PUDUCHERRY: There has been an uptick in COVID-19 cases in Puducherry with as many as 22 cases reported since the beginning of the month. Over the past few days, the region has witnessed a notable surge in cases compared to previous sporadic instances, raising alarm among health authorities.
“Two cases were reported the day before yesterday (Tuesday). This was followed by five positive cases yesterday. As of now, two patients are hospitalised — one at JIPMER and another at Chest Diseases Hospital at Gorimedu — while the remaining cases are under home isolation. Patients have exhibited symptoms such as mild fever, respiratory infections, body aches, and other associated symptoms,” Director of Health and Family Welfare Services Dr G Sriramulu told TNIE.
“The recent surge is indicative of an impending escalation. The surge is partly attributed to people travelling and returning from Sabarimala in Kerala, a region grappling with several COVID-19 cases,” he said.
“To contain the situation, our testing efforts have been amplified, reaching 150 to 200 tests daily compared to the prior 70 to 80 tests per day,” assured the Director, indicating a further scale-up in testing capacity.
Regarding the strain of the virus causing the surge, Dr Sriramulu said, “The strain is yet to be identified. We are sending samples for genome sequencing to determine the specific strain responsible for the current infections.”
Meanwhile, Puducherry’s Public Works Department Minister, K Lakshminarayanan, assured readiness in terms of beds and infrastructure for accommodating patients requiring hospitalisation. Lakshminarayanan participated in a meeting chaired by Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya via video conferencing with state health ministers and officials, discussing strategies for tackling the surging COVID-19 cases.