MADURAI: After 11 people linked to the wholesale market at Paravai tested positive for COVID-19, it was shut down on Monday, said sources in the district administration.
District collector TG Vinay said, "Two men -- a shop owner and an accountant at Paravai market -- tested positive for COVID-19 earlier last week. During contact tracing, nine of their primary contacts also tested positive on Monday." Following this, the market, which has around 150 makeshift shops, has been shut down and the disinfection process is underway, he said.
Similarly, a fruit shop owner at Mattuthavani fruit market, who returned from Chennai nearly two weeks ago, developed symptoms of COVID-19. "When tested, he was found to be positive. One of his family members also tested positive along with him," said the collector.
Officials found that the man did not go to the market area after returning from Chennai. However, as part of precautionary measures, Mattuthavani market would also be disinfected for the next three days. "All the primary contacts and those in both market areas who are symptomatic would be screened in the next three days," he added.
He further assured that a Koyambedu type cluster could not be formed in Madurai as the markets were decentralised well in advance. "Even after shutting down the operation at Paravai market, the makeshift shops were decentralised and shifted to Fatima College ground. There is no chance of clusters being formed at Madurai markets," he said.