Chennai apartment complex barricaded after 14 residents get COVID-19

The GCC has taken around 50 samples of shopkeepers and domestic workers in and around the apartment complex for testing.
A health worker wearing PPE suit, mask and gloves collecting nasal swab from a man for coronavirus test
A health worker wearing PPE suit, mask and gloves collecting nasal swab from a man for coronavirus test
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The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) has barricaded an apartment complex in West Saidapet after 14 residents tested positive for coronavirus. The COVID-19 patients are spread over seven houses in the apartment building. According to officers from the GCC, the first case of COVID-19 in the Chennai apartment complex was detected on March 29.

“There were four index cases in the complex, following which their family members and contacts within the complex contracted the virus. Apart from the fact that they are all in the same complex, the four index cases have no common source. One person had attended a funeral in T Nagar, while another person had travelled to Madurai for work. Others had just visited some shops in the vicinity of the apartment,” the officer told TNM.

The Chennai Corporation officials have put up barricades around the apartment complex and have imposed a micro-lockdown in the complex. The Chennai Corporation has also taken samples of around 50 shopkeepers around the area as well as the domestic workers and drivers of the COVID-19 patients, for further testing. “If there are no new positive cases from the complex for seven days in a row, the barricades will be lifted. We are constantly monitoring the situation,” the officer added.

On Thursday, Chennai reported 1,520 new COVID-19 cases and six deaths. A total number of 11,633 persons are under COVID-19 treatment, including home isolation. In light of the rising coronavirus cases in Tamil Nadu, the state government has announced a new set of restrictions, which will come into force from Saturday.

As per the new regulations, religious congregations will be fully prohibited. A limit of 100 people for weddings and 50 people for funerals was also declared. Restaurants, supermarkets, shopping centres, movie theatres, and other commercial outlets have been directed to operate at 50% capacity at all times. From April 10, inter-state and intra-state buses will not be able to ply with standee passengers. For those entering Tamil Nadu, e-registration have been made mandatory as an attempt to track the arrivals into the state.  

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