Chennai,  The Tamil Nadu health department will be taking stringent measures to tackle the increasing Covid-19 cases in the state.

As a first step, the health department has issued a circular making masks mandatory and violators will be charged with a fine of Rs 500.

State Health Minister Ma Subramanian told IANS: "As of now, the Covid -19 situation in Tamil Nadu is under control but we don't want any rise in cases and hence we will be taking stringent measures to prevent the spread.

"Students of IIT Madras who have been tested positive are now lodged in a separate hostel and there is no need for hospitalisation. However, we are now doing all the necessary surveillance and all the district collectors have been directed to ensure that people must follow Covid-appropriate manner."

State health secretary, Dr. J. Radhakrishnan has already communicated to all the district collectors and district medical officers to communicate to revenue and health officials in the concerned district to ensure that people are wearing masks, keeping a safe distance from each other, and regular washing hands with soap or using sanitisers.

Police have also been directed to ensure that people don't violate necessary Covid-19 protocols.

On Friday, the state reported 286 active cases which is slightly higher than infections recorded in the previous days.

Dr. T.S. Selvavinayagam, Director, State public health department told IANS: "There is no need for worry but the state is taking precautions. Twenty-five districts in the state have zero Covid -19 cases. The slight increase in cases is due to the increase in testing. We have increased testing to 18,000 from 16,000 and hence, there is a slight increase in active cases. Adequate measures are being taken if at all there is an increase in the number of cases from the present position."

He also said that only 18 patients are hospitalised in the state due to Covid-19 even though there are 1,16,451 beds allocated for Covid-19 patients.

Both the State health secretary and the state public health director have appealed to the people of the state to vaccinate themselves.

According to the state public health department, around 42 lakh people are yet to take their first dose of vaccine, and 1.3 crore people are due for their second dose of vaccine.