Madurai: Easing of e-Pass rules might lead to spike in cases

According to sources, following the relaxation, on average 9,000 applications are being sanctioned a day through the automatic approval system.

Health officials and police personnel screen travellers and check e-passes at the Karnataka-Tamil Nadu border, at Attibele, on Thursday

MADURAI: While the public is happy with the relaxation of the e-Pass system, the health officials at the civic body are a worried lot. According to them, it might lead to a possible spike in the number of Covid-19 cases in the district.

According to sources, following the relaxation, on average 9,000 applications are being sanctioned a day through the automatic approval system. This sums up to nearly a lakh applications since August 17.

Pointing out the practical problems in collecting swab samples from every person entering Madurai, City Health Officer (CHO) P Kumaragurubaran told TNIE, “We now collect the address of all those entering the district from the check posts and deploy fever surveillance teams to monitor their health. However, when 9,000 applications get sanctioned a day, following up with every single person becomes a tedious task. We are prioritising senior citizens and those with comorbid conditions for swab collection.”

Only two containment zones in city

After months of rigorous measures, TVK Street in ward number 70 (Zone 3) and Preetham Street in Ward 76 (Zone 4) remain the only two containment zones in the city, he said. “The top ten containment zones in each Zone were selected once in every fortnight and medical camps along with mobile swab collection units were established there. This helped in containing the spread of the virus. Though the cases have come down, we test 2,600 samples a day,” Kumaragurubaran said, adding that the district now records the lowest positivity rate – 2.9 per cent.

Around 173 Covid-19 positive patients are under home isolation in the city limit, and around 600 are being monitored under Post Covid Care, he further said.