Express News Service
CHENNAI: The average growth of Covid cases in Chennai over the last seven days is now at 0.1 per cent in the negative. This means, the number of people testing positive every day has slowed down. On July 25, the seven day average was 0.5 percent, indicating a very small spike after the daily cases fell down from about 2,400 in July first week, to about 1,100. Since then, the city has recorded cases between 1,100-1,400 every day.
The latest growth rate data indicates that there has been a minor fall in cases in the past week. Seven Corporation zones – Manali, Tondiarpet, Royapuram, Thiruvika Nagar, Anna Nagar, Teynampet, and Alandur – have recorded a growth rate in minus. This means, a large number of people are getting discharged here, while daily new cases are very minimal. However, for officials, the cause for concern is from the remaining zones, mostly from central and south Chennai, where the rate is higher.
Adyar has a growth rate of 3.7 per cent, Sholinganallur has 2.9 per cent, Valsaravakkam has 4.6 per cent, while Ambattur in Central Chennai limits has 4.1 per cent. Madhavaram zone in North Chennai has the highest growth rate of 11.9 per cent, where the government shifted the wholesale fruit market from Koyambedu, after the latter turned into a hotspot. “Rigorous testing from fever camps and contact tracing of those patients have brought in more cases here lately and also, we have been identifying more symptomatic patients. The case growth rate is temporary as once vulnerable population is tested and isolated, it would decline,’’ a zone official said.
Interestingly, 13 Corporation zones in Chennai have a recovery rate of more than 80 per cent, and in that the Tondiarpet zone has a recovery rate of 91 per cent. The zone only has 7 per cent active cases as every day, more people are getting discharged. Meanwhile, Public Health Experts say that people must not get complacent because the city’s case growth rate is zero. “It is a very good sign the case growth rate is zero, but it is also a warning for people that daily we are recording around the same numbers of 1,200 every day,’’ former Director of Public Health Dr K Kolandasamy said.
The priority of the people and officials must be to accelerate the decline of Covid-19 cases. “If it’s 100 or 200 cases daily, it is natural for those numbers to remain for a few months before it falls. However, 1,200 is still a big number and it must decline,’’ he said. He added that movement of people within Corporation zones, without a proper purpose, must be restricted in the coming days. “That will help in reducing the cases further,’’ he said.
Source: https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/2020/jul/28/covid-case-growth-slows-down-in-chennai-2175743.html
