The rising number of COVID-19 cases in Tamil Nadu has resulted in containment zones exceeding the 1,100-mark, according to an extraordinary government gazette issued on Saturday.

As of May 22, there were a total of 1,143 COVID-19 containment zones across the State, with Chennai topping the list with 635 such zones. Tiruvallur and Chengalpattu districts had 119 and 107 containment zones, respectively. Tiruvannamalai had 54 such zones and Kancheepuram, 35.

An official told The Hindu that all other districts had less than 30 containment zones.

According to the government notification, only 30 districts had such zones, since containment efforts had been completed in Sivaganga, Erode, Tiruppur, Salem, Tiruvarur, Coimbatore and the Nilgiris.

Separate entry/exits

In a separate communication to all District Collectors and the Commissioner of the Greater Chennai Corporation, Chief Secretary K. Shanmugam instructed them to create separate entry points for patients at Urban Primary Health Centres (UPHCs), since government hospitals were to be treated as COVID-19 hotspots.

“Considering the increase in the number of COVID-19 positive cases in the urban pockets of the State, separate entry and exit shall be provided for symptomatic cases at the UPHCs in order to control the spread of COVID-19, and necessary arrangements may be made for the treatment of non-communicable diseases and antenatal activities may be further intensified in the UPHCs for effective containment of COVID-19,” he said.

Since all government hospitals, including UPHCs and Urban Community Health Centres, were to be treated as hotspots for the spread of the infection, instructions had already been issued to periodically disinfect the premises and mop the floors in order to control the spread of COVID-19, he said. “Further, instructions have been issued to take steps to disinfect the patients’ waiting area, tables, chairs, examination rooms and other places where patient interaction takes place, and also to clean the toilets regularly,” he added.