New Tamil Nadu Health Minister's number circulated as COVID helpline; flagged as fake news

The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) issued a clarification after new Tamil Nadu Health Minister Ma Subramanian's mobile number was circulated on social media as a helpline for COVID-19 patients. The newly sworn-in Tamil Nadu Health Minister's mobile number along with a landline number and his email ID was attached along with a message seen doing rounds on social media platforms including Twitter, WhatsApp, Facebook urging people to contact Ma Subramanian in case of COVID-related queries along with an assurance that they would receive a callback. Taking to Twitter, the GCC & the Chennai COVID-19 Helpline urged people to dial 104 for COVID-related emergencies and urged citizens to not fall prey to fake news, thereby busting the fake message that was doing rounds.

Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin announced on Wednesday the state government's decision to import COVID-19 vaccines via a global contract in order to meet the state's demands. Citing that the Centre-allocated 13 lakh vaccine doses for the inoculation of persons between 18 & 44 years of age was insufficient, the newly elected Tamil Nadu CM announced that a global tender would be floated to procure vaccines from manufacturers around the globe. Tamil Nadu govt's decision on the import of vaccines comes at the same time as 12 Opposition party leaders writing to PM Modi demanding vaccines to be procured from all available resources - globally and locally - and to make the inoculation drive universal and free for all, among other suggestions. 

The Tamil Nadu CM also sought the oxygen allocated to the state by the Centre to be increased from the existing 280 MT to 419 MT in view of the rising number of COVID cases in the state. Stalin noted that the state govt was taking all steps to ensure oxygen was transported from factories in other states to Tamil Nadu and in the distribution of oxygen to hospitals. Tamil Nadu's Revenue minister, Industrial minister, Health Minister MA Subramanian, Finance Minister Palanivel Thiagarajan, the Chief Secretary, the Health Secretary, the Revenue Secretary attended the meeting with CM MK Stalin. 

Tamil Nadu's COVID situation

Tamil Nadu recorded 30,355 new COVID-19 cases in the single biggest day spike so far on Wednesday, pushing the caseload to 14,68,864 while 293 deaths in the last 24 hours took the toll to 16,471. According to a medical bulletin, 19,508 people were discharged today, taking the tally to 12,79,658 leaving 1,72,735 active infections. With the pandemic raging the southern State, Tamil Nadu for the first time went past the grim 10,000-mark on April 18 and 20,000 on May 2.

The State capital accounted for 7,564 new infections, totalling 4,12,505 till date. The metropolis leads in the number of fatalities also with 5,458 deaths. The number of samples tested today was 1,56,356 pushing the cumulative number of specimens examined so far to 2,44,67,287. Besides Chennai, Chengalpet added 2,670 cases, Coimbatore 2,636, Kanyakumari 1,076, Madurai 1,172, Thiruvallur 1,344 while the remaining districts clocked new infections in triple digits.