Besides Chennai, cases surging in Chengalpattu, Tiruvallur

Besides Chennai, cases surging in Chengalpattu, Tiruvallur

Neighbouring districts had fewer cases before the emergence of Koyambedu cluster

13/05/2020, SERENA JOSEPHINE M. ,CHENNAI

Chennai’s neighbouring districts continue to bear the brunt of the Koyambedu market cluster. The COVID-19 case counts of Chengalpattu and Tiruvallur districts have been rising even as the State capital witnesses a surge in cases linked to the market.

As of Tuesday, Chengalpattu had a total of 391 cases and Tiruvallur, 467. Both districts had fewer cases before the emergence of the Koyambedu cluster.

There were a total of 86 cases in Chengalpattu and 61 cases in Tiruvallur as of May 1. The surge in cases began during the second week of May.

K. Kolandaswamy, retired Director of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, said districts situated close to Corporations that were thickly populated were bound to face such a situation, and this was what had happened to both Chengalpattu and Tiruvallur.

“Till Monday, Tiruvallur district had a total of 440 cases. Of these, 211 persons are linked to the Koyambedu cluster. Of them, 136 are index cases — vendors who had visited Koyambedu; as many as 58 are their primary contacts, i.e., their household contacts, and 17 are secondary contacts,” an official said.

Extensive measures

Prior to the emergence of the Koyambedu cluster, the district had very few containment zones and had contained existing cases well, he said, adding, “The district shares its border with the Greater Chennai Corporation at Villivakkam and Poonamallee. After cases from the Koyambedu market started to emerge, contact-tracing was done extensively, and we picked up all those linked to the market. We made a block-wise list of those who had visited the market that week. There were about 1,200 such persons, and we lifted samples from all of them.” Around 200 persons who had visited the market have been quarantined.

‘Under control’

Though the cluster changed the COVID-19 trajectory for the district, officials said the situation was now under control. “We have strengthened surveillance in the border areas and are picking up cases of Influenza-Like Illness and Severe Acute Respiratory Infection from containment zones. We are also taking up massive disinfection work,” an official said.

Unlike in the southern districts, where lorry drivers and loadmen linked to the market have tested positive for COVID-19, the border districts are seeing a different pattern, another official said.

“Take Chengalpattu, for instance. Here, we have people who travel in small vans or share-autos and procure vegetables from Koyambedu for their shops in the district. Many of them run grocery stores, and their family members are also involved in the business. There are also wholesalers, who procure vegetables and distribute them to shops in the district,” an official said.

Till Monday, Chengalpattu had 356 cases, of which nearly 150 were linked to the Koyambedu cluster, he said.

“Testing of the persons who are linked to the Koyambedu cluster and are under quarantine continues,” he added.