Chennai: Six people who travelled from Salem to city via flight test COVID-19 positive

In a major development, six people who travelled to Salem from Chennai on Wednesday by air have been tested positive for Coronavirus (COVID-19) on Thursday. Sources state that 56 passengers travelled via Trujet, which took off from Chennai at 7.15 AM and landed at Salem at 8.30 AM. A doctor working at Stanley govt hospital in Chennai - which treats most of the COVID-19 cases, too belongs to the six who have tested positive.

Chennai, Indore among four 'role models' cities identified by Centre in handling COVID

Six passengers test positive

Sources report that all six have been moved to a hospital. All passengers were tested at the airport and were asked to undergo mandatory quarantine for 14 days. Moreover, all six passengers, whose test reports came earlier in the day were asymptomatic.
First passenger tests positive

On Monday, a 24-year-old on board an IndiGo flight from Chennai to Coimbatore tested positive for coronavirus and the airline has grounded the flight's crew for 14 days. The patient is now at the ESI hospital in Coimbatore for further treatment, officials said. This is possibly the first case of an air passenger testing positive for coronavirus after domestic flight services resumed operations on Monday.

Passenger on IndiGo's Chennai-Coimbatore flight tests COVID positive; airline 'grounds' crew

Chennai and Coronavirus

While Tamil Nadu conducts 11,300 COVID-19 tests per day, its capital - Chennai amounts to two-thirds of the cases, state reports. The state govt's panel has reportedly warned CM E Palaniswamy that unless testing was increased, Chennai could end up with two lakh cases and more than 1,400 fatalities by June-end. Centre- on the other hand, has dubbed Bengaluru, Jaipur, Indore and Chennai as possible 'role models' for other cities in handling COVID-19 cases.

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Chennai, inspite of its rising cases, has managed to keeps its mortality rate at 1% - which is below the national average of 3%. The city has optimised the use of ventilators and have better when it comes to patient management, inspite of the Koyembedu cluster- which has led to the sudden pick up in the number of cases. Tamil Nadu has allowed restrictions to be lifted as per MHA's guidelines, including reopening liquor shops till May 30, as its case tally stands at 18545 cases with 9909 recoveries and 133 fatalities. 

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