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Tamil Nadu Coronavirus: 2,600 cases linked to Koyambedu, a wholesale vegetable market in Chennai (Archive)
Chennai
Around 2,600 people linked to Koyambedu, a wholesale vegetable market in Chennai that has been declared a coronavirus hotspot, have tested positive for the COVID-19 virus so far, a senior Tamil Nadu bureaucrat has told NDTV. Dr. J Radhakrishnan, a special nodal officer, said the marketplace became an access point despite the precautions taken, but everyone working in the marketplace has now been tested.
Earlier this week, buoyed by the surge in cases of the popular vegetable market, Tamil Nadu moved from Delhi to become the third state most affected by the coronavirus; As of Thursday morning, it has 9,227 confirmed cases and 64 deaths, with 509 new cases reported in the past 24 hours.
“All Koyambedu workers were screened; 2,600 were positive for the virus. Overall, the spread of the coronavirus was verified with aggressive contact screening. Up to 2.6 lakh people were evaluated. The death rate in Tamil Nadu is lower , with 0.67 percent. ” Dr. Radhakrishnan said.
However, Dr. Radhakrishnan also said that controlling the virus in urban slums remains a challenge.
“There is no shortage of hospital space, even for severe cases,” he emphasized, adding that the challenges posed by the COVID-19 case groups have been “effectively addressed.”
Dr. Radhakrishnan also said that people are advised not to panic and to follow basic hygiene rules, such as washing hands regularly, wearing face masks, and keeping social distance.
He said lifting the blockade restrictions (India has been under a national blockade since March 25 to break the coronavirus chain of transmission) was acceptable as long as people followed the rules.
“There should be a 100 per cent change in behavior,” he said, echoing comments made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Delhi Prime Minister Arvind Kejriwal this week, among other leaders, about “learning to live with the crown. “
Dr. Radhakrishnan also explained a change in the state government’s strategy to deal with the outbreak. He said 70 central areas (each with at least 15 confirmed cases) had been identified among the 690 containment zones in Chennai. These core areas were made “watertight,” he said, with the cooperation of the Department of Revenue, police and Chennai Corporation officials.
“We had implementation problems, but now we have solved it,” he said.
Prime Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami’s government announced major relaxations for non-containment areas in the state starting Monday, including the extension of working hours for independent and neighborhood stores and allowing private establishments to operate, albeit with a number reduced number of employees.
This was after a period of “intense blockade” in five major cities, including the state capital Chennai, late last month; These five cities had recorded almost half of the state’s cases at that time.
The national shutdown is slated to end May 17, but a third extension of the shutdown ordered in March is widely expected, albeit with modifications based on state input. Prime Minister Modi made a six-hour video call with the chief ministers on this issue this week.
Almost 80,000 cases of COVID-19 have been reported in India, with 2,549 deaths related to the virus. Worldwide, the virus that originated in Wuhan China District in December last year has infected 43.47 lakh people and killed nearly three lakh.
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