Second wave reaches a few tribal settlements in western region

Though Chinnampathy was among 100-odd areas that remained free from infection in first wave, the situation has changed towards June-end

Chinnampathy, an Irula settlement in the Madukkarai forest range in Coimbatore district, was among the 100-odd tribal settlements in the western region that largely remained insulated from the COVID-19 infection in the first wave of the pandemic. But the situation changed in the second wave towards June-end, and, that too, within a week. Many hamlets reported no case till the second week of June, but the infection infiltrated some of the settlements by month-end. When The Hindu’s team interacted with residents and health officials, they suspected that the infection might have been brought in by some of the residents who ventured into the town or NGO volunteers who entered the settlements to render help.