Chennai,  Tamil Nadu's Department of Health and Family Welfare on Monday said that about 15 lakh people were inoculated in the 17th mega Covid-19 vaccination camp held in the state.

The Department has been conducting mega vaccination camps every week since September 12, 2021, to inoculate maximum people against Covid-19.

Speaking to IANS, the state's Health Minister Ma Subramanian said: "According to the information from the Department of Health and Family Welfare around 15 lakh people have taken the jab during the 17th mega vaccination camp held on Sunday. The third wave of Covid with both Delta and Omicron variants is hitting the world like a tsunami and we have to be very careful in preventing the disease and maximum vaccination, use of masks, social distancing and sanitizing are the main methods to prevent the disease."

Meanwhile, vaccination for children in the age group of 15- 18 will commence from Monday, with Chief Minister M.K. Stalin inaugurating the drive at Saidapet Government High School, Chennai.

On Sunday, Tamil Nadu recorded 1,594 new cases which is an increase of 7 per cent from the previous day and almost half the patients are from Chennai (776 cases).

Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) Commissioner Gagan Singh Bedi has announced that 22 screening centres will be reopened along with 20 car ambulances to take the patients and their contacts to health centres.

GCC authorities in a statement said that the Chennai Trade Centre facilities and the Victoria Hostel facilities will soon be converted into Covid-19 facilities for treating positive patients.

The Corporation has already set up 1,000 bed facilities at Manjambakkam and Injambakkam in the state capital.

The Madras High Court's acting Chief Justice M.N. Bhandari in an order issued on Sunday said that the court will not resume physical hearings as was said earlier due to the rising number of Covid-19 cases.

The Acting Chief Justice said that all the hearings would be conducted in the virtual mode.

The Registrar General of Madras High Court, P. Dhanabal said that the order of the Acting Chief Justice is applicable to the Principal bench, as well as the Madurai bench.

The order is applicable to all subordinate courts in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.