Puducherry:
Three fresh cases of COVID-19 were reported on Wednesday taking the total number of cases in the Union territory of Puducherry to 13, even as the government underscored the need to wear masks to contain the spread of the infection.
Director of Health and Family Welfare Service S Mohan Kumar told PTI that a person and his son returned from Abu Dhabi and tested positive for the COVlD-19 on Tuesday.
He said the two were admitted to the Indira Gandhi Government Medical College hospital on Wednesday where already seven patients were under treatment.
The result of examination of the swabs of his wife and another son, also returnees from Abu Dhabi, was awaited, the director said.
He said Karaikal region has one active case. One more case was reported on Wednesday at the government general hospital in Mahe, an enclave of Puducherry in Kerala, bringing the total tally in Mahe to three.
The latest case was a patient, belonging to Mahe and working in Mumbai, who had returned to Mahe on Tuesday and approached the hospital in Mahe. He tested positive for the pandemic and was since hospitalised, the Director said.
Five patients hailing from neighbouring Tamil Nadu districts of Villupuram and Cuddalore are under treatment in centrally administered JIPMER, the Director added.
Meanwhile, Health Minister Malladi Krishna Rao underscored the need for wearing of masks by the people when going out.
He told reporters that he could see lack of strict adherence to the condition to wear masks by the people. He said the administration was sticking to the conditions of lockdown imposed by the Centre.
