State health department steps up testing as COVID-19 cases rise

Even as more than 18 districts including Chennai see a surge in the cases of COVID-19, the state health department officials say that the testing of people is up by 20,000 and extra precautions are being taken as neighbouring State Kerala has been seeing an increase in the cases of COVID-19.

After about 69 days, Tamil Nadu recorded an increase in the cases of COVID-19 since the continuous dip in the cases after the second wave. While Chennai is reporting a spike in the cases after July 26, when 25,365 samples were tested in the city and 122 cases were reported, the testing stood at 24,239 samples when 164 cases were reported on Thursday. Thus, the Greater Chennai Corporation officials say that the testing of samples is being increased as more cases are being reported.

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City Health Officer of Greater Chennai Corporation, M Jagadeesan said that the testing and contract tracing of people as lockdown has been relaxed is being increased. "There are no specific household clusters or workplace clusters but the pattern of continuous increase in the cases will be monitored. The market places seem to be overcrowding and we are taking measures to control that," he said.

The state health department officials say that districts seeing a significant surge in the cases including Coimbatore, Chennai, Erode, and Thanjavur will be increasing the daily samples being tested.

"The testing last week was about 1.3 lakh samples of COVID-19, while 1.5 lakh samples were tested for COVID-19 currently as the districts have been instructed to step up contract tracing. However, no major clusters have been identified and Chennai numbers are being monitored by Greater Chennai Corporation," said Dr T S Selvavinayagam, director of Public Health and Preventive Medicine.

He added that though there is no need to panic, the monitoring is being ensured, especially among Kerala bordering districts as the State has been seeing a spike in the past few days.