5 more fresh coronavirus cases push count to 29 in Puducherry

Puducherry May 24 () The total number of active cases of COVID-19 in Union Territory of Puducherry rose to 29 on Sunday with five fresh cases reported while one patient got discharged from a hospital here.

The five cases, included a man and his mother who was already undergoing treatment for coronavirus, Health Minister Malladi Krishna Rao told reporters.

He said the rise in the number of cases was witnessed since the lockdown-related restrictions were relaxed on May 17.

The last five days have witnessed a surge in the number of patients causing concern to the health authorities, the Health Minister said.

He said it was not practically possible for the government to deny permission to those belonging to Puducherry and those returning from abroad and other states and districts in the country.

"We have decided to exercise utmost vigil at the border points and residents of Puducherry returning to the Union Territory will be kept under compulsory quarantine for 14 days either in the government designated centres or at their homes," he said. Rao appealed to the people to ensure that the Union Te rritory did not become a comfortable place for the spread of the pandemic. Director of Health and Family Welfare Service S Mohan Kumar said 12 patients have so far been discharged after recovery in the Union Territory and the total cases reported since the outbreak of the pandemic was 41. Health Minister accompanied by the officials of his department later visited the medical college hospital to ascertain how many health staff, including nurses, had downloaded the Arogiya Sethu app in their mobiles. Meanwhile, a press release from the health department said the Health Minister, who found out that lesser number of staff had patronised the mobile app, asked all the staff to download the apps without any further delay. COR NVG NVG