Puducherry adds 175 fresh COVID-19 cases; 8 deaths push toll to 1,759

Puducherry: The union territory of Puducherry recorded 175 new coronavirus cases during the last 24 hours pushing the overall tally to 1,17,640, a senior official of the Department of Health and Family Welfare Services said on Friday.

While the number of fresh cases declined, the fatalities rose to eight, Director of Health S Mohan Kumar said.

The Puducherry region recorded six of the deaths in the last 24 hours ending 10 AM while Karaikal and Yanam regions reported one fatality each as the toll went up to 1,759.

The eight victims were in the age group ranging between 44 and 88 years. Two of the deceased had no comorbidities, he said.

The union territory had reported two deaths on Thursday and one fatality on Wednesday.

The 175 new Covid-19 cases were identified at the end of the examination of 8,315 samples.

While the Puducherry region accounted for 131 of 175 new cases, Karaikal logged 27 followed by Mahe (15) and Yanam (two).

The active cases stood at 2,232 (326 in hospitals and remaining 1,906 in home isolation).

The Health department Director said 276 patients recovered and were discharged in the last 24 hours.

The total recoveries stood at 1,13,649, he added.

Mohan Kumar said as many as 13,24,645 samples have been examined so far and 11,37,559 of them were found to be negative.

The test positivity rate was 2.10 per cent while fatality and recovery rates were 1.50 per cent and 96.61 per cent respectively, he added.

He said that 37,327 healthcare workers and 22,899 frontline workers have been vaccinated so far.

The department has so far inoculated 3.79 lakh people coming under the category of either senior citizens (sixty years and above) or those coming under 45 years and above age category with comorbidities.

He said, in all the Health department has vaccinated 5.07 lakh people including those administered the second dose in the Union Territory.