CHENNAI: About 19 per cent of COVID-19 cases reported between June 1 and July 7 were identified at the city corporation's fever camps, shows data. Of the 55,540 cases that tested positive during that period, 10,500 were identified through fever camps - which is about one-fifth of the total cases in the city. Overall, the camps have identified 15.61 per cent of all cases in the city.
Only extremely symptomatic cases were identified and picked up from fever camps. This includes 45,801 people with influenza-like illnesses. Of them, 41,467 were tested of which 11,120 were positive -- 26.81 per cent. The city's overall positivity rate stands at around 15 per cent. It came down to 11 per cent once, when the civic body ramped up testing beyond 10,000.
Meanwhile, the city has been recording around 1,200 cases for the last three days, a big drop from the average of 2,000 cases per day the week before. However, testing also has fallen to 8,000 on July 8 and 9, raising concerns of an increase in the positivity rate. Officials have attributed the dip in testing to people delaying the process.
"The rise and fall in testing rates could also depend on the number of symptomatic cases visiting the centres as we are only testing them,'' an official said, adding that the civic body was still screening many with symptoms. "Government centres test about 5,000-6,000 per day, while private labs cover 2,500. The rest are covered at fever camps," he added.
People with symptoms must voluntarily visit the fever camps, recommend experts. "This would ensure early treatment if positive," says former director of Public Health Dr K Kolandasamy, adding that such a
substantial number being identified is a good sign indicating that the strategy is working. "People can cooperate further for better results."
On the brighter side, the city's active cases hit a low of 27 per cent while recovery rate rose to 71 percent. Areas such as Royapuram and Tondiarpet, which at one point were hot spots, now have just 17 and 19
percent active cases respectively.