Puducherry recorded two COVID-19 deaths and 27 new cases on Thursday. With this, the deaths have gone up to seven while the active cases stand at 149.
The deaths of a 52-year-old patient at IGMCRI and a 37-year-old patient marked the first fatalities in the age segment below 60 years. The other deaths have involved patients about 80 years with underlying health complications.
“This dispels the notion that the coronavirus deaths happen only among elderly,” Health Minister Malladi Krishna Rao said.
While the 52-year-old patient had no underlying health issue, the younger patient was on immunosuppressants for rheumatoid arthritis and presented with severe pancytopenia (low count for RBC, WBC and platelets).
Of the active cases, 120 cases are at IGMCRI, 22 at Jipmer, Karaikal 6 and Mahe 1. The cumulative total is 271 cases with 116 discharged.
According to the Minister, a majority of the positive cases are from those coming from other States and international destinations. There were also instances of the infection spreading because of the international travellers returning to Puducherry without informing the government and also those from other States coming to Puducherry.
“With the early signs of the pandemic peaking, public cooperation becomes all the more vital in checking the pandemic,” Mr. Rao said.
He suggested that Puducherry be demarcated as zones and 23 bureaucrats of other departments tasked with monitoring COVID response in each of them.
Prashant Kumar Panda, Health Secretary, pointed out that 57 cases had been confirmed in just two days. “This is a scary development as it shows lapses in maintaining physical distancing and wearing masks”, he said.
