NE NEWS SERVICE
PUDUCHERRY, APR 20
Due to spike in Corona cases in Puducherry, the territorial government on Tuesday announced a total lockdown from April 23 to 26 to check its spread.
“A total lockdown will be observed in the whole of the Union Territory from 10 PM on April 23 to 5 AM on April 26 as part of the measures to contain spread of the virus in Puducherry,” a release from the office of Lt Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan said.
Held state COVID Meeting at Raj Nivas #Puducherry in view of rising COVID cases..and to save the people.all felt more restrictions are necessary.hence regional restrictions.week end lock down.all medical supportive measures etc decided. Advisors,CS, secretaries attended pic.twitter.com/Hdq4aSCGhF
— Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan (மோடியின் குடும்பம் ) (@DrTamilisai4BJP) April 20, 2021
On other days, all shops and business establishments would be permitted to conduct business up to 2 PM. Hotels and restaurants would be permitted to sell eatables in parcels after 2 PM, it said.
Marriages would be permitted only with limited number of invitees as had already been announced.
No religious processions or car festivals would be held by places of worship while prayers would be permitted with adherence to safety protocols.
Masks and sanitisers would be sold at subsidized prices through the cooperative milk parlours from Wednesday, it said.
The release said that the number of beds for inpatients in Covid hospitals would be increased and covid care centres would also be opened additionally at various centres.
Medicines and other medical facilities would be ramped up. Adequate stocks of vaccines would be procured as those above 18 years would also be vaccinated from May 1. The union territory has been witnessing a steady increase in daily cases and deaths over the last fortnight.
Puducherry logs 638 new COVID-19 cases
Puducherry registered 638 more cases of coronavirus during the last 24 hours ending 10 am on Tuesday, raising the total infection count to 48,974. Four more people succumbed to the disease taking the toll to 717.
Director of the Department of Health and Family Welfare S Mohan Kumar said the 638 new cases were identified at the end of examination of 5,670 samples and these cases are spread over Puducherry 465, Karaikal 99, Yanam 42 and Mahe 32.
The Director also said 253 patients recovered during the last 24 hours and were discharged from hospitals. The fatality and recovery rates in Puducherry were 1.46 percent and 88.18 percent respectively. The Director noted that 7.37 lakh samples have been tested so far and of them 6.69 lakh turned out to be negative.
There were 5,073 active cases including 4,169 patients in home isolation. Meanwhile, 30,384 health care workers and 18,100 front line workers have been vaccinated so far in the Union Territory.
The health department has so far inoculated 1,08,511 people in the union territory.
