The number of COVID-19 cases reported in the city has dropped below the level that was witnessed during the first and second waves of the pandemic.
The city reported 111 cases on Sunday, which was the lowest since May 1, 2020, when the cases began to steadily rise during the first wave that reached its peak by the end of June last year. The previous lowest since the first wave was 119 cases reported on February 20 this year, before the onset of the second wave.
On an average, the city has been reporting around 130 cases a day in the past one week, which was lower than the average cases reported in any one-week period since May 2020. The decline in the number of cases following the peak of the second wave was noticeably sharper compared to the overall Tamil Nadu numbers, which are yet to drop.
The State has been reporting more than 1,700 cases a day, which is comparable to the numbers reported during mid-November last year, when the first wave of the pandemic was on a gradual and prolonged decline. The State’s number of cases came down to the lowest of around 450 cases a day in February this year.
It can be noticed that even during this lowest phase in the State before the second wave, the city was accounting for roughly one in four cases. However, the city now accounted for less than one-tenth of the cases reported daily in the State.
‘No stone unturned’
Greater Chennai Corporation Commissioner Gagandeep Singh Bedi said although the cases had considerably come down, they were leaving no stone unturned in the measures being taken to avoid another surge.
“Every Tuesday and Friday, all health professionals, experts and senior officials, including myself, meet to discuss every case that was reported to ensure that the source of contraction was identified and contained. We do not want any cases for which the source of infection can not be traced,” he said.
Focus on vaccination
With more than 25,000 tests performed a day, he highlighted that the city has not lowered its testing despite the decline in cases. “In markets, malls and other such vulnerable places, we regularly collect samples on a rotational basis to identify any spread at the earliest,” he said.
Mr. Bedi also highlighted the focus being given to vaccination, with more drives being organised in malls, markets and other places to quickly inoculate as many people as possible.
