COIMBATORE: Like most of western Tamil Nadu, Coimbatore district appears to be minimally touched by Covid-19 pandemic. Even while northern and southern districts reported a surge in cases, Coimbatore only crossed the 1,000-case mark on July 9. As low as this may appear, the district has still seen 73 per cent of its 1,071 (as of July 10) cases since June 22 when it only had 280 cases. Officials attribute the rise to travellers from outside the district and a series of clusters.
Travel into the district
Domestic flight services resumed on May 25, while the international flights started arriving in the city airport from June 2. According to officials, the spike in is mainly because of people coming from other states and districts. Coimbatore is one of the few cities that has been collecting samples from every passenger arriving at the airport. As a result, it has been testing an average of 2,000 samples a day since May 25.“Even though this was not required as per guidelines, we are collecting samples from all air travellers,” said Deputy Director of Health Services G Ramesh Kumar.Although the district attributed the spike to persons from outside, this is not reflected in the daily State bulletins which till July 10 categories only 32 cases as ‘imported’. District officials claimed this categorisation did not reflect the local records.
Cluster conundrum
In just the past month, the district has seen at least five clusters erupt, causing a rise in case load. While the authorities have been quick to act once the cases are reported, proactive door-to-door surveillance as being done in Chennai and Madurai are still only restricted to containment areas and hotspots.
The first sign of trouble was when three out of 48 staff of GRT Jewellers, brought by bus from Chennai without e-passes, tested positive on June 21. The shop on Cross Cut Road was declared a hotspot and samples were collected from all staff members. GRT was only the tip of the iceberg.
As many as 27 people linked to a clothes store in Masakalipalayam near Peelamedu had tested positive by July 1. The store had been shut by the revenue department on June 24 for violating social distancing norms. Subsequently, a senior staff of the shop with travel history tested positive but the owner is alleged to have reopened the shop the very next day. Coimbatore Corporation officials again shut the outlet on June 26, but the damage was done.
The third major cluster was in Ayyappa Nagar in Selvapuram, a densely populated area, housing many small scale jewellery outlets, gold manufacturing units. While the district has officially reported 38 people in the locality tested as of July 6 and 7, unofficially authorities have admitted the cluster may have more than a 100 cases.In each of these instances, the health department has conducted a door-to-door survey after the first cases were reported.Public movement has also been restricted in such areas. However, the district does not appear to have plans to embark on more proactive surveillance.
Few deaths
The district is witnessing a slow rise in the number of Covid deaths. However, not all are being recorded in the State bulletins. As on Friday, only six deaths from Coimbatore have been included in the bulletin, while at least six more mortalities have been reported by district authorities.
Surge to continue
Officials said that the district might surpass 2,000 positive cases by July 20 and touch a new high of 4,000 cases by August.Ramesh Kumar said the prediction is based on the present doubling rate of 10.8 days. He, however, said the district was prepared to handle such a surge, with sufficient beds available.
The department currently has close to 4,478 beds at the covid care centres, government and private hospitals and primary health centres across the district. At least 450 beds are at the nodal ESI hospital in Coimbatore.
Officials said only 1,000 beds are currently occupied but bed capacity would be increased by 500.
Renowned virologist T Jacob John said any containment strategy must be designed keeping elderly people in the mind.
"People in houses which also have elderly people must wear a mask indoors. Doctors must be deputed to speak with the elderly person by telephone to understand whether he or she is facing breathing difficulties," he said.
With Coimbatore witnessing a rise in positive cases, John said behaviour modification must be the focus. "An order on wearing a mask would achieve its goal only when the district administration or civic body starts educating the public about why they have to wear one," he said.