Chennai's 'Sunday shutdown'

Chennai: The first "Sunday shutdown" with exception only for hospitals and allied health services broughtChennai and suburbs to a standstill while the city''s civic body said its fever camps to help detect coronavirus cases have evoked tremendous response from the people.

It was a virtual curfew with deserted roads, bridges and intersections fully blocked by police using barricades and with the exception of police, sanitary workers and health personnel of theGreater Chennai Corporation (GCC) most of others stayed indoors.

City police said as many as 4,799 cases have been filed for violation of curbs and 7,907 vehicles (7,395 two- wheelers, 168 auto rickshaws, 344 light motor vehicles) have been seized.

While vegetable shops, groceries and petrol pumps have been allowed to function from 6 am till 2 pm during the 12-day lockdown period that began on June 19, such outlets too are closed today.

The government had already announced that on two Sundays (June 21 and 28) barring milk supply, pharmacies, hospitals and ambulance services, no other services or shops will be permitted to function.

The present spell of lockdown was implemented in view of continuing surge in coronavirus cases and before that most services and businesses were allowed to function.

On Saturday, of the 2,396 fresh virus cases in Tamil Nadu, Chennai accounted for 1,254 and the state capital''s tally stood at 39,641.

GCC Commissioner K Prakash said as many as 533 medical camps were conducted on a single day on Saturday in which 36,671 people took part and over 1,198 Influenza Like Illness cases were detected and swab samples were taken from 1,029 people.

Chennai Police Commissioner A K Viswanathan said senior police officers were leading patrols in the city.