PUDUCHERRY: The positivity rate of Covid-19 in Puducherry, which was more than 22% on May 11, has dropped to around 10% in the past four days indicating that the rate of infection growth has started to come down in the Union territory.
Of the 9,151 samples tested on Wednesday, 867 returned positive (9.8%).
The territory also registered less than 1,000-fresh Covid-19 cases for the fifth consecutive day on Wednesday.
The territory reported 1,393 recoveries on Wednesday, leaving 10,166 active cases.
Of them, 8,679 are under home isolation and treatment.
Puducherry headquarters continued to report most fresh cases (605), followed by enclaves Karaikal (189), Yanam (44) and Mahe (29).
Seventeen patients died of the infection on Wednesday taking the death toll to 1,567.
The infection’s fatality rate in the UT stood at 1.5%.
The territory has so far reported 1.06 lakh cases, with a recovery rate of 89%.
Healthcare authorities have so far administered vaccines against Covid-19 to 2.69 lakh people (including those who got the second dose).
Meanwhile, the directorate of health and family welfare services said the Centre, under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana, has extended Rs 5 lakh solatium each to the families of the five healthcare workers who died of Covid-19.
The directorate has received 11 applications for compensation until May and approved comensation to five families.
It appealed to kin of other healthcare workers who died of Covid-19 to apply for compensation.