Chennai, Apr 19 (IANS): After five Covid patients died in Puducherry in the past 24 hours taking the death toll to 713, the Union Territory touched a fatality rate of 1.5 per cent which is above the national average of 1.2 per cent.

Puducherry headquarters has the maximum number of deaths with 572 died of Covid. Karakkal has 84 deaths followed by Yanam with 45 deaths and Mahe with 12.

Interestingly the recovery rate of the Union Territory is 88.8 per cent which is above the national average of 86 per cent. A total of 48,336 cases were reported in Puducherry Union Territory of which 42,931 patients recovered from the disease so far.

On Monday, Puducherry reported 565 fresh cases taking the total number of active cases to 4,692 of which 3,849 are under home isolation and treatment. A total of 365 people recovered from the disease on Monday.

Health department has sent 7.33 lakh swab samples for testing in the Union territory of which 6.66 lakh samples turned negative and more than half of the population of Puducherry underwent Covid test. Puducherry has a population of 14 lakh people.

A press release from the Directorate of Health and Family Welfare states that it has so far administered Covid 19 vaccines to 30,202 healthcare workers, 17,961 frontline workers and 1,08 lakh others taking the total who were administered vaccine to 1.55 lakh people.