TIRUPATHUR: The detection of seven COVID-19 positive cases has left the authorities in Tirupathur district on tenterhooks.
While neighbouring Ranipet and Vellore districts reported one positive case each earlier, Tirupathur had so far remained unscathed. However, Tamil Nadu Health Secretary Beela Rajesh, in her press briefing on Wednesday evening, announced that seven positive cases were identified in Tirupathur district.
The authorities of the fledgling district, which was formally inaugurated just four months ago, have swung into action to trace the contacts of the patients and contain the spread.
“All the seven patients were admitted at the government hospital in Ambur on Tuesday,” said Tirupathur collector MP Sivanarul.
They were identified by official teams which launched a massive combing operation to zero in on those returned from Delhi after attending the Tablighi Jamaat event.
Apart from the seven, three others who had a travel history to Delhi were also kept at the isolation facility at the Ambur GH.
The ten belong to Chowk Mosque Street, Vathimanai, Jalapettai, Karumbur Patel Street, Big Mosque Street and Mottukollai.
In Tirupathur GH, five persons have been quarantined while Vaniyambadi GH has seven persons, sources said, adding that all of them were admitted on Tuesday.
On Wednesday, the authorities found four men who returned from the Tablighi Jamaat event in Tirupathur town (2) and Ambur (2). They have also been kept under quarantine.
Sivanarul stated that a massive public cleanup is being done across the district and not just in the localities where the positive cases have been reported.