COVID-19 cases higher than last year’s peak, says Corpn.

The number of COVID-19 cases in the second wave is higher than the peak last year, said Corporation Commissioner G. Prakash.

Launching COVID-19 screening centres in the city, he said the number of cases detected a day had touched 2,500, which was higher than last year. “We have increased the samples to 20,000 every day. We will increase the samples to 25,000 shortly. The case load will decrease by testing, isolating and treating the positive cases. We have created screening centres at 12 locations for positive patients,” Mr. Prakash said.

The civic body is planning to increase the number of screening centres to more than 15 shortly. Residents who have tested positive are requested to visit the screening centres. The Corporation has deployed more than 20,000 employees for COVID-19 duty and has made arrangements for transportation of patients in vehicles to the screening centres. “COVID-19 positive residents can also come to the screening centres in their own vehicles without waiting for Corporation vehicles. We have 500 medical officers on COVID-19 duty,” Mr. Prakash said.

The number of COVID-19 vaccinations in the city has crossed 50,000 per day because of awareness programmes by healthcare officials. The Corporation has planned to cover more than eight lakh residents above 45 years in two weeks. Answering queries pertaining to the death of actor Vivekh, Mr. Prakash said senior officers of the Health Department had explained that the death was not because of the side effects of vaccination.

Corporation Joint Commissioner (Health) Alby John Varghese said more than 1.33 lakh residents above 45 years had taken the second dose and there were reports of only minor side effects such as fever.

The screening centres are Tiruvottiyur urban community health centre; Madhavaram General Hospital; Tondiarpet Communicable Diseases Hospital; Ayanavaram ESI Hospital; Community halls in Mogappair and Harrington Road; ICDS Centre, Anderson Road, Nungambakkam; Chennai Higher Secondary School, Nesapakkam; Hussaini School, Porur; NSTI, Guindy; and Teachers Training University, Sholinganallur.