Chennai: Tamil Nadu has recorded 505 new COVID-19 cases and five more deaths caused by the infection, taking the tally so far to 8,37,832 and to 12,350 respectively, the Health Department said on Saturday.
Recoveries outnumbered the new infections with 526 people recovering. The total number of those cured till now is 8,20,907, a bulletin said.
The number of active cases stood at 4,575.
The government commenced its vaccination drive on January 16. The number of those vaccinated crossed the one-lakh beneficiaries mark with 8,417 getting the shots today.
According to an official release from the department of public health and preventive medicine, COVID-19 vaccines were administered to 8,417 beneficiaries and 1,05,543 people, including health workers, have been immunised since the launch of the vaccination drive.
In 294 session sites, a total of 8,417 people were today vaccinated, including 8,206 with COVISHIELD and 211 with COVAXIN, the release said.
About six lakh people, including healthcare professionals, are on the priority list for vaccination and vaccines are provided free of cost to the beneficiaries.
Meanwhile, the COVID-19 caseload of Chennai increased to 2,31,148, the maximum among the districts with 145 people testing positive.
The metropolis also accounted for a little over one-third of the COVID-19 fatalities — 4,098 deaths.
A 48-year-old man from neighbouring Chengalpet was the only individual, of the five victims, to succumb without any pre- existing morbidity or chronic illness due to COVID-19 pneumonia.
As many as 20 districts reported cases in single digits, while three districts — Ariyalur, Perambalur and Ramanatpuram recorded — nil new cases.
A total of 32 districts reported zero fatalities, the bulletin said.
As many as 52,725 samples were tested, taking the total examined to 1,59,65,919 so far.
Two individuals who tested positive included returnees from Kerala, the bulletin said.
PTI
