Chennai, Feb 24 (PTI): Continuing to report a sharp decline on the new COVID-19 infections, Tamil Nadu reported 575 cases in the last 24 hours, pushing the caseload to 34,47,581 while four more fatalities took the death toll to 37,997 the Health department said on Thursday.

Recoveries reached 34,00,144 as 1,913 people were discharged in the last 24 hours, leaving 9,440 active infections, a medical bulletin said.

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Chennai accounted for the majority of new coronavirus infections with 144 cases reported in the last 24 hours followed by Coimbatore 81, Chengalpet 66 while the remaining was spread across other districts. The State capital also leads in the total cases among districts with 7,49,474 infections.

Thirupathur and Tenkasi, each, recorded nil new cases, while 21 districts added infections in single digits in the last 24 hours.

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A total of 65,988 samples were tested in the last 24 hours, pushing the cumulative number of specimens examined to 6,41,52,004.

Meanwhile, Minister for Medical and Family Welfare Ma Subramanian and senior health department officials inspected the first batch of CORBEVAX vaccine that has been sent to the state by the Union Health ministry.

Briefing reporters, Subramanian said 21.66 lakh vaccines were allotted to the state, of which 3.89 lakh doses were received today and they would be administered to children between the age group of 12-15 years as and when the Centre issues necessary instructions.

"There are about 10 lakh children who fall in this category (12-15 years). After receiving the necessary instructions and the details about the commencement of the vaccination, we will administer the doses to the children," he said.

"We have planned to inoculate the kids at their respective school, itself," he said responding to a query.

Subramanian said the Health department commenced the vaccination to 15-18 year olds on January 3 and of the 33.46 lakh eligible adolescents, 82.27 per cent people were administered with single dose while 37.64 per cent second dose.

On vaccination for people above the age of 18 years, he said the department has covered 97.39 per cent of people with single dose while 72.05 per cent received second dose of jabs.

The Minister said that the weekly conduct of Mega Vaccination Camp by the Health department would not be held this Saturday as health workers would be gearing to hold the Pulse Polio Vaccination Camp which would be held the next day -- February 27.

"It has been decided to postpone the mega vaccination camp to next Saturday, so that health care workers will be able to take part in the pulse polio vaccination camp which will be held on February 27, Sunday," he said.

Chief Minister M K Stalin would be inaugurating the pulse polio campaign on February 27 and it will be held across the state through 40,368 camps. Over 2.50 lakh healthcare workers would be involved in this exercise on that day, he said.

Subramanian also clarified that the government-run 24 hour healthcare facilities offering free vaccination to eligible individuals would function as usual on Saturday and requested those people who are yet to receive the vaccination to make use of the opportunity.

The DMK government in the state launched the mass vaccination exercise on September 12, 2021.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)