One more tests positive for COVID-19 in Puducherry, tally touches four

One more person, hailing from neighbouring Arumbathpuram village tested positive for the coronavirus, taking the total cases of the infection to four in Puducherry, the health department said on Wednesday. Secretary to Health Prashant Kumar Panda told reporters here that the 36-year-old patient has since been admitted to the Indira Gandhi government medical College hospital. The person admitted for coronavirus treatment was a worker in a private industry in Puducherry.

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Already the hospital was treating two active cases in addition to the one in Karaikal region. The official said the rise in cases has come to cause concern to the health authorities and also for the whole of Puducherry. A necessity has thus arisen for the people to maintain social distancing "very seriously." Panda said he had noticed during the last few days that people did not adhere to the norms of social distancing, wearing of masks among other things. JIPMER was already having five patients hailing from nearby Cuddalore district.

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"This is a serious case of concern for us," he said. The Secretary reiterated that the people should download the 'Aarogya Setu' mobile app so that it would help the individuals keep themselves and their families safe. "Presently the number of people who have patronised the mobile app was not considerable and needs to increase," the Secretary said adding that it would help the health authorities trace the contact.

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Already, as many as 4,621 samples have been tested of which 4,513 were found to be negative and results of the other samples were awaited. He said medical teams comprising doctors, nurses and workers of the ASHA were on door-to-door visits to collect details of the residents in respect of their health status. Director of Health and Family Welfare Services S Mohan Kumar said the department was collecting details of all the persons who had come in contact with the patient hailing from Arumbathapuram.

"We do not know how this patient had got the infection and all details were being collected." The Director said when the ongoing lockdown was lifted with sufficient relaxation of curbs all should be careful to keep infection at bay.