<span style="color: #222222;">In honour of the frontline staff battling the COVID-19 pandemic the Indian Air Force helicopters showered flower petals over two COVID designated government hospitals in Chennai today. The gesture is in honour of the doctors, nurses, paramedics, police, fire service personnel and sanitary staff who selflessly wage a war against the perfidious virus.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Meanwhile, in Tamil Nadu, the number of infected cases crossed the 3,000 mark today. In a new high, 266 new cases were reported today including 203 in Chennai. The active caseload remains 1611. One person died of the disease today taking the toll to 30.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">AIR Correspondent reports, in the most infected Chennai containment zones, "search and catch" strategy is being adopted to identify hidden COVID-19 cases so that the pandemic can be controlled at the earliest. As part of the method, all those in a congested street where a patient has been reported are being tested. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">As the caseload increases in Chennai, the city civic body is augmenting the bed capacity to accommodate new patients whenever required. All schools and colleges in Chennai have been brought under the Corporation control and marriage halls are also going to be brought at its disposal. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">The officials have reiterated that more than 90 per cent of the patients identified through testing are asymptomatic. As they are considered relatively safer, if a situation arises where the designated hospitals get saturated with more serious cases, such asymptomatic patients would be treated in the newly added beds in schools, colleges and marriage halls by following standard operating procedures.</span><br />''  <br />