The Greater Chennai Corporation has identified seven zones that have reported a majority of COVID-19 positive cases, said Corporation special nodal officer J. Radhakrishnan.
On Thursday, 316 positive cases were reported in the city. As many as 451 containment zones have been created to prevent the spread of infection.
Mr. Radhakrishnan told mediapersons on Thursday that Thiru. Vi. Ka. Nagar, Royapuram, Kodambakkam, Anna Nagar, Teynampet, Tondiarpet and Valasaravakkam zones had reported most of the positive cases in the city.
In three of the zones, the number of positive cases had gone up because of many residents in just one ward testing positive for COVID-19. For example, in Tattankulam, 96 persons living on one street had tested positive for COVID-19.
Pointing to the concentration of cases in a few residential areas, Mr. Radhakrishnan said 50% of the cases had been reported in 20 wards of the city. There were 200 wards in the Corporation with a population of around 70 lakh.
ATMs, offices closed
The civic body had identified focus areas, in addition to the ones in north Chennai. Stressing on the need to assess the risk of ATM and public toilets in containment zones becoming the sources of infection, Mr. Radhakrishnan said teams of officials had analysed the situation.
“ATMs in containment zones have been closed. We will start mobile ATM for residents. All offices in the containment zones have been closed,” he said.
Pointing to the low rate of case fatalities in Chennai because of advanced health care facilities, Mr. Radhakrishnan said it was just 0.9% in the city. “We have focussed on vulnerable population. We request residents with symptoms to come forward for testing. Delayed referrals are a challenge,” he said.
6,900 quarantined
“We have launched herbal food for residents on quarantine in Loyola College. Some areas have shown good results for Indian medicine. Around 6,900 traders associated with Koyambedu have been quarantined. Around 1,300 of them are in Chennai,” said Mr. Radhakrishnan.
He requested patients’ family members not to visit hospitals and COVID-19 care centres, where crowding had been reported. “Urban primary health centres will supply all medicines to vulnerable population. We need residents’ support,” said Mr. Radhakrishnan.
Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/seven-zones-in-chennai-account-for-most-cases/article31529729.ece
