With a spike in COVID-19 cases predicted in a week’s time, the authorities in Ranipet district have been leaving no stone unturned to effectively handle the situation by ramping up healthcare facilities and surveillance.
District monitoring officer for COVID activities and joint commissioner of commercial taxes G Laxmi Priya took stock of the situation on Tuesday and visited various places and facilities in Ranipet.
Talking to reporters, she said, “The projections of new infections show that the district will touch 8,000 cases on 4 August. But only 50 per cent of the cases will be active.”
The district has already recorded 4,000 plus cases.
“The current month has witnessed a spike in cases. Failure to wear masks, lack of social distancing by the public and stepped up testing have resulted in a high number of cases,” Laxmi Priya stated.
Until the end of June, 6000 cases were tested, but in July, testing has more than doubled to 14,000.
The bed strength in hospitals and COVID care centres will be strengthened to 4,700.
Ranipet district collector S Divyadharshini said that the district administration may slap fines on those who fail to wear masks.
“The monitoring officer has given her recommendations. We are contemplating imposing fines for not wearing masks,” she said.
Since more than 80 per cent COVID patients are asymptomatic, they may be roaming around freely without bothering about the adverse consequences, the collector added.