PUDUCHERRY, AUG 20
Puducherry on Thursday reported a record single day spike of 554 fresh COVID-19 cases taking the overall tally in the union territory past the 9,000 mark, Director of HFW S. Mohan Kumar said.
The 554 new infections take the cumulative number to 9,292, Dr. S Mohan Kumar said This is the first time, over 500 new cases were reported on a single day.
The new cases were detected after examination of 1,388 samples during the last 24 hours ending 10 am Thursday.
He also said nine patients including three women succumbed to the virus on Wednesday, pushing the toll to 137.
Most of the nine patients who died had comorbidities and they were in the age group ranging between 54 and 84 years.
As many as 322 patients were discharged during the last 24 four hours, he added.
Of the 9,292 cumulative infections, 3,521 were active cases while 5,634 patients have recovered and have been discharged.
The Department of Health and Family Welfare has tested 59,757 samples so far and found 48,902 of them to be negative. Results of examination of remaining specimens were awaited, Mohan Kumar said.
The fatality rate in Puducherry is presently 1.47 per cent while recovery rate is 60.63 per cent, the Director added.
Lt Governor wants experts from centre to oversee Covid management in Puducherry
Meantime, Lt Governor of Puducherry Kiran Bedi on Thursday requested the Centre to depute an expert team to oversee the management of COVID-19 in the Union Territory.
“The management of the pandemic situation in Union Territory requires expertise of the Centre. I appeal to the Central government to urgently depute an inspection team to review the management, including comprehensive and optimum use of existing resources, as people are suffering,” she said.
As to why she wanted a central team, the Lt. Governor said, “It is my responsibility as an administrator to inform the Centre of the situation.” She further said.
“The work done by the territorial government to tackle the pandemic is not sufficient.”
Covid management in Puducherry requiring GOI oversight & expertise.
Urge GOI to urgently depute an oversight team to review managment including comprehensive & optimum use of existing resources
People suffering @PMOIndia @AmitShahOffice @BhallaAjay26 @drharshvardhan @PIB_India— Kiran Bedi (@thekiranbedi) August 20, 2020
Bedi said she had, on August 16, in a letter sent to the Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy, who is also chairman of the territorial Disaster Management Authority, that “We should follow chief scientist of the World Health Organisation Soumya Swaminathan’s advice that the government be advised by a senior team of medical experts as was the case in the neighbouring state of Tamil Nadu did.” Bedi said she had also suggested to the Chief Minister to designate the secretary to Puducherry government (Education) A Anbarasu as Relief and Rehabilitation Commissioner to coordinate the work done to contain the pandemic.
She said, she had also mooted a Medical Advisory Board with inter-disciplinary experts and medical professionals, but there has been no response from the Chief Minister. On Wednesday, she sought the intervention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah over the COVID-19 management issue. She asked the two leaders to take steps to rope in private medical colleges in the Union Territory to control the pandemic.
