In an effort to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus, a total of 67 “cluster containment zones” have been created within the limits of Chennai city by the Greater Chennai Corporation as of April 6.
The Chennai Corporation has been creating ‘containment zones’ by marking the perimeter around confirmed cases of COVID-19 across the city. Officials close off these zones with barricades, thus restricting movement in and out of these areas.
Royapuram, has 22 barricaded cluster containment zones, the most number in the city. Thiru Vi Ka Nagar comes second with 11 cluster containment zones. Zone 4, Tondiarpet has 9 barricaded cluster containment zones and zone 9, Teynampet has 5. There are no cluster containment zones in Manali, Ambattur, Anna Nagar and Alandur as of April 6.
Chennai currently has 110 COVID-19 patients, the biggest hotspot in the state. While 88 people were tested positive till April 4, another 22 people were added to the list in the next two days. In this, the highest cluster of patients are in the Royapuram area. While Royapuram in the northern part of Chennai has 27 cases, another residential zone called Thiru Vi Ka Nagar has 14 cases.
#GCC has created 67 ‘cluster containment zones’ in Chennai to curb the spread of novel coronavirus, as of April 6. #Royapuram has 22 barricaded cluster containment zones, and Thiru Vi Ka Nagar comes second with 11. #TNFightsCorona @thenewsminute pic.twitter.com/V5m9oUSDY9
— Anjana Shekar (@AnjanaShekar) April 7, 2020
Deputy Commissioner Chennai South Alby John took to Twitter to explain the protocol in place for containment activity. The identification of these zones is followed by perimeter control. “Temporary barricades are being put in the streets immediately close to the reported COVID-19 positive houses and influx and efflux of vehicles are restricted. Also it is ensured that there is no scarcity of necessary provisions,” Alby tweeted.
Other than imposing restrictions on movements in containment zones, the authorities also do mass active surveillance, passive surveillance, contact tracing and mass disinfection.
People living in these zones are surveilled on a daily basis for COVID-19 related symptoms.
When any symptoms are reported by the health staff, a medical team is rushed to the spot to verify them. Patients may be asked to be in home isolation or shifted to hospital isolation.
Announcements by microphone are done in the entire containment zone and the buffer zone explaining symptoms and preventive measures.
Temporary medical camps are set up.
All the possible contacts of the 'index case' is identified and listed. They are asked to be on hospital quarantine and also tested.
Designated 108 ambulances are parked in these zones. They are used exclusively for transport of possible COVID-19 patients or suspected cases.
All the houses, public places in the containment zone are disinfected through various measures.
Chennai began its three-month door-to-door survey on April 5, as part of which health workers survey residents for COVID-19 or Acute Respiratory Infection symptoms. Details of pregnant women, elderly, patients with prolonged medical ailments will be taken into account and entered into a database. The city has been split into 13,100 sectors and 16,000 health workers have been deployed for this purpose.
#Thread On #COVID2019 Containment Plan in Chennai.
— Alby John (@albyjohnV) April 7, 2020
1) Mass Active Surveillance- Around 2500 houses around 'case positive houses' are already being surveilled on a daily basis for #Covid19 related symptoms .
Done by Corp DBC workers, UHN's, Anganwadi workers etc. pic.twitter.com/2TUbpXqfLI