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Increasing spread of Covid-19 outside Chennai worries experts

TE Raja Simha Chennai | Updated on June 23, 2020 Published on June 23, 2020

Over the last 10 days, the city’s share of infection has nearly doubled to 45 per cent

Even as Chennai continues to be the nerve centre of coronavirus spread, what should worry the Tamil Nadu government is that the infection is spreading to the districts. Of the total 62,087 positive cases in Tamil Nadu as of June 22, Chennai alone had 42,752 cases. But the share of the districts has been rising over the last 10 days. On June 12, they accounted for just 25 per cent of the new infections but by June 22, their share had increased to 45 per cent.

This is clearly a sign of community transmission, warn medical experts. T Jacob John, a Virologist and former professor at the Christian Medical College, Vellore, said, there is evidence of community transmission in districts. The infection will first spread in town, and then hit the villages.

Suresh Kumar, Consultant, Infectious Diseases, Apollo Hospitals also agreed.

“As clinicians we are seeing so many patients daily without any proper history of contact with any proven covid cases or any standard risk factor like going abroad or coming from another State. They are just in the community and without any specific risk factor for Covid, and they are testing positive. This indicates that community spread has happened. For an evidence-based answer, we need a large community study,” he said.

Madurai worst hit

The spread to the districts has been sharp in the last four days. Madurai is the worst affected. On Monday, the temple town saw a spike of 153 new cases taking the total tally to 849 as against 550 on June 19.

The spike has forced the State government to announce a 7-day total lockdown in Madurai Corporation limits and some areas in the district from June 24 to 30. This follows the extensive lockdown announced from June 19 to 30 in Chennai, and its three neighbouring districts of Thiruvallur, Kancheepuram and Chengapattu due to surge in the number of cases.

Similarly, infection in Thiruvanamalai rose to 1,199 on June 22 as against 853 on June 19. This pattern has been witnessed in many other districts, though the numbers are relatively low.

Meanwhile, with the coronavirus infections increasing in the southern districts, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami will be touring Coimbatore, and Tiruchi for the next three days to inspect various projects and review action being taken to contain the virus.

On Tuesday, the State saw 2,516 more individuals getting infected with 1,380 in Chennai.

Published on June 23, 2020

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