For the first time, the Union Territory has witnessed an alarming rise in the Test Positivity Rate, an all-time high of 51.75% with over half the persons screened for the COVID-19 virus during the last 24 hours, ending Saturday 10 a.m, testing positive. Of the 2,344 screened in the four regions, 1,213 were positive.
1,886 overall toll
The Union Territory recorded two deaths, both of which were reported in the enclave of Mahe.
An 88 year-old-person died under home care and a 66-year-old person at the Government Medical College, Calicut in Kerala. The overall toll has touched 1,886.
The only solace, according to a health official, was that only a negligible number of positve persons, needed hospital care so far. The active cases stood at 6,785 in the Union Territory. Of the total, 6,662 are under home isolation and the remaining 123 are in hospitals.
As on Friday, 9,05,903 persons received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and 5,880,20 got both. After the Centre launched the booster dose programme on January 1,01,954 have received the precautionary dose, data released by the Health Department said.
Ex-CM tests positive
Former Chief Minister of Puducherry V. Narayanasamy on Saturday tested positive for COVID-19. In a Twitter message, he said he was isolated at home. He appealed to those who have come in close contact with him, to get isolated and tested for the virus. He had received the booster dose on January 10.