CHENNAI: The rising COVID-19 positive cases in Chennai may soon not end as high numbers are expected in the next one week.
Addressing reporters here on Sunday, Dr J Radhakrishnan, the special Officer to tackle COVID-19 for Chennai, said that numbers could continue to spike for the next 5-6 days due to focussed testing.
“The clusters are slowly getting stabilized but there’s nothing to worry about the numbers. The aim is to test more people and treat them, so they will not transmit the virus to others,’’ said Dr Radhakrishnan.
He said that the containment zones could be partially relaxed on a case-by-case basis, especially in places where there are apartment complexes and gated communities.
“Many people in barricaded streets ask us why they’re under quarantine for 28 days when they’re not related to the patient at all. In these cases, we will see if the apartment complex alone can be sealed leaving the others in the street to resume daily life,’’ added the special officer.
He, however, confirmed that this relaxation may not apply to the densely populated areas and hotspots but just where there are big apartment complexes.
In Chennai, more than 170 wards have just 30 or less cases while only two wards, one in Royapuram and Tiruvika Nagar have more than 200 cases. “We have appointed 19 doctors for special testing of vulnerable populations and the aim is to reduce mortality rate further,’’ said Dr Radhakrishnan.
Currently, the mortality rate in the city has reduced to 0.68 percent from one percent. On Saturday, three people died in Chennai and all of them had comorbidity while one was suffering from Parkinson’s disease.
Dr Radhakrishnan also confirmed that all the repatriates from Dubai have tested negative in the initial tests.