Seven more deaths took the COVID-19 toll in Puducherry to 87, while the cumulative total went past 5,000 with 264 new admissions on Sunday. With the Union Territiory recording 17 deaths in the last three days, the case fatality rate increased to 1.6% from 1.4%.
The 264 new cases were identified from testing 958 samples, showing a positivity rate at 27.5%.
S. Mohan Kumar, Director of Health, said almost all the patients, including four women, died of severe COVID pneumonia and were in the age group of 38-80 years.
The IGMCRI recorded three deaths, JIPMER one, Karaikal GH two and Yanam GH one.
The overall tally of infections reported so far in Puducherry was 5,382, of which 2,094, including 712 home quarantined patients, were active cases.
The total number of patients treated and discharged so far is 3,201, including 131 who were discharged during the last 24 hours. So far, 46,878 samples have been tested and 40,575 returned negative.
At a meeting convened by Chief Minister V. Narayanasamy, it was decided to immediately engage additional staff, ramp up the stocks of medicines and improve overall cleanliness at the IGMCRI.
Mr. Narayanasamy, who called for the meeting to review the increase in deaths, also directed Health Minister Malladi Krishna Rao to inspect the IGMCRI, review the cleanliness of the COVID-19 wards, and to redress grievances of patients regarding shabby toilets.
More sanitary workers will be deployed at the IGMCRI to maintain cleanliness.
The health department will coordinate public awareness campaigns to encourage people with fever to immediately seek treatment at the nearest hospital.