Tamil Nadu LoP EPS wants DMK govt to make COVID death details public, claims manipulation

Former Tamil Nadu CM Edappadi Palaniswami has accused the DMK-led state govt of underreporting the number of deaths due to COVID-19 as the battle against the second wave of the pandemic continues. Tamil Nadu recorded 33,361 new Coronavirus cases on Thursday, pushing the total caseload to 19.78 lakh while the death toll mounted to 22,289 as 474 people succumbed to the COVID in the last 24 hours. Tamil Nadu's Leader of Opposition Eddapadi Palaniswami urged the CM Stalin-led govt to make the details of the deaths due to COVID-19 public. 

AIADMK alleges manipulation in TN's COVID death numbers

('Corona deaths are underestimated and the Tamil Nadu government should make public the details of the deaths,' wrote Tamil Nadu's Leader of Opposition Edappadi Palaniswami on Twitter.)

Tamil Nadu Health Minister says COVID infection rate has reduced

Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu Health Minister MA Subramanium said that the COVID infection rate had recused in the state as a result of the measures imposed by the DMK govt. Noting that Tamil Nadu's requirement for Liquid Medical Oxygen presently was 500-550 MT, the state Health Minister said that they had 650 MT of Oxygen in their possession and thereby rubbished reports of shortage in the state. Further, Minister for Medical & Family Welfare Ma Subramanian hit out at former CM EPS for alleging deaths due to oxygen shortage and claimed that his leader 'MK Stalin' had taken over as CM only on May 8. He added that the requirement of LMO for the state had steadily risen from 230 MT on May 7 to 550 MT at present and that CM Stalin was making all-out efforts to coordinate with the Centre and ensure the state's demands are fulfilled. 

('As per DMK supremo, Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu MK Stalin's instructions, the Corona infection is being reduced due to the measures being taken by the Government of Tamil Nadu,' Minister for Medical & Family Welfare Ma Subramanian said in an interview)

Tamil Nadu's COVID situation

According to a medical bulletin on Thursday, 30,063 people were discharged today, taking the total recoveries to 16,43,284 leaving 3,13,048 active infections. Chennai, which has been witnessing a declining trend in daily new cases, saw 2,779 people contracting the contagion on Thursday, totalling 4,93,881. The metropolis also leads in the number of fatalities with 6,723 deaths.

The number of samples tested today was 1,74,145, raising the cumulative number of specimens examined so far to 2.69 crores to date. Besides Chennai, Chengalpet added 1,392 cases, Coimbatore 4,734, Erode 1,699, Madurai 1,395, Thiruvallur 1,221, 2,074, Tiruchirappalli 1,617 and Virudhunagar 1,016. Cuddalore, Kancheepuram, Kanyakumari, Nagapattinam, Namakkal, Ranipet, Salem, Thanjavur, Theni, Thirupathur, Thiruvannamalai, Tuticorin, Villupuram reported fresh infections in excess of 500. Among the 474 deaths, 125 died without any pre-existing illness.