Home quarantine cases up by 800, Tamil Nadu shuts borders – Times of India

CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu government has virtually shut its borders in a bid to check Covid-19 as the number of people on home quarantine in the state went up to 4,253 on Friday from 3,481 the day before, a spike of nearly 800 cases. The two confirmed Covid-19 positive cases continued to recover in hospital, while the test results of a 65-year-old patient in a private hospital were awaited. The number of patients in TN hospitals with symptoms of Covid-19 dropped to 32 from 39 on Thursday.
The state government said that from March 21 to 31, other than ambulances, only vehicles transporting essential goods, such as milk, petrol, diesel, vegetables, medicines, and LPG cylinders would be allowed across the borders with Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. Private vehicles carrying people who had personal emergencies, like a death in the family, will also be allowed to cross the border.
“Limited operation of government buses for essential mobility of public will be permitted.” However, all passengers will be screened for the virus.
The government also cracked down on rumour-mongers and hoarders. Two men were arrested in Chennai for spreading a rumour of Covid-19 deaths in the city because they wanted their employer to declare a holiday.
Health minister C Vijayabhaskar said the condition of the two Covid-19 positive patients at the Rajiv Gandhi Government Hospital in Chennai — a 20-year-old barber who had travelled from Rampur in UP and a 21-year-old student who returned from Ireland — was stable.
Covid-19: Total no. of samples drawn in TN stands at 333
Doctors drew samples from 13 more patients who had symptoms of Covid-19 on Friday, taking the total number of samples drawn to 333. “We now have an additional lab in Salem to do the test. This is our fifth lab. Having more labs will mean that samples need not be transported and results will be quick,” Vijayabhaskar said.
Urging people to maintain social distance to break the virus chain, he said the state had intensified screening at domestic air terminals. “Until recently, we were screening only flights that came from Kerala and Delhi. In the last two days, we are screening nearly 16,000 passengers who travel by nearly 160 flights,” he said.
The state has warned dealers and drug stores not to hoard or sell hand sanitizers and masks above MRP. “We have sealed one distributer and shut down 32 retailer drug stores in Tamil Nadu for violating the order,” he said. Their licences have been temporarily suspended. The Directorate of Drugs control closed down 8 shops on Thursday.

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