Good morning, Chennai!
☁️ Today’s weather: Cloudy with a chance of some rain.
🧐 Did you know? President George Washington appointed businessman William Abbott as the first Consular Agent to Madras in 1794.
🇰🇷 For all things South Korea
Korean supermarkets in the city cater to people’s needs for all things South Korean.
What’s it about? Over the past few years, there has been a significant increase in demand for Korean snacks, foods, and ingredients. If you’re craving ramen or coffee, the Korean supermarkets in the city have you covered.
- At the Seoul Store in Saidapet, coffee is a popular product. Indian customers prefer the Mocha Gold Mild variant of the Maxim coffee brand, popular on K-dramas. Others come in for chopsticks or Yakult ice cream.
- At the SeelaMart in Adyar, there are photos of BTS, NewJeans, and IVE. Their clientele varies from parents buying snacks and chocolates for their children to students from nearby schools and colleges.
What’s the reason behind it all? More people are consuming Korean entertainment. They want to experience that culture through food, music, and other products. Many research Korean dishes and shop for ingredients at these speciality stores.
🚇 Metro line progress
Construction of the Kodambakkam to Poonamallee metro line is half done.
What’s it about? 50% of the construction work on the 16-km Kodambakkam to Poonamallee stretch is complete and is expected to be the first stretch in phase 2 to be open to the public.
- Currently, workers are installing viaducts to build the concourse levels. Construction on 13 of the 18 stations on this line is also speeding up. The entry and exit points are being built at several stations, including Poonamallee, Valasaravakkam, and Alapakkam.
- This route also includes a 4-km double-decker stretch with four stations. The work is expected to be completed by December 2024 and begin operations by December 2025.
Complex construction: The double-decker line is complex since several pre-stressed concrete segments need to be installed over each other on top of the pillars. This particular stretch will have two track levels and a third for the stations.
🤒 Influenza surge
The monsoon months have resulted in an increase in influenza cases in the city.
What’s it about? A sample survey by the directorate of health in Chennai revealed an increase in influenza cases. The flu season in the city is between September and January and peaks in October and November.
- The state public health department screened blood serum samples of 300 people suffering from fever, cold, and body pain. Nearly half the samples were positive for Influenza A.
- Among those with Influenza A, the most common strain was H3N2, which causes the common flu. The public health lab also saw an increase in respiratory ailments apart from dengue and the rare COVID-19 case.
Protocols: Patients under Category A with mild fever, cough or a sore throat need symptomatic management. Pregnant women, those above 65 years, kids under five years, and those with comorbidities are in Category B. Those in both categories should isolate themselves to prevent the spread of infection.
🎮 Are you game?
A gaming community hosts weekly fighting game competitions.
What’s it about? At the LXG League of Extraordinary Gamers cafe in Nungambakkam, the weekend means a hub of activity. The Indian Fighting Game Community (IFGC) has recently begun organising Street Fighter 6 and Smash Bros tournaments.
- On Sundays, the tournament involves two members competing against each other in three-round matches. The tournament is open to novices and veterans.
- For some, like 19-year-old Sree, IFGC’s newest member, he met a like-minded group at a city’s anime festival called Animatsuri. While the tournament only began six weeks ago, they’ve already got top sponsorships. If you win, you get ₹10,000.
History of IFGC: The IFGC began with only 10 members in the early 2000s. In the past five years, the group has picked up pace. Now, they get at least 40 registrations for each game.
✨ Things to do…
Here are some fun and interesting things to do in the city over the weekend!
- Songs from a Room is a one-of-a-kind concert experience this Saturday.
- Ek Madrasi Oru Vadakkan brings Krithin & Nikhil together for an evening of laughter this Saturday.
- Catch the World Cup final at a live screening this Sunday.
- Unravel stories of your past with Flashback, facilitated by actor and storyteller Janaki Sabesh this Saturday.
- Experience Bollywood Night with the world’s first dancing DJ Rahill, this weekend.
🛋️ Local Lounge
Yesterday’s Poll Results:
- I did some Diwali shopping: 40.0%
- I didn’t do any Diwali shopping: 60.0% 🏆
Answers to Yesterday’s Question:
How often do you exercise in a week?
Suchi: “6 days”
That’s it for today. Have a great weekend!