COVID-19 spike in Chennai as 12 of 15 corporation zones record positive case growth

CHENNAI: As Chennai continues to register more than 1300 Covid-19 cases, twelve out of fifteen corporation zones have recorded a positive case growth rate.

Thiruvottiyur Corporation Zone, which had a low number of cases up to August, is now recording the highest case growth of 9.6 per cent, followed by Tondiarpet which has a 5.4 per cent case growth.

The Corporation zones Madhavaram and Alandur too are recording a high case growth of 5.4 and 5.3 per cent respectively. Alandur is also the only corporation zone to have active cases in double digits with 10 per cent.

After a fall in active cases in north Chennai, almost all the zones have been recording high number cases every day. From just 80 active cases in August, Manali Corporation zone has 250 active cases, while active cases have risen from 500 to 800 in Tondiarpet in the same period. Royapuram too now has close to 1,000 cases.

Corporation officials say that the reflection in the positive case growth is natural. “Now, the whole city is almost opened for economic activities. People commute by buses and places of worship, restaurants too are functioning. So, cases may naturally go up," the official said.

The official added that measuring the mortality rate is the key to assess the containment strategies and how the public health system works.

“We trace symptomatic patients early and send them for treatment. Asymptomatics too are tested for COVID in fever camp nowadays. The healthcare intervention is strong," the Corporation health department official said.

Officials also say that the inter-district travel and removal of the pass system may have accelerated positive cases in the city.

“Thousands of people commute to Chennai now for work on a daily basis. It is hard to track the infection spread in such a case. People may have been too cautious," added the official.

While 91 per cent people have recovered in Chennai, the active cases are at seven per cent, as a steady number of people over a thousand are getting discharged every day. Meanwhile, the mortality rate is just below two per cent.

Currently, 761 streets in Chennai have active positive cases and in this, there are only ten containment zones.