With the number of people diagnosed with Coronavirus touching 15, the State of Tamil Nadu has gone on a total lockdown at the stroke of 6 pm on Tuesday. The main railway stations at Chennai Central and Egmore wore a deserted look as Indian Railways suspending all long distance and suburban trains till March 31 in view of the threat posed by the contagious disease. The Central Bus Stand at Koyambaedu , a hub of intra-state and inter-state bus services was locked by 3 pm as public transport operations were suspended from Tuesday noon itself.
According to Dr Vijaya Baskar, minister of health, the three new cases reported on Tuesday were passengers who returned after journey to foreign countries.”a 74 year-old male returned from USA, 52 year-old female who too is a US returnee and a 25 year-old female who came back from Switzerland tested positive and they are undergoing treatment in Chennai,” said the minister.
The minister also released data about the number of persons screened by the health authorities till 3 Pm Tuesday and asked the people not to panic.Chief Minister Edappadi Planiswamy announced a series of measures in the Assembly which he said would bring down the difficulties faced by the poor during the total lock down of the State till March 31. Ration card holders which come under the category of below poverty line are being offered free ration and a cash compensation of Rs 1,000 each to tide over the problems arising out of the week long shut down. The chief minister also announced that medical and para medical staff who are working in isolation wards of the government hospitals would be given a month’s salary as additional pay in lieu of the services rendered by them in this difficult times.
Elsewhere in the State, Islamic preachers who come from East Asian countries like Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia have come under the scanner following reports about some of them testing positive for corona virus. Two of the three persons who tested positive for Corona virus last Saturday were Thai nationals who had come to preach in Tablighi Jamaat (Society for Spreading Islamic Faith) in Erode district.
Intelligence officials told The Pioneer that though they had informed the State authorities about the trips undertaken by the foreign nationals to various districts like Erode and Vellore , allegedly for religious preaching, the State Police or law enforcing agencies have failed to take any action fearing repercussion from the minority communities. “We don’t know whether these persons who come on short-term visa are authorized to engage in preaching. Ewe have done our job and that’s all,” said a senior intelligence official.