Tiruchi district on Saturday recorded a total of 1,000 tests in a single day as the administration scaled up testing in several areas visited by people, who were later diagnosed with COVID-19.

For instance, health officials of the Corporation tested vendors at Uzhavar Sandhai after three sellers at Madhuram Ground tested positive on Friday evening.

“When a patient told us that he visited Madhuram market, we tested the vendors there and found three positive cases. This is only a precautionary measure,” Corporation Commissioner S. Sivasubramanian told The Hindu.

The civic body was regularly disinfecting and creating awareness of personal distancing at the temporary vegetable markets, he said.

Health officials took throat swabs from 183 vendors at Uzhavar Sandhai.“A total of 1,050 tests were taken in government testing centres including those at MGMGH and villages outside city limits. It will cross nearly 1,200 with inclusion of private testing labs,” Collector S. Sivarasu said.

As part of the district’s containment strategy, the number of tests was increasing. The testing centre at K.A.P. Viswanatham Government Medical College had the capacity to test at least 900 to 1,000 samples daily. “Since we have the means to do it, we can continue to test as many samples as possible,” he said.

With some media persons testing positive in districts like Tiruppur and a TV channel reporter testing positive in Tiruchi, district health officials also lifted 44 samples from reporters, photographers and camerapersons of media organisations in the district.

Mr. Sivarasu said the number of cases in the district was slowly coming down.

“The complete lockdown on Sundays will ensure that those who travel outdoors on weekends to purchase things or visit others is reduced. Even though this is a difficult time, such steps are necessary to contain the spread of infection,” the Collector added.