As the state has more than 1,683 positive cases of COVID-19 so far with at least 21 people killed due to the virus, the highest number of cases have been reported from these five cities undergoing intense lockdown, with Chennai alone reporting 400 cases of COVID-19. While, Coimbatore has 134 and Tirupur has 110 cases.
A municipal health worker drives an auto-rickshaw decorated as a coronavirus model along a road to raise awareness about the COVID-19 coronavirus during a government-imposed nationwide lockdown as a preventive measure against the COVID-19 coronavirus, in Chennai on April 23, 2020. (Photo: Arun SANKAR / AFP)
Tamil Nadu has declared it will intensify Coronavirus lockdown in five cities for four days, including the state capital Chennai, Coimbatore, Tiruppur, Salem and Madurai. from April 26 to April 28 as the risk of COVID-19 is spreading further in densely populated areas.
Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami took the decision on Friday afternoon after he chaired a review meeting on the coronavirus spread in the state.
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In a statement issued in Chennai, he said that a four-day intense shutdown has been declared in Chennai, Madurai and Coimbatore from Sunday 6 am, which will continue till 9 pm on Wednesday. In Tirupur and Salem, starting 6 am on Sunday till 9 pm on Tuesday, restrictions will be intensified for three days.
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According to him, sanitisation of containment zones will be done twice a day in the state. He said only work from home is permitted for software companies and other private companies should not function in these five districts.
The Chief Minister also ordered the closure of registration department offices while allowing only the following to function.
Only hospitals, pharmacies, state-run shops providing essential services, government-run Amma canteens that provide food at subsidised rates, ATMs, restaurants offering home delivery, mobile vegetable and fruit shops will be allowed. Other shops are not allowed to open during this period of intense shutdown.
While the essential services departments in the state secretariat, health, revenue, disaster management, electricity, milk, water supply departments, other central and state government offices with 33 per cent staff strength, old age homes and orphanages, community kitchens run by district/local administrations, service organisations for the benefit of poor with government permission and will also be allowed to function.
As the state has more than 1,683 positive cases of COVID-19 so far with at least 21 people killed due to the virus, the highest number of cases have been reported from these five cities undergoing intense lockdown, with Chennai alone reporting 400 cases of COVID-19. While, Coimbatore has 134 and Tirupur has 110 cases.
On Friday, Tamil Nadu reported yet another fatality due to Covid-19 as one senior citizen breathing her last in Maurai, said officials.
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