Targeted testing of all persons associated with the Koyambedu wholesale market and other marketplaces will lead to a rise in COVID-19 positive cases, said Chennai Corporation special nodal officer J.Radhakrishnan.
Speaking to media persons on Monday, Mr.Radhakrishnan said the civic agencies will chalk out strategies to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in marketplaces. “We will activate COVID-19 care centres in various areas to quarantine residents infected with COVID-19. Residents are requested not to worry about the rising numbers. They only have to be careful. We request residents to wash hands after every visit to the grocery, wear a mask and avoid crowding at marketplaces,” he said.
“A team of young IAS officers have visited various quarantine spaces of Chennai Corporation. We will get a report on the preparedness of the quarantine spaces today. The Corporation has announced the creation of 4000 beds in quarantine centres in various buildings including Chennai Trade Centre in Nandambakkam. DG Vaishnav College had already set up a COVID-19 care centre. Many persons who have been admitted to hospitals have requested to shift them to COVID-19 care centres which will provide all facilities,” said Mr.Radhakrishnan.
Stressing on the need for focused testing of workers in Koyambedu and other areas, he said: “The focused testing of Koyambedu workers who have reached their native villages in other districts will be done with the support of district administrations. We have collected the names of the persons associated with the market. They will be traced in each district and will be tested for COVID-19.”
Pointing to the efforts taken by CMDA on the closure of over 3500 shops in Koyambedu a few weeks ago to prevent the spread of COVID-19, Mr.Radhakrishnan said the officials had permitted only 200 wholesale outlets of vegetables market and 300 shops in the grain market to facilitate supply of essential commodities to residents.
“Most of the persons who tested positive for COVID-19 have no symptoms. The death rate is 1 to 1.5%. We are living with the coronavirus and management holds the key. The discharge rate in the city is the highest in the country,” he said.
Chennai Corporation Commissioner G.Prakash said there has been a slight slowdown in the door- to-door survey after eight workers tested positive for COVID-19. “We are getting active inputs from the survey,” he said.