Tirupattur Collector M.P. Sivanarul chaired a meeting of doctors, officials of the Pubic Health department, Municipal Administration and Revenue department on Thursday.

The Tamil Nadu government had asked the District Collectors to urgently take preventive measures, in the wake of 30 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the country.

In a letter to the Collectors, Chief Secretary K. Shanmugam asked the officers to immediately convene a meeting with all private and government doctors.

In his address, Mr. Sivanarul said that there was no need for panic about COVID-19 in the district.

He said that there were a number of people from Alangayam, Vaniyambadi and Ambur staying abroad, and that they would be thoroughly screened when they land at the airport. He urged the health officials to keep a tab on people returning from foreign countries and monitor their health for a fortnight.

Mr. Sivanarul, while warning rumour mongers, said that maintaining cleanliness must be on the agenda, and urged officials to conduct awareness programmes among schoolchildren on the importance of cleanliness and ways to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Deputy director (health services) K.S.T. Suresh; personal assistant to the Collector Wilson Rajasekar; assistant director, panchayats, Arunkumar; BDOs; town panchayat officials; and municipal commissioners were among those who participated in the meeting.