Night curfew likely if current COVID-19 curbs fail to work in Tamil Nadu: Govt

Chennai: The Tamil Nadu government said on Friday (April 9) that night curfew would be the next option if the latest COVID-19 related restrictions failed to serve their purpose. This comes a day after the state’s Chief Secretary issued an order regarding COVID-19 restrictions effective from Saturday, 10th April and extended the lockdown until 30th of April. 

Some of the restrictions announced on Thursday included 50 percent occupancy in cinema halls, hotels, recreation clubs, supermarkets, shopping malls, and other large-format stores. It also announced a ban on festive and religious gatherings, besides a closing time of 8 pm for places of worship. 

Urging the public to extend their cooperation, the order said that the state government was taking all measures to curb the spread of the COVID-19 virus. 95.55 percent of the persons infected with coronavirus have been cured in Tamil Nadu and the death rate is at 1.41 percent, said the government statement.

Addressing the media, G Prakash, Commissioner, Greater Chennai Corporation, said that the 10 fold increase in the COVID-19 cases over the last 45 days was very alarming. He further said that door-to-door surveillance of COVID-19 symptoms (temperature screening and pulse oximeter reading) by 6,000 health department volunteers would resume across the city. 

Prakash said that those infected with mild viral loads would be quarantined at home and measures will be taken to home deliver groceries and essentials for up to 10 days, during which there would be a sticker outside the home warning of a COVID-19 case. 

About 10 lakh persons had taken the coronavirus vaccine in Chennai and that mass vaccination efforts in apartments, colleges, factories were going to be done at a faster pace. Tamil Nadu is now witnessing over 4,200 daily COVID-19 cases with over 1,500 daily cases in the capital city Chennai alone.

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