PUDUCHERRY, AUG 12
Puducherry on Wednesday recorded a highest single-day spike of 481 coronavirus cases and five deaths, taking the overall tally in the union territory to 6,381.
Courtesy: DD Puducherry
In a virtual press conference, the Health Minister Malladi Krishna Rao said that the identification of 481 cases after examination of 1,123 samples during last 24 hours was ”shocking” and highest on a single day so far.
He noted that Puducherry accounted for 413 of the new cases, while Yanam reported 67 and Mahe one case. Five people died of the disease, taking the toll to 96. The patients were in the age group ranging between 41 and 90 years. Two of the deceased were male patients and the remaining were female, the Minister said.
Of the overall COVID-19 cases, the active cases were 2,616, total patients treated and discharged were 3,669. Health Minister said 49,715 samples were tested so far, out of which 42,771 tested negative. He said the results of remaining samples was on and results were awaited.
“The positive cases would increase further. I have been insisting total lock down for some days to contain the spread of the pandemic. I hope the Chief Minister who would chair a meeting of the State level Disaster Management Authority would take appropriate decision`, the Health Minister said.
The rate of positivity was 38.6 percent while death rate was 1.5 percent and recovery rate was 57.9 percent in the Union Territory, the minister added.
Former Minister A. Ezhumalai succumbed to Covid-19
Former Local Administration Minister of Puducherry A Ezhumalai succumbed to COVID-19 at JIPMER on Wednesday.
Ezhmalai (53) had tested positive for the infection and was admitted to JIPMER on Tuesday, Director of Health and Family Welfare S Mohan Kumar said.
Ezhmalai is survived by wife and three sons. He was Local Administration Minister in the Congress Ministry headed by the then Chief Minister N Rangasamy in 2001.
Ezhmalai was also chairman of the Puducherry Agro Services and Industrial Corporation (PASIC) run by the territorial government.
