Though COVID-19 threatens southern districts with a sudden surge in the number of positive cases especially in Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi and Kanniyakumari districts over the past few days, it has not deterred the public as many residents are seen moving around as usual to shop and dine with their families.
After breaching the 1,000-mark recently, Thoothukudi district, with more infections, recorded 109 cases on Monday and crossed the three-digit figure on Tuesday also with 130 positive cases. In all, the district has 1,400 cases. Tirunelveli district closely follows it with 1,200-odd infections as it added over 80 cases on two successive days in the past 48 hours.
Kanniyakumari district, which initially managed to put brakes on the spurt in cases, has apparently lost its control, as the rise in fresh cases shows the alarming trend in store. With 638 infections till Monday, the district is adding more than 50 cases on an average over the past few days.
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When Tirunelveli and Thoothukudi district administrations clamped complete lockdown on Sunday, an unusual crowd could be seen before all shops, especially grocery shops, on Saturday evening as if indefinite curfew would be enforced. The crowd, which has moved to panic mode following the announcement, was seen hurriedly buying grocery items needed for the next one month or so in trolleys.
Since Gandhi Market in Palayamkottai was closed for a week since last Saturday in view of rise in positive cases within the corporation areas, those who used to visit this market moved to already crowded nearby supermarkets where physical distancing went for a toss. Another group of people was seen before mobile phone service providers for reasons best known to them.
The situation in Thoothukudi is worse where people can be seen moving around casually as if they are living in safest ambience with residents enjoying their cup of tea with a ‘vada’ or ‘bhaji’ in front of roadside shops with their friends, youths chatting without masks on the roadside and men and women visiting the market for their week-end shopping.
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“Tea shops were closed in the town to check uncontrolled movement of people and unwanted roadside gathering. Even after witnessing adverse effects of flouting safety rules in the form of rise in the number of fresh cases, some people are not in a mood to follow the norms,” said a senior doctor attached to the Thoothukudi Medical College Hospital, who anticipates more cases in the days to come.
The only solace is the Tenkasi district’s tally which has just crossed 400 mark after initially struggling to contain a massive outbreak at Puliyangudi, a small town in the newborn district.
“In Tenkasi, the police took earnest steps to check unwanted movement of people. When the police seized more than 6,000 two-wheelers for violating lockdown, those who dared to move around without any reason confined themselves in their houses. As officials deployed around containment zones were empowered to deal with violators at Puliyangudi, the rate of infection came down drastically,” said a tahsildar.
Having witnessed the ‘success formula’ of Tenkasi in strictly dealing with rise in fresh cases, the other three southern districts are likely to emulate the strategy.