Collector, Corpn. Commissioner inspect COVID-19 testing, dengue control measures in Coimbatore

Testing intensified at Coimbatore airport; mask norm violators to be fined

Collector G.S. Sameeran (second left) and Corporation Commissioner Raja Gopal Sunkara (left) checking the sample collection process under way at Singanallur bus stand in Coimbatore on Tuesday.

Ninety-two percent of the people in the district have received the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine and 60.12 % the second dose, District Collector G.S. Sameeran said here on Tuesday.

After inspecting the COVID-19 testing and dengue control measures, along with Corporation Commissioner Raja Gopal Sunkara, he said the district was seeing only around 100 COVID-19 positive cases a day, down from the 4,500 cases a day it saw during the second wave of the pandemic in May this year. The reduction was largely due to public cooperation, the Collector said.

Though the COVID-19 positive cases had come down it was not the time to let down the guard, as the district was next only to Chennai in the number of cases. As many as 100-plus persons were turning COVID-19 positive every day. And, the infection spread was 1.2%.

The district administration had intensified the COVID-19 testing at the Coimbatore airport as it saw arrival of international flights. Passengers arriving in Coimbatore would be let out of the airport only if their RT-PCR test results were negative.

Among the international passengers in Coimbatore, those arriving from South Africa and other countries where the new Omicron variant had been reported would undergo special screening. The Collector also said the administration had strengthened screening at the inter-State border.

Wearing mask, taking COVID-19 safety precaution like maintaining physical distancing, and washing hands would help reduce the infection spread, he said.

The administration is lifting samples and identifying persons who were in contact with COVID-19 positive persons, the Collector said and added that he went to the Singanallur bus stand on Tuesday to not only inspect the measures being taken but also to create awareness among the public.

He had directed officials concerned to slap fine on those moving around without mask. To strengthen the administration’s efforts, owners of commercial establishments, big and small, should ensure that their employees wore mask and they only let in customers with mask.

After inspecting the testing at the Singanallur bus stand, the Collector and Commissioner went to check Boyar Street in Singanallur to see the anti-dengue measures the Corporation took.