‘Aggressive testing identifies more cases’

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:4.5.2020

The agressive testing has led to more number of Covid-19 positive cases being identified in Chennai and the numbers could go up further in the coming week, said special nodal officer for Greater Chennai Corporation J Radhakrishnan. He, however, stressed that people should not worry about the numbers and sought the cooperation of the public, especially in the containment zones.

The high numbers were a sign that the government’s testing strategy was correct and containment efforts were on the right track, he said. On Sunday, 203 cases were reported in Chennai taking the total number of positive cases in the city to 1458.

On the clusters in the city, Radhakrishnan said that one of the public toilet outside the containment zone emerged as a potential source of infection at Munuswamy Nagar adjacent V R Pillai Street in Triplicane (Teynampet zone) , where more than 50 people had been infected.

On Sunday, 14 more people in the neighbourhood tested positive. “This is a problem we have identified now and are making changes to stop spread. We disinfect containment zones every day and take people for testing as soon as we know they are probable contacts. The virus spreads quickly among people,” he said.

Radhakrishnan addressed the media after launching four bike ambulances that will act as first responders to give first aid in containment zones and also to create awareness. They can cover narrow lanes and bylanes in the most affected North and Central Chennai pockets where ambulances can’t reach.

Radhakrishnan, who is also the commissioner for revenue and disaster management, said that the challenge in Chennai was in five zones – Tondiarpet, Royapuram, Thiru Vi Ka Nagar, Teynampet and Kodambakkam (Zones 4, 5, 6, 9 and 10). He appealed to people to extend co-operation and not assume that they will not be infected. “Even in containment zones, people are not wearing masks. Two layers of cloth is enough for a mask. Even yesterday, while on rounds from Central to Basin Bridge and in Anna Nagar we noticed people without masks. When we ask, people say they don’t have symptoms. That should not be a reason,” Radhakrishnan said.

On the rise in the number of positive cases among frontline workers like police and fire personnel, the special officer said that they have created a separate schedule to test frontline staff. According to Radhakrishnan, more personnel will be recruited in public health department and in Corporation to fight the pandemic.

STAYING VIGILANT: Bike ambulances have been launched by Greater Chennai Corporation to give first aid in containment zones and create awareness

Even in containment zones, people are not wearing masks. Two layers of cloth are enough for a mask. When we ask, people say they don’t have symptoms. That should not be a reason

J Radhakrishnan | SPECIAL NODAL OFFICER FOR CHENNAI CORPORATION