191 new cases of COVID-19 in Pondy, cumulative tally touches

Puducherry posted 191 fresh coronavirus cases on Saturday taking the total caseload to 42,132. However, no fresh fatality was reported in any of the four regions of Puducherry, Karaikal, Mahe and Yanam during the last 24 hours and the toll remained 684.

Director of the Health and Family Welfare department S Mohan Kumar said in a release that 137 patients were discharged after recovery from hospitals during last twenty- four hours. As many as 6.78 lakh samples have been examined so far and of them, 6.26 lakh turned out to be negative.

The 191 new cases of infection were identified at the end of examinations of 1,302 samples and they were spread over Puducherry 140, Karaikal 44, Yanam (one) and Mahe 6.

The Director said there were 1474 active cases (363 in hospitals and 1,111 in-home quarantine). He said 39,974 patients were discharged so far after recovery.

The fatality and recovery rates were 1.67 per cent and 94.88 per cent respectively. Kumar said 27,603 health care workers and 13,796 front line workers have been vaccinated against the virus so far.

He further said 33,760 people coming under the categories of senior citizens (above sixty years) and those above 45 years with co-morbidities have been covered under second phase of vaccination which began on March 1.