Chennai Is Almost Free From Virus, Claim Health Officials

City does not have a single containment zone as of today and no street in Chennai has more than 10 active cases: Officials; India sees 39,361 new cases and, 416 deaths; Kerala logs 11,586 cases and TPR remains above 10%

- Nirmala Joseph / Ashraf Padanna

CHENNAI

The Tamil Nadu capital has virtually become COVID-19-free, officials said on Monday.

“The city does not have a single containment zone as of today. No street in Chennai has more than 10 active cases.” The metropolitan city has been reporting less than 150 cases in the past few days. It was one of the worst-hit cities in India during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the second wave, new cases went up to 7,500 daily.

Also on Monday, health officials said that the scheme to provide anti-COVID vaccines free of cost to people in private hospitals would be formally launched by Chief Minister M K Stalin on Wednesday. Health Minister M. Subramanian had persuaded managements in the private sector to provide vaccines free of cost, amid reports that doses are going waste because people do not opt to buy them for money.

Subramanian said the government is trying to buy COVID-19 vaccines from the private sector as well. “While the Centre has promised additional 500,000 doses for July, the state is also making efforts to buy vaccines from the private sector.