The number of active cases in the Union Territory dropped to 705, even as 56 fresh infections were reported on Wednesday.
As many as 195 persons were discharged from various facilities after treatment. No deaths were recorded in the last 24 hours in Puducherry, leaving the toll at 608.
Puducherry added 43 cases to its tally, Karaikal nine and Mahe four. No new cases were reported in Yanam.
The positivity rate stood at 1.56%, case fatality rate at 1.67% and recovery rate at 96.4%. The U.T.’s case tally touched 36,465 and the total number of discharged persons 35,152. Of the 3.66 lakh samples tested so far, 3.25 lakh have returned negative.
The administration has decided to rope in private medical colleges, located near the main highways, for testing passengers at the borders.
After a daily review with officials Lt. Governor Kiran Bedi said at present, the causes of infection could be boiled down to two types of exposure — contact with an infected person within family or with those arriving from Tamil Nadu.
Six institutions, including Jipmer, will be co-opted in the exercise, on the basis of a recommendation by the COVID-19 war room. Random sample tests will be carried out at border points, by mobile teams, to identify sources of cross-border infections.
As per the plan, PIMS will deploy a team at Kalapet; MGMCRI at Manapet; Aravind Eye Care at Thavalakuppam; Manakula Vinayakar Medical College at Madagadipet; Venkataeswara Medical College at Ariyur and Jipmer at Gorimedu.
The District Collector has also been tasked with evolving a policy for tracking and testing/quarantining of pilgrims returning from Sabarimala, as Kerala has moved into the vulnerable category, Ms. Bedi said.