Back to back centuries of COVID-19 cases in the last three days pushed the overall count beyond 2000 in Vellore district on Monday.
As many as 166 fresh cases were added on Monday to the tally of the district, which has risen to 2,099. Sunday (118) and Saturday (103) also reported above 100 new cases pushing the graph upwards.
“Today, 166 new COVID cases have been reported in Vellore district. The total case count has now increased to 2,099,” T Manivannan, Deputy Director of Health Services, told The New Indian Express.
Ninety-six cases were recorded on 3 July, 90 on 2 July and 76 on 1 July.
The surge in positive cases in Vellore district is attributed to the Koyambedu-like market area cluster falling under Vellore City Municipal Corporation (VCMC) and the Chennai returnees.
The DD noted, “The market area cluster and Chennai returnees triggered the spike in cases in the district. A person from Chennai had visited Gudiyatham for a funeral recently and sparked off the infection in Gudiyatham area.”
The market area includes Nethaji Market, Mandi Street and Laang Bazaar located in the heart of Vellore city. Nethaji Market is one of the biggest in the region having thousands of footfalls every day. The traders, both wholesale and retailers, have been provided with alternative sites for business.
The recent infection of a father-son duo engaged in the wholesale rice business sparked off the spike. Around 200 traders, workers and their family members had already tested positive.
The entire market area in the fort city has been cordoned off and all commercial activities have been frozen, officials noted.
VCMC has reported 870 active cases till Sunday while the Vellore taluk accounted for 797 cases, followed by Katpadi taluk-154, Gudiyatham-105, Pernambut-29, KV Kuppam-22 and six from other districts/states.
Many frontline workers from government departments and agencies, including the police, health and rural development have also contracted the virus.
22 COVID-19 deaths have also been reported in the district.
The district administration has initiated a multipronged strategy to combat the global pandemic spreading its tentacles further.
Strict surveillance of the containment streets, clusters, testing all persons down with Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI) and Influenza Like Illness (ILI), supply of allopathy, ayuverdic and siddha medicine and concoctions for immunity boosting and health education on the ways to strengthen immunity and keep clean are part of the strategy adopted in the district.
Meanwhile, the neighbouring district, Tiruvannamalai, reported 38 cases on Monday, taking the total to 2534, according to official sources.