Though there is no need to panic over the rise in COVID-19 cases in the country, it is advisable for the elderly, people with comorbidities and pregnant women to wear masks in public places, said Health Minister Ma. Subramanian in Perundurai on Friday.
The Minister, along with Minister for Housing, Prohibition, and Excise S. Muthusamy, Collector Raja Gopal Sunkara, Rajya Sabha MP Anthiyur P. Selvaraj, MPs K. Subbarayan (Tiruppur) and K.E. Prakash (Erode), and MLAs A.G. Venkatachalam and V.C. Chandhirakumar, distributed certificates to students during the 27th Graduation Day at the Government Erode Medical College and Hospital in Perundurai. He also inaugurated new hospital buildings and laid the foundation stone for additional facilities worth ₹16 crore in the district.
Addressing the media, Mr. Subramanian said that while the Union Health Ministry typically issues advisories to all the State governments during a spike in cases, no such advisory has been issued, so far. He said the symptoms of the current Omicron variant include fever, throat pain, and cough. “If symptoms persist, individuals should visit the nearest government hospital for treatment,” he advised.
The Minister said 94,000 hospital beds have been kept ready across Tamil Nadu for treating COVID-19 patients, and the State’s infrastructure has been upgraded to store up to 3,000 metric tonnes of oxygen.
Responding to a question on the misuse of certain painkillers and sedatives as drug substitutes, he said the matter would be taken up with the Union government for necessary action. On the issue of gutka smuggling, he noted that despite the ban in Tamil Nadu, the product is being brought in from Karnataka and called for coordinated efforts to curb the menace.
Published – June 06, 2025 10:42 pm IST