Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami will launch a massive drive to distribute free face masks across the State, on Monday. The first phase of distribution will be inaugurated by the Chief Minister at the Secretariat.

According to a press note, a total of 4.44 crore free face masks would be distributed to 69.09 lakh families living in town panchayats, municipalities and corporations, except Greater Chennai Corporation, on behalf of the Revenue and Disaster Management Department.

The infectious march of the Covid- 19 through Tamil Nadu showed no sign of slowing down as 6,986 fresh cases and 85 deaths were reported on Sunday, reached up the tally to 2, 13,723 and the toll to 3,494. While the caseload in Chennai seems to have stabilized, the situation in several districts remains grim. On Sunday, Chennai added 1,155 cases to the State’s kitty, which is just 16.5 per cent of the total cases reported on the day. The city’s three neighbouring districts Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur together accounted for 19.3 per cent of the total cases reported.

Infections have shot up in other districts too. Virudhunagar recorded 385 cases, Ranipet 367, Thoothukudi 248, Coimbatore 220, Theni 217, Kanyakumari 215, Madurai 209 and Villupuram 208 cases. In a cause for concern, a new cluster may have emerged at the Government Rajaji Hospital (GRH) in Madurai with at least 29 doctors and nurses, who were posted on Covid duty, having tested positive since Friday, said hospital sources. Of the infected GRH staff, around 16 are nurses while the rest are doctors, added sources. However, the health department is yet to confirm this.