CHENNAI: After over five months, Tamil Nadu reported over 5,000 new Covid-19 cases on Friday. The state reported 5,441 new cases and 23 deaths, taking the tally 9,20,827 and toll to 12,863. Experts said that a combination of factors had contributed to the recent surge and, although a second wave was expected, restrictions could be placed needed on non-essential gatherings.
Chennai reported 1,752 cases while its neighbouring districts of Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur reported 465, 153, and 195 cases respectively. Coimbatore reported 473 cases, Cuddalore 148, Madurai 142, Nagapattinam 124, Salem 126, Thanjavur 144, Tirunelveli 114, Tiruppur 148, Trichy 213, and Vellore 109 cases. Only one district reported less than 10 new cases.
According to Dr Prabhdeep Kaur, deputy director, National Institute of Epidemiology, Indian Council of Medical Research, a combination of factors led to the surge. "First, in the past two months, there was poor compliance with Covid-19 appropriate behaviour. Face mask compliance also declined. Second, there was no sealing on the size of the gatherings," said Dr Kaur.
To control the situation the state should resume all measures that it was doing last year. "We already know what to do. We should start doing it. We should test, trace and isolate along with strengthening surveillance. Also, we must ensure mask compliance," Dr Kaur said.
She added that the vaccinations should be sped up for high-risk groups, especially for those above 60 years of age.
Meanwhile, former Director of Public Health, Dr K Kolandaswamy said that all non-essential activities, such as birthday parties, movie screenings, should be restricted. “There is a risk of the virus spreading quickly in closed rather than in open spaces. Functioning of parks and any open-air activities is fine, but closed events, with no ventilation are risky," he said.
He added that persons who had already been infected might have some protection but there is a risk to people who were not infected before. “In a pandemic, a second wave is an expected phenomenon. As years pass, the virus will become as endemic. But as cases are increasing, the number of deaths might also increase in proportion to the cases, said Kolandaswamy.
Meanwhile, among the people who tested positive on Friday were 32 passengers, three from UAE, one from Qatar, who travelled by air, six from West Bengal, five each from Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, three each from Bihar and Delhi, and one each from Punjab, Gujarat, Haryana, Jharkhand, and Maharashtra, who travelled by road.
The state tested 88,135 samples and 87,505 people on Friday. According to the media bulletin issued by the Directorate of Public Health, among the deceased three did not have comorbid conditions.