increase in testing, but due to the actual increase in Covid-19 positive cases, which cannot be taken lightly. Alarming a warning, Radhakrishnan had further asked the district collectors to increase the vaccinations and to strictly enforce the Covid-19 protocols and guidelines, and ensure that the public will adhere to the guidelines in mitigating the increase of cases. 

Districts such as Chennai, Chengalpattu, Coimbatore, Erode, Tirupur, Thiruvallur, Madurai, and Nagapattinam had reported a fluctuation in TPR results for the past few days. In his circular, Radhakrishnan has further underlined to the collectors that the rise of new Covid-19 clusters in workplaces and communities has been distressing. According to the health department, the TPR that stood at 0.97 per cent on September 4 had reached 1 per cent on September 10. 

The health department officials had noted that there has been a slight increase in admission of Covid-19 patients in private hospitals in Chennai while the admission of Covid-19 hit patients in the government hospitals in the city had remained the same in the past one month. The sign of alert from Radhakrishnan has come when Tamil Nadu is inching towards getting back to full normalcy as the schools, theatres, parks, and major scale of sectors have reopened from the lockdown. 

Speaking to IANS, a public expert based in Chennai has said that there is a slight or marginal increase in the admission of patients with Covid-19 positive results in private hospitals. It is negligible but considering the history of the pandemic, the state government is not taking any chances to go against fighting the virus due to which the Health Secretary has addressed to the district collectors and instructed them to stay alert and strictly enforce the protocols and guidelines. 

According to the state health department, Tamil Nadu has reported 1,639 fresh Covid-19 cases on Saturday- September 11, with 1,517 new discharges, and 27 deaths. Overall, the state has recorded 26,32,231 cases so far as of Saturday of which 16,399 are active, 25,80,686 have been discharged, and 35,146 had succumbed to the viral infection.