TN Dy CM Panneerselvam brother O Raja tests positive for coronavirus

Chennai, June 29: Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam's brother O Raja has tested positive for COVID-19. He is currently undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Madurai.

Meanwhile, the expert committee which is advising the Tamil Nadu government in containing the spread of COVID-19 has stated that there is no need to implement a full lockdown in Tamil Nadu.

"We informed the government that the virus is spreading in the state because of public transport. We have asked the state to step up measures where the number of cases are more", said the committee.

The committee added that even the medical team has not suggested a complete lockdown.

"The spread of the virus has been minimised in Chennai because of the lockdown. We have advised that the same measures being followed in Chennai be implented for districts with high cases in Tamil Nadu", added the committee.

As of Sunday, the state has 82,275 COVID-19 cases while the toll stood at 1,079. After announcing relaxations, including partial resumption of public transport services, as part of Unlock-1 across the state from June 1, the government re-imposed intense lockdown in Chennai and parts of neighbouring Chengelpet, Tiruvallur and Kancheepuram till tomorrow from June 19.

Madurai and nearby areas are also under similar curbs from June 24 to 30 in view of high number of fresh cases. Besides, the government has withdrawn from Thursday inter-district public transport bus services, earlier allowed in most parts of the state, under the ''unlock-1'' while other relaxations such as functioning of businesses and shops are continuing.