Erode district to move from orange to green zone

The last confirmed case reported in the district was on April 14

06/05/2020, S.P. SARAVANAN,ERODE

Personal distancing norms take a hit at an electronic shop in Erode on Tuesday.

M. GOVARTHAN M_GOVARTHAN

Erode district, which reported its first COVID-19 cases on March 21, is expected to move to the green zone on Wednesday as no active COVID-19 cases has been reported in the last 21 days.

A total of 70 patients were detected in the district of which one person died and 69 others recovered. The last batch of four patients was discharged from the Government Erode Medical College and Hospital in Perundurai on April 28 after which no cases were reported in the next 14 days and the district was moved from red zone to orange zone on April 30.

As per the directions from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, a district will be considered under green zone, if there are no confirmed cases reported since last 21 days in the district. S. Soundammal, Deputy Director of Health Services, told The Hindu that the last confirmed case was reported in the district on April 14 after which no cases were reported for 21 days. “Hence, on May 6, the district will be moved to green zone”, she added.

As per the zonal classification of districts based on the hotspot analysis communicated by Government of India on April 30, classification will be updated on every Monday and updation of the district as green zone will be highlighted in the map released by the Directorate of Public Health and Preventive Medicine showing the COVID-19 status of all districts in the State, only on May 11.

Superintendent of Police S. Sakthi Ganesan said that co-operation from the public so far is appreciable. However, the public should understand that reopening of shops are within the overall lockdown measures that will continue till May 17. “The public should venture out only for essential purpose and return home within the stipulated timings and extend cooperation to all authorities,” he added.