Government plans containment zones as Tamil Nadu in 2nd stage of Covid-19 transmission

TNN | Mar 29, 2020, 05.46 AM IST

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu has ramped up plans to contain the Covid-19 pandemic with the government on Saturday declaring that it would demarcate a 5km radius containment zone around homes of people who tested positive and a further 3km radius buffer zone in 10 districts.

Health workers would go house to house in the containment zone to check for people with symptoms of the viral infection and create a list of high-risk patients, including the elderly and those with chronic ailments such as heart and renal conditions.

These measures were announced as the number of those testing positive rose to 42 with four more cases reported.

"We are now seeing transmission at a local level," said health secretary Beela Rajesh. More than half of those who tested positive so far are people with travel history; some of their relatives have also tested positive. But in the last couple of days, public health officials are seeing cases where patients do not have a travel or contact history. "This is the second stage of the disease. We want to stop the spread, and flatten the curve, before we see it in the community, where large number of people can become infected," the health secretary said.

As a part of the plan, on Sunday district officials will demarcate the containment and buffer zone. District collectors, health officials and doctors were briefed about the protocols and the strategy during a video-conference on Saturday. The plans have been drafted based on the "Micro Plan for Containing Local Transmission of Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19)" guidelines given by the Union Health Ministry and the real time risk assessment prepared by the state public health officials.

A team of health workers including doctors and nurses will be involved in the door-to-door screening of patients.

Tamil Nadu to launch mental health plan for 1L people in quarantine

The health secretary said, “If health workers find people with symptoms such as cough, fever and shortness of breath, they will be examined by doctors. The medical team will decide if patients can be kept in quarantine or if they require hospitalisation.”

Patients showing symptoms and their caregivers will be given personal protection equipment such as masks and counselled about the virus. The team will also make a list of patients above the age of 60, and those with chronic ailments who are at risk for the viral infection, Beela Rajesh said.

“People in high risk groups and those vulnerable will have to be in self isolation,” she said.

The state will also launch a mental health plan for more than one lakh people who are now in quarantine. “Our counsellors and volunteers will be talking to people who are alone or depressed,” she said.

Of the four people who tested positive on Sunday, one was a 42-year-old man who had come from the West Indies and is admitted at the Thanjavur Medical College Hospital. A 49-year-old man who travelled from UK is admitted at CMC, Vellore, and a 25-year-old man who travelled from US is admitted at Global Hospitals.

While 318 contacts of the Thanjavur and Vellore patients are being contacted, officials are working on identifying contacts of the Chennai-based man, who had attending functions including weddings.

Another patient, a 60-year-old man from Rajapalayam, did not have any travel or contact history. “He told us he met a person who had recently travelled from Dubai. He seems to be asymptomatic. We will be tracking him,” officials said.

The state has also launched a WhatsApp chatbot on 90357 66766.