Puducherry may have two-day lockdown every week to curb COVID-19: Health Minister

PUDUCHERRY: Puducherry Health Minister Malladi Krishna Rao on Tuesday indicated that the union territory may have 2-day lockdown every weekend, as part of the government's efforts to contain spread of coronavirus.

The Minister told a virtual press conference that presently a complete lockdown was imposed on Tuesdays as Saturdays and Sundays were considered auspicious for holding wedding events.

"I have requested the Chief Minister during a video conference Monday to introduce the two day lockdown on Saturday and Sunday from next month so that the present spike in new cases could be controlled considerably," Rao, elected from Yanam region in Andhra Pradesh, said.

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Anticipating not less than 3,000 cases of viral infection during the coming week, he said the equipment needed for expeditious testing of swabs of patients in all the four regions would be installed.

"Already the equipment had been despatched to Karaikal, Mahe and Yanam regions and the hospitals in the outlying regions would be facilitated with the equipment to carry out testing expeditiously."

He further said steps had been taken to increase the bed strength in the medical college hospital here by making use of the premises of boys and girls hostels.

Rao also sought the cooperation of the public in adhering to the safety norms which would help reduce the number of fresh cases.

Meanwhile, the Secretary to Department of Health Research in Indian Council of Medical Research, Balram Bhargava informed Lt Governor Kiran Bedi that a team of scientists from ICMR would visit Puducherry tomorrow to strengthen the central team of doctors of JIPMER in assisting the government fight the pandemic here.

Lt Governor pointed out in a whatsapp message that she had received the letter from ICMR informing her that three scientists from the National Institute of Epidemiology Chennai would visit the union territory.

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