If Sivaganga has one of the lowest COVID-19 positive numbers, it is because of the high preparedness and better dissemination of information on the disease to the people, said Special Monitoring Officer Mahesan Kasirajan here on Saturday.

After inspecting the Government Hospital building here, accompanied by District Collector J Jayakanthan, Dean Rethnavelu, Resident Medical Officer Meenal, Medical Superintendent Aravind Athavan and others, he said the challenge posed by the virus could be overcome without much difficulty, provided there was cooperation from the people. By adopting simple methods and practices, the spread could be prevented or flattened at a faster rate. People should remain indoors. At no cost, they should travel or step out. Officials could then handle the pandemic swiftly, he told reporters.

The State government had taken a number of measures to prevent the COVID-19 and one among them was the lockdown and tightening of the restrictions. The people should understand this and cooperate.

Steps were being taken on a war footing to enhance 100 more beds in the present old building of the Government Hospital, where already 140 beds were available exclusively for COVID-19 patients. This was to ensure that non-COVID-19 cases did not mingle with those in the virus ward, they noted.

The Collector also said that the number of returnees to the district from hotspots was high during the last week of May and beginning of June. He appreciated the health, police and revenue team who had worked day and night to keep the numbers well under control.

The officials inspected the GH at Amaravathipudur, Karaikudi, where a health care centre for COVID19 has been functioning. Similarly, at as many as 18 blocks, special centres were open for people to check for ailments such as fever, cough and cold. In the event of variations, they would be referred to GH and the objective was to limit the movement of people from remote hamlets, the Collector said.

In Sivaganga district, as on June 26, total positive cases were 130 and persons discharged stood at 71.