With over 65 per cent of cases, lockdown has failed in Chennai, say experts

Chennai

On March 24, when a total lockdown was enforced in Tamil Nadu along with the rest of nation to prevent the spread of coronavirus, the State had just 15 positive cases of which 8 were from Chennai. With more than 65 per cent of the cases reported in Chennai, various containment measures taken by the Greater Chennai Corporation have gone futile. Even during lockdown, thousands thronged the Koyambedu market, Kasimedu fish market and local markets without wearing masks or maintaining social distancing attributing to the rampant spread. Restricting the timings of markets also attributed to crowding, which could have been easily avoided, rue officials.

Alarmingly, the cases in the metropolis rise by over 500 every day, but there is no particular cluster of spread, thus hinting community spread, confided civic body officials on condition of anonymity. Attributing the spike to the rapid relaxation of restrictions in the city, officials said that only the affected houses are converted into containment zones now, allowing neighbours to roam freely. Moreover, the containment period in zones has been reduced to 14 days from 28 days.

Public health experts claim that lack of adequate testing, poor clinical management at hospitals and improper containment of asymptomatic cases seems to have led to the failure in controlling the spread of the virus, especially in Chennai and neighbouring districts, with several frontline workers contracting the virus.

While the State Health Department officials claim that extensive testing of samples as per the protocol by Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), a large number of asymptomatic individuals with a travel history and those with mild symptoms with contact history are not being tested.

About a month ago, when the State had around 2,000 cases , the Health Department was testing around 8,000-9,000 samples daily. However, when the cases have risen manifold, the samples tested daily remain to be around 11,000- 12,000. Even on earlier accounts, the experts have stated that more samples need to be tested across the State, especially in Chennai, which has not been done. Top virologists also point out that the delay in making masks mandatory has also cost the State a lot as thousands of people were seen in public places without masks or maintaining social distancing leading to social spread during the lockdown.