Over 16,000 families home quarantined in Erode district

Essential items being supplied to the families: Minister

31/03/2020, STAFF REPORTER

Residents of Saanthankadu Street in Veerappanchatram erected barricade and placed a board asking outsiders not to enter their area in Erode on Monday. M. GOVARTHAN M_GOVARTHAN

With a total of 20 persons tested positive for COVID-19 in the district, 16,456 families comprising 57,734 members were home quarantined in the district as on Monday.

A total of 82 persons were in the isolation ward at the Government IRT Perundurai Medical College and Hospital of which 20 tested positive. Of this, three were Thailand nationals while three were in close contact with them.

The other 14 persons had travelled to attend a conference in New Delhi and had returned to Erode. Positive cases were reported from Kollampalayam Housing Unit, Sultanpet area, Cauvery Road and Railway Colony area where families were kept in quarantine. Also, persons who had returned from foreign nations and from other States were also in home quarantine across the district.

Officials of Health and Family Welfare Department said that till Sunday when only six positive cases were reported, a total of 1,830 families comprising 5,140 members were home quarantined. But, after 14 more persons tested positive, the number of families in home quarantine rose to 16,456, they added.

On Monday, Minister for School Education, Youth Welfare and Sports Development, K.A. Sengottaiyan, and Minister for Environment, K.C. Karuppannan, along with MLAs, held discussions with Collector C. Kathiravan and officials at the Collectorate.

Mr. Sengottaiyan said that essential commodities were supplied to the quarantined families in their areas and disinfectants were sprayed on the streets, both in morning and evening. Mobile ATM and 108 ambulance are stationed in their areas, he added. The Minister said that 300 beds are available at the isolation ward at Perundurai while another 63 beds are kept ready in other hospitals in the district. “Only personal distancing could prevent spread of the disease”, he said and asked the people to cooperate with the district administration.