The COVID-19 death toll went up to 51 on Saturday with two elderly patients succumbing, even as active cases in Puducherry alone neared the 1,000-mark.

The Health Department said both patients were 75 years old and hailed from Puducherry. A 75-year-old woman from Vaithikuppam passed away due to sudden cardiorespiratory arrest and viral pneumonia at IGMCRI, while another woman of the same age from Gandhi Nagar died of septic shock, severe COVID-19 illness at JIPMER.

The Union Territory saw 139 new admissions and 85 patients discharged in the last 24 hours. The infection rate stood at 14.7% — 139 testing positive out of 945 samples. The fatality rate was 1.4%.

Of the 1,357 active cases, including 223 patients in home isolation, the numbers in Puducherry alone stood at 998 cases.

Sharp spike

Yanam reported a sharp spike with 42 admissions, taking the total cases in the enclave to 89.

In Puducherry, 336 patients are at IGMCRI, 351 at JIPMER and 311 in COVID care centres. There are 47 patients in the Karaikal GH and 89 in the Yanam GH. Currently, there are no active cases in Mahe.

As many as 2,185 patients were treated and discharged, including 85 on Saturday. Till now 39,707 samples have been tested, of which 35,343 have been negative and the test results of 482 are awaited.

The tally is 51 deaths and 1,357 active cases with a cumulative total of 3,593 cases and 2,185 patients discharged.

Alternative sites

Meanwhile, new hospitalisation sites for COVID-19 patients will be opened in Yanam, which is witnessing a spike.

Health Minister Malladi Krishna Rao and Revenue Secretary T. Arun, who undertook an inspection of health facilities in the region, have directed officials to set up COVID care centres in schools and student hostels.

Lt. Governor Kiran Bedi, who undertook a review meeting, noted that in spite of all-round efforts, the numbers were likely to double by August-end. While response systems are being strengthened, the spread could be effectively stopped only if people adopted an attitudinal change in their best self-interest, she said.