CHENNAI: A 56-year-old man residing at an apartment complex in Kazhipattur tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday. However, no proper disinfection measures were taken in the neighbourhood to stop transmission in the community, complain residents. The patient came to Chennai from New Delhi on March 24, on the same flight as those who had attended the Tablighi Jamaat.
He stays in the Ouranya Bay Apartments near Siruseri IT Park, which has a total of 600 flats. But, the health officials cleaned only the car park and common floor, say residents. "The floor in which the patient was residing was not fumigated at all. Similarly, no disinfection activities took place in his house. The officials did not even bother to ask who the 56-year-old met in the apartment over the past few days and some residents are roaming freely. He has travelled with Tablighi Jamaat attendees and we have been seeings a lot of people testing positive everyday. We are scared," said one of the anxious residents.
The health officials met the patient’s family and asked them to report to them if they experience any symptoms. However, they did not screen anybody else in the apartment.
While the officials failed to place any restrictions on people movement inside and outside the apartments, the residents themselves took an initiative to stop people from entering the premises as a precaution.
"Already three residents here are under home quarantine as they returned from foreign countries. The indifference of the officials is extremely scary. At least all the residents must be screened for symptoms," said another resident, who wished to remain anonymous.
When contacted, a health department official said that they did not have information that the patient in the apartment testing postive. "We did not get any information about the patient being tested positive. We have been monitoring him ever since he informed us that he was experiencing symptoms, so we have been in constant touch with the family. Disinfection of the floor and car park was done as a part of regular activity. We are doing it in all the apartments."