Loadman from market plays ludo, passes on virus to 10 others

According to a Chennai Corporation source, the loadman, a resident of Moorthingar Street in Viyasarpadi, got himself tested for COVID soon after many traders and workers of the market contracted the virus a few days ago. “As his samples tested positive for the virus, he was taken to hospital. Following this, we traced his contacts and took samples from around 30 persons,” an official said.

The officials were in shock after they found that the worker was playing ludo game with his neighbours outside his house since the lockdown affected his free movement. “He is the first positive case from Moorthingar Street, which was not under any containment zone. Soon after he was tested positive, the street was sealed and converted into containment zone,” the official said.

The official also added that as many as 10 persons, who belong to three families of the street and played the game with the loadman, tested positive on Friday. The civic body picked the infected persons and admitted them to hospitals.

The Chennai Corporation also traced the contacts of 10 infected persons and identified more than 50 persons as their immediate and extended contacts. Shockingly, all the 10 infected persons and loadman, who infected them are asymptomatic. “Test results of 50 persons are awaited. There is a possibility of more positive cases from the street once the test results come,” the official said.

Meanwhile, more than 20 persons have contracted the disease after they gathered to fly kites in the Ice House area in Triplicane.