The Health Department continues its vigil against COVID-19 though Coimbatore district has not recorded any fresh case of the disease for more than two weeks, and there is no containment zone now.
The department collects swab samples from people who are having influenza like illness (ILI) and Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI) and also pregnant women whose delivery dates are approaching.
Around 300 such samples are collected a day and they are subjected to Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)-based COVID-19 test, said an official from Health Department.
All Government and private hospitals and clinics report details of people having ILI and SARI to the department which monitor’s their testing.
Similarly, hospitals conduct COVID-19 test on pregnant women and the report is sent to the Health Department.
People who enter Coimbatore district from other districts and other States are advised to remain in home quarantine for 14 days.
In Coimbatore district, the vehicles travelled in by such persons are checked by the police, and staff from Health and Revenue Departments at 24 places, including major inter-State borders such as Walayar.
If anyone is found to have fever or symptoms of COVID-19 during such checks, arrangements are made for their test. Others are advised to remain in home quarantine for the stipulated period after collecting their details, said the official.
Meanwhile, swab samples are collected from people who come to Tamil Nadu from Delhi, Maharashtra and Gujarat and they are subjected to COVID-19 test even if they do not have symptoms of the disease.
Apart from details collected at check posts, the Government also gets the whereabouts of those who travel from one district to another or enter the State from other States through the details they submit to obtain e-pass for the journey. This is also used for monitoring.
According to Coimbatore District Collector K. Rajamani, who is overseeing COVID-19 management activities, it was the Central Government that should notify if the grading of the district is to be changed from orange to green zone.