Containment activities begin in 9 areas in Chennai with COVID-19 cases

A demarcated five km radius around the houses of confirmed COVID-19 patients and an additional 3 km from the demarcated radius from these areas will be isolated.
Containment activities begin in 9 areas in Chennai with COVID-19 cases
Containment activities begin in 9 areas in Chennai with COVID-19 cases
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The Greater Chennai Corporation began containment activities in Chennai on Sunday, as announced by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami. A total of nine areas from six different zones where COVID-19 cases have been reported were identified – Arumbakkam and Purasawalkam in Zone 8, Santhome in Zone 9, Virugambakkam, Saidapet and West Mambalam in Zone 10, Porur in Zone 11, Alandur in Zone 12 and Kotturpuram in Zone 13.

The number of cases reported from these areas are as follows: Zone 8 – five cases, Zone 9 – one case, Zone 10 – five cases, Zone 11 – two cases, Zone 12 – one case and Zone 13 – one case, taking the total to 15 cases in the capital.

A demarcated five km radius (Containment Zone) around the houses of confirmed COVID-19 patients and an additional 3 km (Buffer Zone) from the demarcated radius from these areas will be isolated and preventive measures will be taken up. An official from the corporation confirmed to TNM that a total of 2,500-3,000 houses from each of these containment areas will be visited by healthcare workers daily and the health status of its members will be reported. In areas with a higher density of population, more houses will fall under this protocol. Both zones willbe thoroughly disinfected and movement in and out of these zones will be restricted. As a part of the containment activities, the Chennai Corporation Commissioner also stated that people who have travel history or those who have come in contact with someone who was tested positive for COVID-19 in the specified areas only need to wear masks inside their houses. 

The team consisting of Village Health Nurses/ Anganwadi workers and ASHA workers will conduct door-to-door health check-ups of individuals in these areas between 8 am and 2 pm daily. 

According to the containment plan released by the government, health workers will visit every house that falls under the containment zone to check for people with symptoms. A list will be created to monitor vulnerable groups like high-risk patients, the elderly, those with chronic ailments like blood pressure, renal diseases and those with immune deficiency disorders, and pregnant women. Those with cough, fever and breathing difficulties (symptoms of COVID-19) will be taken to the hospital for further screening and treatment.

According to the circular issued on the containment plan, the period of containment is 28 days or 21 days after the occurrence of last positive case, whichever is longer.

Tamil Nadu has also launched a chat bot (90357 66766) for those looking to obtain information regarding COVID-19.

The number of active cases in the state stands at 39 as on Sunday morning after two patients were discharged on recovery and one patient died in the hospital.

According to the Centre's notification for containment zones, other than surveillance and contact tracing in these zones, authorities can also do perimeter control to ensure there is no outward movement from the zone and no influx of population. According to guidelines, all vehicular movement, movement of public transport and personnel movement can be restricted. All roads including rural roads connecting the containment zone will be guarded by police.

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