Amid witnessing a sharp jump in fresh Covid cases, Tamil Nadu will record an uptick of cases in the next two to three days as the sequel of the larger movement of people across the state during the Pongal holidays. The upward trend may begin to plunge from next week even as the the state has been preparing to roll out the drive of inoculating the Covid-19 vaccine booster doses. 

While addressing the reporters on Wednesday - January 19 after inaugurating three new facilities at Government Stanley Hospital in Chennai, Tamil Nadu Health Minister Ma Subramanian has said that the cases in the state are expected to increase in the next two days as at least 8 lakh people from Chennai had travelled to rural areas for Pongal. The minister attributed the surge of cases on Tuesday to this large-scale movement of people that have been influxing back to the city.

He said, "Around 8 lakh people from Chennai had travelled to rural areas for Pongal which has led to an increase in Covid cases on Tuesday and it is expected that the cases will increase in the next two to three days." By citing that at least 1.5 lakh samples are taken daily, the health minister reiterated that the infection has been spreading fast. As per his statement, of the total 9,237 streets in Chennai, 3,399 streets are now containment zones. 

He further said that in rural areas that have 1.29 lakh villages, 24,199 of them have people infected with the pandemic and 388 villages are under containment zone. The minister added that every district has been witnessing a surge in cases and steps are being taken to curb the spread. He said, "There are 1.92 lakh beds in government hospitals, government medical hospitals, and Covid care centre, and a total of 9,000 beds are occupied by Covid patients. Though the cases increase, we have more than a lakh beds vacant across the state." 

Earlier, Tamil Nadu health secretary J Radhakrishnan has made a prediction that the cases will come down from the first week of February. On Tuesday, the health minister has announced that the special camps for inoculating the Covid-19 booster doses in the state will be held every Thursday, while the mega vaccination camps are being held in the state every Saturday. 

He said, "The Chief Minister has inaugurated the booster vaccination drive on January 10 and a total of 92,522 people have been administered with the booster dose so far as of Monday night. The count includes 32,355 healthcare workers, 25,300 frontline workers, and 34, 867 people who were aged above 60 years with comorbid conditions."  As per the data, the number of eligible people who can receive the booster dose in Tamil Nadu stands at 4,48,732. 

The booster dose can be administered only for those who received vaccination before April of last year and have completed nine months after two doses of vaccination. The health minister said, "The number (4,48,732) will cross 10 lakh before the end of January and it is essential to vaccinate all of them. All booster Covid-19 vaccine special camps will be held on all Thursdays and the mega vaccination camps will be held as usual." 

As per the statement from the minister, the special camps for the booster doses will be held in 600 places all over the state, including 160 places in Chennai, 385 places in 385 panchayat unions, all hospitals in district headquarters and medical college hospitals. He urged the people who were eligible to receive the booster dose to get vaccinated.