Plans afoot to give ‘cluster’ tag to ward even if 3 test positive

Non-effectiveness of current containment zones being cited

The Tamil Nadu government is contemplating labelling an entire ward in an urban area a ‘COVID-19 cluster’, and initiating containment efforts, even if only three positive cases are reported from there.

Earlier, a ward was declared a ‘cluster’ if there were five or more cases.

The government’s proposal is the result of the non-effectiveness of the current demarcation of COVID-19 containment zones and the consequent efforts taken up in those places.

A senior official told

The Hindu that the drop in the number of containment zones from over 1,100 to 300 last week clearly did not match the increasing number of COVID-19 cases that were being reported, especially in Chennai.

“Either there are more cases within the containment zones or there are fresh cases outside these containment zones. Earlier, five cases were needed in a ward to call it a cluster in urban areas but since there are more cases, we are planning to make it three or more cases,” he said.

Collectors’ concern

The official also said that multiple District Collectors had requested the government to stop people from Chennai travelling to their home districts. “Even a few days ago, a Collector of a northern district flagged that several people from Chennai take two-wheelers to leave the city to get to her district and requested that we stop them,” he said.

But, the government could not issue a blanket order barring people from leaving Chennai, he added.