Lockdown effect? Daily cases in Chennai drop by 53 per cent in July

Lockdown effect? Daily cases in Chennai drop by 53 per cent in July

However, the daily tests, which touched the 10,000-mark in the first week of July, has lately been around 8,000.

Published: 12th July 2020 10:58 PM |

By OMJASVIN M D

Express News Service

CHENNAI: Chennai's COVID-19 curve continues to see a gradual decline since July 1, from 2,182 positive cases to 1,168 cases on July 12. This is a 53 per cent decline of cases.

From July 1 to 12, the city had recorded 18,831 cases while till June 30, it had recorded 58,561 cases. The cases from July 1 have increased at a level of 32 per cent, which is lower than it was in June.

Till June 19, the city had recorded 38,327 cases and between June 19 and 30, cases rose at a level of 52 per cent as the city recorded 20,234 cases in the period.

The cases have stabilised even after the intense lockdown was relaxed on July 5. The cases gradually came down from 1747 to 1168. The city is currently recording cases at the same rate of which it recorded in the first two weeks of June.

However, these early trends could be an aftereffect of the intense lockdown from June 19 to July 5, and also the increased testing from 5,000 to 10,000 in the first week of July.

Since the restrictions have been relaxed, one has to wait for a few days to know if this is a temporary dip or a sustained one.

While the early trends look positive, the city corporation is expected to strengthen its contain strategies by moving it's fever camps to work places and crowded areas.

"This is something which was in the plans for the past week. Fever camps would be extended to markets and factories as people are now going for work,'' a top corporation official said.

So far, 9.91 lakh people have attended the 15,704 conducted by the corporation till July 11. A total of 44,616 samples were taken from the camps and 11,663 turned positive in that, which is a positivity rate of 25.46 per cent.

Corporation Commissioner G Prakash said that a market regulation committee will be monitoring the overcrowded markets in the city.

"81 divisional assistant engineers will head the committee and ensure the fish, meat, vegetable markets, provisional stores practice social distancing, and vendors, people wear masks," he said.

He added that 32 circles officers have been appointed to monitor if all the shops in the city had hand sanitizers in place for customers.

Meanwhile, giving more positive news, 75 per cent of people who were infected have been discharged in the city, and there are only 24 per cent of active cases.

Royapuram, which was seemed to be in an unrecoverable stage in June, now has only 14 per cent active cases, and Tondiarpet has 17 per cent, while Thiruvika Nagar, which emerged as a huge cluster following a prayer meeting, now has only 20 per cent active cases.

However, the daily tests, which touched the 10,000-mark in the first week of July, has lately been around 8,000.