“Tamil Nadu has been recording 35,000 cases [a day] on an average. A number of States such as Maharashtra, Kerala, Karnataka and Delhi have already reached the peak... The population of Kerala and Karnataka is less than Tamil Nadu’s. As per our inferences... the cases may peak on May 29 or May 30 as Tamil Nadu is two weeks behind these States,” he told reporters in Chennai.

He pointed out that the pace of increase in the cases had slowed. “In particular, we are noticing static cases in Chennai and its surrounding districts. However, the situation in districts such as Coimbatore, Tiruppur, Erode, Tiruchi, Thoothukudi and Madurai is worrying,” he said.