MADURAI
Around 7,200 COVID-19 tests have so far been conducted in Madurai district, according to Collector T.G. Vinay.
Addressing mediapersons here on Tuesday, he said that tests were conducted for antenatal mothers five days prior to their expected date of delivery. “So far, we have tested 447 antenatal mothers. High risk mothers are being admitted to hospitals 10 days before their expected date of delivery,” he said.
The Collector said that tests were conducted on around 300 persons every day. “We are not doing random testing, but we are testing the primary and the secondary contacts of COVID-19 positive patients,” he said.
In all containment zones, people with influenza-like illness were being regularly screened and those who showed symptoms were being tested. Passive screening was also undertaken as persons admitted to Primary Health Centres with COVID-19 symptoms were tested. Government Rajaji Hospital also conducted tests on people with severe acute respiratory illness, he added.
Thirteen mobile medical units were deployed to screen people and provide medication to those with non-communicable diseases, he said.
When asked about the persons who had worked at Koyambedu market in Chennai, the Collector said that based on the list provided by the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority, the health department officials had screened them and home-quarantined seven persons in the district. “In addition, revenue officials are inquiring about the persons who had recently travelled to Chennai and other places. Based on that, we have identified 35 persons, who will be screened, and if they test negative, they will be home-quarantined,” he said.
Strict enforcement measures were under way in all containment zones in the district, he added.
