There was a good response to resumption of fever camps in the city to screen for COVID-19, officials of the Tiruchi City Corporation say.
The camps, which are being conducted with the help of vans, are halting at designated areas testing identified groups including senior citizens and people with co-morbidities. Mobile fever camps are being conducted in areas where people tested positive for the viral infection, S. Sivasubramanian, Corporation Commissioner, said. Senior citizens who are afraid of contracting the infection are taking advantage of the facilities. ‘Since they are the most affected, they want to remain safe. With a spike in cases in other districts, fever camps will help us detect cases before it becomes clusters,’ he said.
On an average, about 1000 samples are lifted from these mobile camps in the city daily, data showed. As of Thursday, the camps are scheduled at the panchayat office in ward number 30 and in Nachiyar Palayam in the morning and in the evening, Adaikalamadha Kovil Street, Ponmalai. On 26, Fathima Nagar and Palayam Bazaar street in the morning and Good Shed Road in the evening. On 27th, K.R.S. Nagar and Convent Road would be covered in the morning while Cauvery Nagar, Singarathope would be covered in the evening.
Meanwhile, in rural parts of the district, the Department of Public Health has pressed three teams into action in each panchayat union. ‘The three teams have segregated the population into high-risk categories. There are patients over the age of 60, patients with co-morbidities, patients with a history of Severe Acute Respiratory Illnesses and patients with Influenza-Like Illnesses. Along with them, primary contacts of patients who had tested positive earlier are also being tested,’ S. Ram Ganesh, Deputy Director of Health Services, Tiruchi said.
While around 1000 samples are collected in rural areas, at least 1000 more are collected at the Tiruchi Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital, Primary Healthcare Centres and Tiruchi airport. ‘Increasing the samples tested is the only way to identify the viral infection before it spreads to others,’ Mr. Ganesh said. While the facility at the K.A.P. Viswanatham Government Medical College was testing around 2,700 samples a day, it would be increased to 3000 in the next few days, he added.
