Will step up testing for COVID-19, says Pondy CM
PUDUCHERRY: The Union Territory government is taking steps to increase testing for coronavirus as per the decision taken at the meeting of the State Disaster Management Authority, Chief Minister V Narayanasamy said on Monday.
In an audio clip sent to media here, he said that presently Jipmer could take 1,000 tests a day and the Government Medical College 300 tests. Apart from this, mobile testing vans were arranged to conduct the tests in rural areas, he added.
The Chief Minister said, following a staff in his office getting infected by the virus, 52 persons, including himself took the COVID test on Sunday and the result came out negative. However, the medical officials advised him to be in quarantine for five days, he added.
Stating that 170 persons from Koonichampet area alone were infected by the virus contracted from a person working in a mask manufacturing industry, Narayanasamy said that there were reports that some persons from the containment zones are moving freely.
This will endanger other people, he said recalling the Koyambedu Market experience in Chennai.
The Chief Minister said that after hearing from the Centre and watching the measures to be taken by Tamil Nadu government, he will decide on the course of action to be taken in Puducherry
to contain the spread of COVID 19 in consultation with Ministers and officials. He said complaints were there that the police is harassing the public by stopping their vehicles and registering cases after asking for documents.
“During such critical time, police should not ask for any document for the vehicles and they should check whether one is wearing mask or adopting social distancing,” he said, adding that police should be friend of the people and not enemies. Narayanasamy said that since, the Union government has not provided any financial help to Puducherry, it will have to mobilise its own revenue and hence, shops and other establishments were open and people are coming out.