New COVID-19 cases on a single day breached the 100 mark for the second time in four days, with Puducherry recording 109 admissions on Sunday.
Addressing presspersons, Health Minister Malladi Krishna Rao expressed concern over the high COVID-19 infection trend. What was equally worrying was the new high of 14.2 per cent positivity with the new cases detected during testing of 768 swabs. On July 16, the Union Territory had recorded its highest single-day number of cases yet with 147 new admissions with a 13.6 per cent infection rate. Among the 109 new cases, 104 are in Puducherry region, three in Karaikal and two in Yanam region, while 92 patients were discharged.
Of the 817 persons undergoing treatment, 727 are in Puducherry region (422 patients are being treated at the IGMCRI, 213 at Jipmer and 92 in COVID care centres), 50 in Karaikal GH and 40 in Yanam GH. There is no active case in Mahe region.
Till now, 30,652 samples have been tested, of which 28,214 have been negative and the test results of 361 are awaited.
Addressing presspersons, Health Minister Malladi Krishna Rao expressed concern over the high COVID-19 infection trend. “Such a high rate is a dangerous issue when compared to the average rate of below 10 per cent in most other states,” he said.
This is also the double the average of 6 to 7 per cent positivity rate witnessed in Puducherry, he said.
A government school and a marriage hall have been utilised for COVID care as the government general hospital was nearing full capacity utilisation. He also added that with the recent spurt in COVID-19 cases in Yanam, the Regional Administrator there had imposed total lockdown in the region on Sundays until further notice.
In an indirect reference to a surprise inspection of the Health Directorate the other day by Lt. Governor Kiran Bedi when she pulled up a few officials, Mr. Rao said officials should not be disturbed or given alternate directions as they are working as a team. For the past four months health workers have been working tirelessly day and night and have been supported by other departments.
