No COVID-19 deaths were reported in Puducherry on Monday while 144 new cases were detected from 1,059 tests.
Of the new cases, 127 were reported in Puducherry, two in Karaikal, five in Yanam and 10 in Mahe.
The test positivity rate was 13.59%, case fatality rate 1.71% and recovery rate stood at 87.34%.
In the last 24 hours, 189 patients recovered and were discharged.
The overall tally in the Union Territory stands at 588 deaths, 3,758 active cases, a cumulative total of 34,336 cases and 29,990 recovered patients.
Health Minister Malladi Krishna Rao said health teams of ASHA workers and ANMs had been visiting patients who had recovered from infection to check their health status. “Once the findings are consolidated, we will frame a treatment strategy for those with long-term effects,” he said.
The Minister said following decline in the caseload, instructions had been issued to stop referring COVID-19 patients to private medical colleges as a large number of beds and manpower at IGMCRI and Jipmer remained unutilised. The beds in the private sector can be earmarked as reserve capacity should there be a resurgence in the pandemic, he said.
Cross 3-lakh
The Union Territory, which had so far tested about 2,92,567 samples to date, would cross the 3-lakh mark shortly and attain a milestone of reaching 20 per cent of the population, the Minister said.
Lt. Governor Kiran Bedi called for better measures to encourage voluntary testing by the public.
Chairing a review, Ms. Bedi noted that while things seem to be coming under good control, it is being reported that people are reluctant to be tested.
“This needs better messaging to people to make them understand the purpose of testing, as it helps in early identification of the extent of prevailing infection,” she said.
She called for IEC campaigns to focus on creating better understanding among the public and possibly use music for higher appeal.
The LAD would monitor inspection of shops by municipal authorities for compliance with COVID-19 safety norms.