Active Covid cases fall across Chennai, positivity rate 8%

CHENNAI: Within two weeks, active Covid-19 cases are down in 14 of the 15 zones of Greater Chennai Corporation. This comes when the number of cases reported daily in the city has dropped from 1,200-1,300 to the 1,100-1,200 range. On Sunday, Chennai had 1,036 fresh cases.

The fall in the number of cases comes even as the testing of samples has remained consistently in the 13,000 range for the past two weeks.The positivity rate has dropped to around 8% after remaining within 9-10% two weeks ago. Ideal positivity rate for the city as per Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) norms is five or below.
Corporation officials said their aim was to gradually reduce the positivity rate to around seven by month-end.
Active cases in the city have increased only in Tiruvottiyur in the past fortnight. As of Sunday morning, the percentage of active cases in all the zones was less than 10%. In Royapuram, Tondiarpet and Kodambakkam, it was 5%.
According to corporation figures, in the past one week, except Anna Nagar and Alandur, all other zones have reported a negative growth of fresh cases. Royapuram has recorded the steepest drop at 4.7%. Growth of fresh cases in Chennai has fallen by 2.4%.
However, corporation officials say the infection curve would not drop drastically but may see an upward trend after some time. “We are not relaxing as in November there will be rains, a cooler climate and bigger gatherings due to festivals. This means that the case load will increase,” an official said. This is why containment strategies will continue for three more months. Also, deliberations will continue on opening of public places such as Marina and Besant Nagar beaches, the official said.