CHENNAI: With the city now witnessing a sharp rise in all Covid parameters such as the test positivity rate (TPR), active cases, daily cases, deaths, and streets with positive cases, it may be staring at a situation graver than the pandemic peak months last year. Chennai now reports over 3,000 cases daily, and a TPR as high as 17.5 per cent.
On Sunday, the city reported a record 3,304 positive cases and contributed 35.5 per cent of the total cases in the State. While the TPR has shot up by 10 per cent in just three weeks, the number of active cases has tripled in the same period.
South Chennai zones like Kodambakkam, Teynampet, and Anna Nagar each house over 2,000 active cases. In North Chennai, Royapuram leads the pack with 2,133 active cases. While 14 out of 15 Corporation zones have lower than 10 per cent active cases, Perungudi has 12 per cent active cases.
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Corporation officials said that they have initiated random RTPCR testing, a target-based fine collecting approach for those not wearing masks, and sealing stores where social distancing was not followed. However, none of these measures have helped the civic body from containing the virus spread.
Public health experts opine that strict restrictions must be enforced in indoor spaces lacking ventilation. “Hospitals and closed spaces are becoming major hotspots. Places without ventilation must be strictly closed,” said former director of Public Health Dr K Kolandasamy. He said that only healthy persons must accompany patients to hospitals and only one attender must be allowed to accompany pregnant women.
“Even if we enforce a lockdown now, there is no guarantee that there won’t be a third wave. Masks, hand wash, social distancing and enhancing the vaccination drive are the only ways to prevent the spread,” he added.