Officials focus on community spread as new clusters emerge

SWEDHA RADHAKRISHNAN & SAM AUGUSTINE

CHENNAI: As daily cases and active cases surge in the city, new clusters also emerge at educational institutions, commercial hubs, etc. Health experts have urged anyone with symptoms to get tested and follow COVID protocols to avoid community transmission.

More than three cases on a street are considered to be a cluster. Accordingly, a few educational institutions have been identified. As many as 27 students of Stanley Medical College Hospital, 67 of Madras Institute of Technology, 12 of Madras Christian College were tested positive. A popular retail chain also has 21 cases in Chrompet.

“There are community transmissions now and the focus now is on reducing the number of cases. Anyone who has symptoms, especially in containment areas, should get tested immediately,” Health Secretary J Radhakrishnan said.

“Those who are fully vaccinated and asymptomatic should avoid seeking admission to hospitals to avoid crowding. To prevent the spread of the infection, workplaces should consider providing work from home,” Radhakrishnan added.

“With higher educational institutions and commercial establishments in Chennai, Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram and Coimbatore reporting COVID clusters, the State authorities have made them their priority. Strict lockdown enforcement and tracking of those associated with clusters are underway and now we are heading towards community transmission peak,” a senior government official said. At the same time, the health surveillance system has been beefed up to monitor commercial areas like T Nagar, Koyambedu, Kasimedu and Parry’s where the prevalence for clusters is high.

“The public should follow the guidelines set in place by the Tamil Nadu government,” Tambaram health director Dr Parthiban said. Big shops in Tambaram municipality are being allowed to function with only 50 per cent occupancy, he added.

Parthiban added that the testing has been increased in Tambaram and that is also why there are many new cases reported daily. Earlier only around 600 samples were collected but now more than 2,000 samples are being collected every day, explained Parthiban. So far. we have identified close contacts of the students who had tested positive in the recent days.

Health surveillance system has been beefed up to monitor commercial areas where the prevalence for clusters is high