CHENNAI: The Covid-19 positivity rate in the city has come down with increased testing of samples, said Corporation Commissioner G Prakash on Saturday.
“When we were testing 5,000-5,500 samples, we had 1,000-1,500 positive cases; a positivity rate of 33 per cent. Now, the data reflects lesser positivity,” he said. Since May 8, around 8,426 fever camps have been set up and around 20,000 people with symptoms have been identified, he added.
Denies allegations
The civic body chief denied all allegations regarding the purchase of 14 lakh face masks at a rate higher than stipulated by a government order issued by the Health and Family Welfare Department. The Commissioner said the payments were made in accordance with the Gazette notification by the GoI issued in March.
A gazette publication by the GoI on March 21 had fixed the price at Rs 10 when another gazette publication on March 24 fixed price at Rs 16. Even after the price was fixed at Rs 10, there was huge demand for masks and so it was revised to Rs 16, he said.
“Moreover, news reports quoted a Government Order that was issued on February 14 but gazette publication was issued on March 24. So, there is a difference of 40 days during which the situation turned out to be quite different,” he said.