TIRUCHY: The government's decision to enforce intensified lockdown in Chennai, Thiruvallur, Kancheepuram and Chengalpattu districts is making officials in Rockfort city break into a sweat, as there are a large number of COVID-19 positive cases among those who returned.
According to sources in the civic body, at least three lakh people returned to Tiruchy ever since news about the intense lockdown started doing the rounds.
The influx has necessitated the Corporation to increase isolation facilities to tackle a possible surge in cases. Taking no chances, the city Corporation has started to convert five government schools into isolation facilities.
Wooden benches in the classrooms are joined to make a bed and each school would have 75 such beds along with mats, pillows and blankets. The facilities will become functional in a couple of days.
"Right now, all patients are treated in government hospitals. With the situation looking vulnerable, we are converting five schools into bedded facilities to isolate asymptomatic patients. A total of 375 more beds are being readied. The government hospitals would handle patients with symptoms and those who need
emergency care," said a senior Corporation official.
As of June 21, 265 COVID beds were available in private hospitals and 540 in government hospitals in
Tiruchy district.
What has overwhelmed officials is that a sizeable number of returnees had proxy addresses on e-passes or no e-passes. According to officials, most returnees who arrived by train were struggled to state their address without help, as they were either address of their friends or relatives.
Official coordinating arrangements at Tiruchy railway station said, "Most returnees claimed they even
walked on the tracks from Tambaram to Chengalpattu. Many could not state the address mentioned on their e-passes and struggled to answer questions on why they had arrived in Tiruchy district. Most said they fled Chennai district as they could not bear the lockdown anymore."
District Collector S Sivarasu said, "We are making sure all Chennai returnees are home quarantined and stickers stuck in front of their homes. Vigil at check posts has also been intensified and any returnees with symptoms are directly sent to the hospital. Efforts are being taken to make sure all returnees are tracked and the spread of the virus kept under check."
Additional isolation centre facilities
PS Hindu-Corporation Elementary, Butter worth Road.
Corporation Middle School, Palakkarai
Corporation Middle School, E Pudur