477 new Covid-19 cases take Tamil Nadu past the 10,000-mark; state count now 10,585

The number of active cases in Tamil Nadu is now at 6,970.

With 477 fresh Covid-19 cases detected in Tamil Nadu on Saturday, the coronavirus positive cases in the state have now breached the 10,000-mark; taking the total tally to 10,585.

Stranded migrant labourers queue to board a special train to Bihar from Chennai Central Railway Station after the government eased a nationwide lockdown imposed as a preventive measure against the Covid-19 pandemic. (ANI PHOTO.)

At least three deaths were reported on Saturday with the death toll rising to 74 in the southern state. The fatalities include a 74-year-old man who had been suffering from the infectious disease, state health minister C Vijaya Baskar said.

The number of active cases in Tamil Nadu is now at 6,970.

After Maharashtra, which is the worst-hit state in the Covid-19 pandemic with a third of the country’s total number of cases, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Delhi are the states which have the highest concentration of coronavirus positive patients.

Chennai continues to lead with a majority of Covid-19 positive cases among districts at 332, according to state health department data.

The health minister said of the 477 newly infected patients, 93 were those who had arrived from other countries and states.

According to the minister, 10,535 samples were tested on Saturday.

Baskar said Tamil Nadu has been witnessing a decline in the number of coronavirus positive cases in the last few days, despite the state tally being above the 10,000-mark.

The numbers declared by different states and union territories also indicate that India has now surpassed China’s official tally of 82,933 confirmed Covid-19 cases since the coronavirus was detected in Wuhan in December 2019.