Scrutiny of people returning from other States intensified

154 from Maharashtra, Gujarat, A.P., Karnataka test positive

Tamil Nadu, Chennai, 13/05/2020 : COVID-19 : Health workers checking thermal scanner as there was reading in different temperature, A scene at Ambattur in Chennai on Wednesday, during the 50th day of nationwide lockdown imposed in the wake of deadly novel corona virus pandemic. Photo: B. Jothi Ramalingam / The Hindu

In the last three days, a number of persons returning to Tamil Nadu from other States have tested positive for COVID-19 — so far, 154 persons who returned from Maharashtra, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka have tested positive in various districts of the State.

While the State government has issued guidelines for quarantine and testing of incoming persons, the Health Department is now intensifying its surveillance, including at checkposts and even in lesser-affected districts.

Since Thursday, 143 persons who returned from Maharashtra, nine from Gujarat, and one each from Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka have tested positive in Tamil Nadu.

An official of the Health Department said that persons arriving by trains from other States were being shifted to quarantine facilities such as colleges.

“Health teams of the Greater Chennai Corporation and the Directorate of Public and Preventive Medicine screened passengers who arrived in a train and lifted nearly 850 samples. They are being quarantined for seven days, and if anyone tests positive for COVID-19, they will be sent to a hospital or COVID-19 care centre, according to their health conditions,” he said.

He added that persons travelling from one district to another in the State were being kept under home quarantine, and tested if they were symptomatic.

Officials said that people were returning in other modes of transport to the State, and those entering were being screened at checkposts and swabs were being lifted.

Vigil continues

Lesser-affected districts continue to be on the vigil, officials said. Districts such as Erode that have not reported new cases for sometime now continue to exercise caution.

Another official said, “Erode had no new case for the 32nd day on Saturday. However, we are very careful and have intensified all our measures. We have increased the number of samples lifted a day. We used to test around 150 samples a day during the period when the district reported positive cases. Now, the number of samples has been increased [300 to 400] and we are testing persons arriving from abroad and other States as per guidelines.”

Many persons who had gone for work are returning from States such as Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh and it is important to screen them, officials added.

Official sources in a district said that though the government had said that persons travelling from one district to another need not be tested, they were testing persons arriving from hotspots such as Chennai.

Those from non-hotspot districts were being kept under strict home quarantine, with stickers posted outside their homes, added the sources.