Campaign launched to ensure COVID-free Puducherry by Feb 28

A campaign has been launched to ensure there were no COVID-19 cases by this month-end in the union territory, where the daily count has fallen to single digits, a Health department official said on Sunday.

Under the "Zero Covid by Feb 28" campaign, all those who had come into contact with people infected with coronavirus would be identified and provided treatment, so that the further spread of the pathogen could be prevented, Health and Family Welfare Director S Mohan Kumar said.

A coordinated effort to achieve the goal had been geared up and the campaign was launched on Saturday to free Puducherry of COVID-19, he told PTI.

Kumar said only eight new cases of infection were reported in the last 24 hours ending 10 a.m. on Sunday after testing 1,930 samples.

A 50-year old man with co-morbidities became the latest fatal victim of the infection as the toll rose 657 in the UT.

The overall caseload in Puducherry was 39,448 while 38,533 had recovered so far, leaving 258 active cases.

While Puducherry region reported five new cases, Karaikal one and Mahe two cases.

Yanam region, located in Andhra Pradesh, continued to have nil COVID-19 cases.

The fatality and recovery rates in the Union Territory were 1.67 per cent and 97.68 per cent respectively.

A total of 6.06 lakh samples had been tested so far, Kumar said.

The Director also said 5,644 health care workers and 309 front line workers have been vaccinated against COVID-19 since the launch of the drive last month.