84 Tamil Nadu Raj Bhavan staff test COVID-19 positive

Chennai: As many as 84 persons including security and fire service personnel posted at the Raj Bhavan in the Tamil Nadu capital have tested positive for coronavirus, said a statement.

The statement, issued by the Raj Bhavan, said that 147 persons were tested for COVID-19 as some persons working there had shown symptoms of infection.

As per the test results, 84 persons including security and fire service personnel working in the outer area of the Raj Bhavan tested positive for coronavirus infection and have been quarantined.

None of the infected persons had come in contact with Governor Banwarilal Purohit or other senior officials, the statement said.

The entire Raj Bhavan premises, including offices, has been sanitised and disinfected by the Greater Chennai Corporation.

The daily coronavirus cases in Tamil Nadu soared to a new record high of 5,849 on Wednesday, taking the tally to 1,86,492. The day also saw the death toll mounting to 3,144 with the addition of 74 fatalities, the health department said.

Chennai reported 1,171 new COVID-19 positive cases on Wednesday, pushing the count to 89,561.

India on Thursday recorded the highest single day spike of 45,720 fresh Covid-19 cases in 24 hours taking the total tally to 12,38,635, the Union Health Ministry data revealed.

With 1,129 fresh deaths, the overall toll reached 29,861. But the recovery rate stood at 63.18 per cent with as many as 7,82,607 cured, which is almost twice the number of active patients at 4,26,167.

Being the third-worst hit country, India is now adding a lakh cases every three days. On Monday, the country had crossed the 11 lakh mark.