COIMBATORE: By the end of July, Coimbatore's Covid-19 caseload may cross the 5,000-mark, with at least 250 to 300 new cases likely to be reported daily, health officials said. The prediction is for August 1 although the Covid graph is dynamic.

On Monday, Coimbatore saw a single-day high of 313 people testing positive, pushing the district’s tally to 3,775.

"The district may record another 1,800 fresh cases in the next week,” a senior health official said. However, most of the cases are emerging from clusters, particularly those from Selvapuram and RS Puram," the official added. 

Among the cases reported on Monday are 12 people from the Pollachi Municipality office, including its commissioner, six personnel of the 105 Battalion of the Rapid Action Force in Mahalingapuram, four persons in different police quarters, two health staff in Coimbatore Medical College Hospital, six migrants in Malumichampatti and three fire and rescue service personnel.

Cases reported from clusters include 19 each in Selvapuram and Podanur, 10 in Ganapathy, nine in Ukkadam and eight in Peelamedu. So far close to 400 cases have been reported from the Selvapuram cluster and at least 50 from RS Puram. 

The district’s death toll has risen to 61, with three patients succumbing to the infection in the past two days. The deceased include a 96-year-old man from Saravanampatti, an 80-year-old man from Thudiyalur, a 70-year-old man from Marakkadai.

As many as 202 patients, including 85 in ESI Hospital, who were undergoing Covid treatment were discharged on Monday.

The health department is now only collecting samples from Coimbatore natives who arrive at the Coimbatore International Airport, after which the passengers are placed at home quarantine. Other passengers are allowed to proceed to their respective districts where the concerned health department will be notified of their arrival. Earlier all passengers were tested.