Tamil Nadu on Monday reported 527 new cases of coronavirus, taking the total number of cases in the state to 3,550. According to the latest health bulletin, one more person has died of Covid-19 in the state in the last 24 hours, taking Tamil Nadu’s total death toll to 31.
State authorities said that a majority of the new Covid-19 cases in Tamil Nadu are linked to the Koyambedu Wholesale Market in Chennai. Now, the Koyembedu Market Complex has been temporarily shut after it emerged as a hotspot for Covid-19 cases in the state.
Last week, the Koyambedu market, one of the largest in the country for vegetables, flowers and fruits, emerged as a hotspot in Chennai.
Last week, two traders tested positive for Covid-19 in the market complex, post which there was a mobile testing unit installed at the market and all traders, employees and labourers were made to get themselves tested.
As results started coming in over the week, the Koyambedu cluster has resulted in over 300 people testing positive across various districts of Tamil Nadu including in Chennai, Cuddalore, Ariyalur, Sivagangai, Perambalur, Villupuram and Kanchipuram.
Disinfection work on the market complex is underway and the market has been temporarily shut down. Vegetables will be sold out of Thirumalisai in Thiruvallur district and fruits and flowers will be sold out of the Madhavaram bus terminal which is now converted into a makeshift market.
Authorities told India Today TV that they are now focusing on targetted testing. They have identified contacts of the Koyambedu positive cases and listed out 7,500 people who interacted with traders and vendors.
The details have been handed over to various district authorities and they are being singled out and tested which is why the number of cases has been increasing in the state.
An IPS officer who was on duty at the Koyambedu market as in-charge of crowd management has also tested positive for the virus among others.
The Koyambedu market, spread over 295 acres became functional during the first tenure (1991-96) of late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa and it has 3,000 plus vegetable, fruit and flower shops and is one of the biggest in India for perishable commodities.
Overall, Chennai has reported so far reported 1,724 Covid-19 cases and 18 deaths. Cuddalore reported 122 new cases in the last 24 hours and Perambalur reported 25 cases among the other districts.
Source: https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/covid-19-koyambedu-market-in-chennai-becomes-hotspot-as-tamil-nadu-reports-3-550-cases-1674324-2020-05-04