Chennai, Dec 28 (PTI): Tamil Nadu reported a marginal rise in new COVID-19 infections, adding 619 cases, include seven returnees from domestic and overseas locations, pushing the caseload to 27,45,261, while the toll rose to 36,750 with six more deaths. The state had logged 605 cases on Monday.

Recoveries eclipsed new infections with 638 people getting discharged in the last 24 hours, aggregating to 27,01,974, leaving 6,537 active cases, a health department bulletin said.

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A total of 1,02,826 samples were tested, pushing the cumulative number of specimens examined to 5,71,30,470.

The state capital headed the list of new infections (194), followed by Coimbatore 84 and Chengalpet 59, while the remaining were scattered across other districts.

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As many as 27 districts reported below 10 cases, while Kallakurichi, Mayiladuthurai, Pudukottai, Theni and Villupuram reported nil cases, the bulletin said. Among those who tested positive were two returnees each from Qatar and West Bengal and one each from the United Arab Emirates, Ukraine and New Delhi.

Meanwhile, Minister for Medical and Family Welfare Ma Subramanian appealed to members of the public to avoid taking part in new year celebrations as there was a risk of spread of the virus.

He said union health secretary Rajesh Bhushan too had written to state governments on this subject on Tuesday. "Since there is a possibility of the spread of virus, we urge members of the public to avoid such gatherings", he said. Voicing concern over the increase in covid cases in Chennai, Subramanian said wearing of masks in the metro was low, while 56-58 per cent of people do so in a commercial complex. In places like slum areas, it was 32 per cent, posing a risk of spread of the virus in the locality.

"While going out, one should wear a facial mask, maintain social distancing and follow all the COVID-19 protocols", he told reporters.

On the Omicron variant of COVID-19, he said 34 people were affected by the new strain in the state till date, of whom 22 were discharged after successful recovery. "There were 12 people under treatment as of yesterday and seven were discharged last night. The current active Omicron cases in Tamil Nadu is five", he said.

Subramanian said 118 persons have till date been detected with the 'S' gene drop strain, indicating the possibility of Omicron infection and their samples have been sent to the National Institute of Virology, Pune, for the genomic sequencing analysis. "Whenever we receive the results (from National Institute of Virology), we will announce the details", he said.

(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)