Twelve more persons, nine in SPSR Nellore district and three in Prakasam district, who had visited the Koyambedu market in the recent past tested positive for coronavirus in last 24 hours.
Sullurpeta, which is about 80 km from Chennai, accounted for seven of them while Nellore city reported two, taking the tally in the district to 149 in the district, health officials said.
After the Tablighi Jamat event-induced cases, regular visit of traders from the two districts to Koyambedu market in Chennai, to clear piled-up farm produce, contributed to the fresh bout of cases.
In Ongole, three traders, aged 30, 31 and 44, contracted the disease after visiting the Chennai market. Following this, the district administration has swung into action to identify all those with history of travel to Koyambedu and subject them to testing. The number of active cases rose to 6 in Prakasam district on Saturday.
As many as 60 patients in Ongole and 81 patients in Nellore were cured of the viral disease so far, health officials said. A majority of patients, who had returned from Delhi or were primary contacts of the returnees, have been cured of the disease, giving hopes for early revival of economic activity.
Workers stranded on Tada border
Meanwhile, hundreds of Odisha, Bihar-bound migrant workers walking from Chennai were stranded at the inter-State border in Tada as the police personnel prevented them from going ahead without screening them in the wake of spurt in cases linked to Koyambedu. Despite the tall promises, the authorities had not ensured food and accommodation for them, they said.
“We have run out of cash. We cannot stay afford to stay here,” said Vikram, who was working at a construction site in Chennai.
“We are left high and dry. We now have no option but to return to our native places,” said another migrant worker Akash Kumar, while taking a break at a motel on the outskirts of Nellore. Fortunate were those who hitched a ride with the trucks transporting essential commodities.
