Chennai, Jun 26 (IANS): The Greater Chennai Corporation will be increasing contact tracing among close and extended family members of Covid positive patients.

Sources in the Corporation told IANS that presently around 6,000 samples are being traced and samples have been taken in Chennai city itself. A senior official with the Greater Chennai Corporation while speaking to IANS said, "The rise in Covid cases are mostly due to the travel to other states and countries. Attending public gatherings in weddings, meetings, workplaces and fish and vegetable markets are one of the reason for getting affected."

He also, however, said that Tiruvottriyur and Tiruvika zones have traced lesser contacts and hence need to increase. The Tamil Nadu health department has directed the Greater Chennai Corporation to trace at least 10 contacts of a positive case and to ensure that all the positive cases are being contacted on a daily basis.

The Greater Chennai Corporation has also directed the health officials to conduct a door to door vaccination campaign as 12 lakh people in the corporation are yet to take their second dose of vaccination.

The corporation has also commenced an awareness drive among the 60 plus categories of people for taking the third dose of vaccine.

Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu Health minister Ma Subramanian while speaking to IANS said, "The presence of Omicron subvariant BA4 and BA5 are spreading faster and if a person in a family gets infected then immediately the others also get affected."

He called upon the people to ensure that they are adhering to Covid protocol and to wear masks and keep safe distance and regular sanitisation.

Ma Subramanian said, "Most of the Covid cases are in home isolation and are getting cured fast and those admitted to the hospitals are having cold, fever, cough and mild infection. There are no ICU cases even though the hospitals of the state are equipped with Oxygen beds and other emergency facilities are available."