Madurai
Madurai MP, Su. Venkatesan, has cautioned Madurai district administration to have a better plan in testing of passengers coming to the Madurai from other districts, especially Chennai, to avert a major crisis.
“It is imperative that we have an emergency plan of action to prevent Madurai becoming another Chennai in terms of higher number of COVID-19 cases,” he said.
In a statement, he said that around 8,000 people have come to Madurai from Chennai by road using TN e-pass.
Similarly, some 5,000 people have entered Madurai through the Villupuram-Madurai special train, he said.
However, swab tests have been conducted only for 2,000 air passengers coming to Madurai from Chennai by flight services in the last five days, he said.
“While initially, the standard operating procedure for the air passengers was that only inter-state passengers should be made to give swab tests. But, swab test is being taken for all passengers coming to Madurai even from Chennai, “ an official said.
Mr. Venkatesan complained that around 14,000 people who had come to Madurai by road and trains and those whohad come by air in the initial days were not at all tested for COVID-19.
Expressing apprehension that the situation could turn to worse in Madurai, he said that number of testing conducting in Madurai should be increased manifold.
“All those who have entered Madurai using e-pass should be tested in the next few days,” he said.
Any drastic increase in number of positive patients in the days to come will put all the patients undergoing treatment and the poor people in dire straits.