Active Covid infections rise slightly in 12 of 15 city zones

Active Covid infections rise slightly in 12 of 15 city zones

Corpn Steps Up Random Testing

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:  02.08.2021

In the past four days, the number of active Covid-19 cases in the city has increased in 12 of the 15 zones, according to the Greater Chennai Corporation. Across Chennai, active cases increased from 1,480 on July 27 to 1,627 on July 31.

While there was no change in the number of active cases in Royapuram, there was a decrease in Ambattur and Anna Nagar.

The sharpest increase was seen in Teynampet zone, where cases increased from 124 to 149 between July 27 and 31. This was because one of the family clusters was in Mandaveli, which falls in this zone. In Kodambakkam, active cases increased by 11. Both these zones cover extremely crowded areas in central Chennai with many shopping districts, including T Nagar.

The increase in other zones is by less than 10. Civic officials say there is nothing to worry as they have intensified random testing and will be isolating all positive cases in Covid care centres.

A senior civic official said the corporation has now started collecting vaccination information about people who test positive. This would be a good dataset and could provide valuable insights.

A study of two clusters last week showed that one index case is likely to have gotten the infection from the market on Medavakkam Tank Road and then infected 10 other contacts. The other index case was of a woman who visited the Nammalwarpet market frequently and is likely to have caught it from there. Five extended contacts were traced from that index case.

Health minister Ma Subramaniam said the corporation had been asked to intensify surveillance in crowded market places. To a question, he said there was a plan to probably space out the Kasimedu and Chintadripet fish market to ease crowding by customers.