CHENNAI: Four persons tested positive for COVID-19 on Saturday, taking the tally in Tamil Nadu to 42. With the State officially entering the Phase-2 of transmission, authorities have decided to implement a new containment plan to prevent further spread of the disease. “As per the plan, a containment zone with radius of five kilometres would be created around every area where a positive case has been reported. Further, there would be a three kilometre buffer zone around that containment area,” explained Health Secretary Beela Rajesh.
Once the demarcation is done, health workers would go door to door, each of them covering 50 houses, checking the residents for symptoms such as cough, cold, and breathing issues. “Those would symptoms would be refered for checkup,” she said. The health workers would make a list of persons above the age of 60, persons with comorbidity issues, and persons with mental health issues. Counsellors would be appointed to help those required, Beela Rajesh said.
Meanwhile, four persons, tested positive on Saturday, in various parts of the State. A 42-year-old was admitted to the TMCH in Thanjavur. He, a native of Kumbakonam, recently returned from the West Indies. The second patient (49), in Vellore, had recently returned from the United Kingdom. He is being treated in a private facility. The third patient is a 60-year-old man from Rajapalayam undergoing treatment at the Madurai Medical College, and the fourth a 25-year-old from West Mambalam in Chennai, with travel history to the US, admitted to a private hospital.
The death of three persons at an isolation ward in Kanniyakumari created panic on Saturday. However, Beela Rajesh denied COVID-19 as the cause. According to officials, a two-year-old died of osteoporosis, a sexagenarian of kidney disease, and a 24-year-old of pneumonia. Later in the evening, reports showed two of them tested negative for COVID-19. The toddler’s report is awaited.
Chennai pilgrims in Indo-Nepal border rescued
A group of 33 pilgrims from Chennai, who were stranded at the Indo-Nepal border, at Sunauli in Uttar Pradesh, have been rescued, following the efforts of Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam and P Raveendranath, MP. Three more from other states were also rescued