With the rising incidence of COVID-19 in the Union Territory, the number of containment zones have increased rapidly in the region.

The number of COVID-19 containment zones have gone up to 137, majority of them during the last three weeks, in Puducherry. The cumulative number of cases which stood at 74 till June 1, increased to 383 as on June 22 in the Union Territory.

The infection, which was earlier restricted to rural pockets and semi urban areas, has now rapidly spread to town in the last three weeks prompting authorities to declare several residential areas as containment zones.

In the last two days, several residential areas under revenue villages Karuvadikuppam, Reddiarapalayam, Thattanchavady and Saram have been declared containment zones.

Movement of people, vehicles and public transport had been restricted in these places with government supplying essential items to those residing in the areas.

“All roads connecting the containment zones have been guarded by the police with clear entry and exit points. We have contained movement of people within 10 to 50 m of the residence of the person diagnosed with the virus. The rapid spread in the town is a real matter of concern,” said a senior official in the Health Department.