65 people Covid-19 positive, 24 more to be tested today

Coimbatore: Sixty-five people were declared Covid-19 positive in the district on Monday, taking the total number of cases to 529.

Another 24 people are expected to be declared positive on Tuesday, including two inmates of the central prison who had returned from Chennai on June 25, two employees of a textile equipment company at Vellakinaru Pirivu and three residents of RKV School Street at Kuniyamuthur.

The two prisoners were part of a group of 23 prisoners in the central prison, who were sent to the Puzhal Central Jail in Chennai to take degree exams in March. They returned on June 25. They were kept in a separate block and tested for the virus.

Authorities have discovered two more clusters Chinnammal Street in K K Pudur and RKV School Street in Kuniyamuthur where three people each have tested positive.

According to the state health department, the district will have 1,000 cases by July 20. This has prompted the officials to decide that from Monday, all asymptomatic people who test positive for the virus will be kept in the care centres, so that hospital beds can be kept for patients, who require treatment. Those who opt for private hospitals can do so.

The 19 men, who tested positive at Periyar Nagar on Sunday, became the first batch of positive people to be moved to a Covid-19 care centre instead of a hospital. They have been moved to the Uppilipalayam Corporation Hospital.

Speaking to TOI on Monday, deputy director of public health Dr G Ramesh Kumar said that along with the corporation, they have decided to ramp up the bed capacity of the Covid-19 care centres. “We have four within the corporation limits and another four outside, including the Tamil Nadu Engineering College in Karumathampatti and Sasurie College. We currently have 4,065 beds and plan to increase it to 4,478. We will keep asymptomatic patients, who require vitamins and zinc there. They will be monitored by doctors and staff,” he said.

The move comes after the state health department’s latest graph predicted that Coimbatore will cross 1,000 cases by July 20. “At this point, we will ensure that only those who really need treatment occupy hospital beds. We will add more beds to the care centres if required,” said Kumar.

Coimbatore has been recording 30 to 40 cases a day, going up to 50 last week.s


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