VELLORE: Following a spike in COVID-19 cases since the beginning of the month, Vellore district's tally crossed the 3000 mark on Monday with 209 more patients, according to official sources.
The total number of cases has now risen to 3131. So far, 25 deaths have also been reported in the district.
About 38,000 tests have been done across the district where urban areas seem to be worst hit.
“The positivity rate in the district is around 5 per cent,” said a senior officer of the health department.
He added that control measures have been stepped up across the district with 50 fever camps being done every day.
Steps have also been taken to test all persons with Severe Acute Respiratory Illness (SARI) and Influenza Like Illness (ILI) across the district for early detection and treatment of COVID-19. People with comorbidities are also being tested.
Vellore has recorded 1000-plus cases in the last 12 days. However, the officer expressed hope that the infection would begin to decline in a few days as per the available indicators.
Vellore City Municipal Corporation (VCMC) and Gudiyatham town have been the hotbed of COVID-19 in the district.
As on Monday, VCMC reported 1903 cases, of which 980 patients have been discharged and 875 are active cases, sources said.
Saidapet and the market area which used to bustle with commercial activities have reported most of the positive cases in the Fort City.
Officials of the VCMC have stepped up fever surveillance, contact tracing, isolation and distribution of vitamin tablets and concoctions to boost immunity.
“As soon as a positive case is reported, our staff visit the house to quarantine the inmates. Access to the house is blocked. The inmates are brought under surveillance,” N Sankaran, Commissioner of VCMC, told The New Indian Express.
He added that zinc sulphate and vitamin tablets have been distributed, along with kabasura kudineer, for those quarantined at home while the general public is being given nilavembu kashayam to strengthen immunity.
As many as 300 domestic breeding checkers have been pressed into service for fever surveillance.