Puducherry added 66 new COVID-19 cases to its tally on Thursday, even as two more fatalities pushed its toll to 607.
While a 58-year-old woman died in Jipmer, an 82-year-old woman succumbed to the infection at the GH in Karaikal.
The toll in the capital stood at 498, followed by Karaikal (58), Yanam (44) and Mahe (seven).
A total of 3,545 samples were tested in the last 24 hours.
Puducherry accounted for 50 of the new cases, Karaikal six, Yanam one and Mahe nine.
In all, 69 persons were discharged after treatment from various facilities.
Identifying hotspots
Lt. Governor Kiran Bedi said the COVID-19 war room that is tracking the course of the pandemic had identified Rainbow Nagar as an emerging hotspot, in addition to previously flagged areas like Reddiarpalayam and Villianur.
As many as 18 COVID-19 cases have been reported in the thickly populated residential neighbourhood.
District Collector T. Arun said a mobile joint enforcement team would be deployed in the area on Friday to carry out intensive testing, awareness and enforcement activities.
An online information management system that was developed in consultation with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) will be finalised by next Thursday, A. Anbarasu, Relief and Rehabilitation Commissioner, said at a review meeting convened by the Lt. Governor.
The data management system will be replicated for use in managing other communicable diseases like dengue.
As of Thursday, the Union Territory had 1,071 active cases, after one case was transferred to Tamil Nadu.
A total of 345 patients are in hospitals and 726 under home isolation.
The test positivity rate in the U.T. stood at 1.86%, case fatality rate at 1.68% and its recovery rate at 95.36%.
The Union Territory’s COVID-19 case tally touched 36,179 and 34,501 patients have recovered so far.
Of a total of 3.51 lakh samples tested so far in the U.T., 3.09 lakh have returned negative.
Cuddalore’s count
Cuddalore district reported 43 fresh infections on Thursday, taking its case tally to 23,710. A total of 53 persons were discharged after treatment from various facilities, and the district now has a totoal of 182 active cases. There were no deaths due to COVID-19 in the district on Thursday.
As many as 42 persons tested positive in Villupuram district, taking its case count to 14,229.
Kallakurichi district recorded 14 new COVID-19 cases, which took its tally to 10,474.
