MADURAI
With the beginning of the New Year, the number of COVID-19 cases in five of the 10 southern districts — Kanniyakumari, Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi, Tenkasi, Virudhunagar, Madurai, Sivaganga, Ramanathapuram, Theni and Dindigul — has increased steeply after a long gap, according to doctors in the government hospitals here on Saturday.
The daily COVID-19 table released by the State government on Saturday showed a steep increase in the number of active cases in Thoothukudi (from 95 on December 31, 2021 to 128 on January 1). Similarly, Tirunelveli showed a rise from 60 to 85, Virudhunagar from 61 to 83, Kanniyakumari had 132 on Friday and rose to 148 on Saturday.
The only relief was that Tenkasi, Theni, Ramanathapuram and Dindigul districts had fewer number of people testing positive to the virus on day one of the start of the calendar year 2022. However, districts like Kanniyakumari, Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli and Virudhunagar had more number of patients testing positive to the virus in a single day, which was not the pattern till December-end, the doctors said.
A senior doctor at the Government Rajaji Hospital said that with more people failing to adhere to the guidelines, the danger was waiting at the doorsteps. The number of active cases may look upwards in many southern districts in the coming days. A very few people followed the regulations as it was visible to see a majority of the people who gather in public places are not even wearing face masks properly.
With a change in weather pattern, i.e, from intense drop in temperature, the intermittent rains too may cause ailments to people in all age groups. Hence, the only way to be safe from the virus was to get the vaccine dose administered (for those who were yet to take) and avoid moving out unnecessarily, the doctor said.
