Ten zones of the Greater Chennai Corporation have reported more than 1,000 COVID-19 cases each.
Royapuram continues to report the largest number, with cases in the zone crossing 5,000. Owing to the increasing cases in the 10 zones, the Corporation has deployed 61 mobile medical units for COVID-19 containment activities in the city. The units will conduct fever camps and help those in home isolation.
Residents in each of the six zones — Royapuram, Tondiarpet, Thiru Vi Ka Nagar, Kodambakkam, Anna Nagar and Teynampet — received the services of six mobile medical units on Sunday.
The Corporation on Sunday conducted 203 fever camps, screening 10,541 persons. As many as 392 persons were diagnosed with influenza-like illnesses. With the rise in cases in the added areas of the Greater Chennai Corporation and suburbs such as Tambaram, the number of mobile medical units allocated to high-incidence zones such as Royapuram and Tondiarpet has seen a reduction.
Public health experts, who analysed the number of cases in the past 14 days, recommended the allocation of more mobile medical units to added areas such as Tiruvottiyur and local bodies in the suburban areas of Chennai.
Cases in added areas
For instance, Tiruvottiyur zone, which is an added area, has reported 640 cases in the past 14 days.
Owing to the sudden uptick, traders in the area decided to restrict timings of their shops.
Residents of Royapuram zone requested the Corporation to send in more mobile units. A.V.S. Marimuthu, a resident of Narayana Naicker Road in Royapuram, said the residents requested at least 20 mobile medical units for the area.
“Six vehicles are not adequate to contain the disease in Royapuram. All residents are scared. We have witnessed at least 10 deaths in the past few days. We have stopped coming out of our houses. We need assistance from more doctors,” he said.
Meanwhile, around 5,000 residents were under home isolation, according to Corporation officials. Other cases were in COVID-19 Care Centres and other institutions. According to a press release, 31,896 cases were reported in the city. Most residents isolated in institutions do not have proper toilets and separate rooms in their homes, an official said.