Extreme caution urged as pandemic tightens grip

Coimbatore: Admitting that there are no more clusters or pockets of Covid-19 cases as the virus now exists across the length or breadth of the district, health department officials stressed that it is more important than ever for people to wear masks and practice handwashing even after a short walk to the nearest fruit stall or grocery store.
The spread of Covid-19 cases across the district has prompted health department officials to change the prerequisite for a “containment zone”. Now, officials have decided to barricade entry and exit into every road with a positive case, even if it is a single patient. While the zone was earlier defined as a 5 km radius around every covid-19 positive case, it was later changed to a zone with 5 cases within a 1 km radius. “The five patient criteria was reduced to ‘three patients’ last week, and to one patient as on Monday,” said deputy director of public health Dr G Ramesh Kumar.
They are six containment zones, including Annur, R G Pudur, Mylampatti, in the district as of Monday, but the number is likely to increase to almost 40 to 50 zones over this week.
Health officials have also been working on mapping Covid-19 cases in the district. They say though the numbers are lower than recorded in April, it is more widespread this time.
“The cases exist right from Karamadai in the north to Chinniampalayam and Sulur in the South, Kurudampalayam and Saravanampatti in the East to Thondamuthur in the west. In between these areas, we have cases all over the city, including Vadavalli, R S Puram, Sowripalayam, Ramanathapuram, Peelamedu, Race Course, Karumbukadai, Annur, R G Pudur among others,” said a health official. “In fact, we can pick and find places without Covid-19 cases like the stretch from KMCH Hospital till Goldwins and the areas behind it and this stretch between Ukkadam and Vellalore,” he added.
Health officials assess that the Aarogya Setu app, if effective, would place a Covid-19 case within 3.5 km of any user anywhere in city limits. “The spread of cases is mainly because the lockdown was lifted and people were allowed to move around freely. This is the reason we are seeing a spike in indigenous cases across the district, from contact with earlier positive cases or contact with those with a travel history,” he said.
“It is critical now for everyone to wear masks... and use handwash every one hour,” said Dr Kumar.