The new cases were identified at the end of examination of 8,540 samples projecting test positivity rate at 11.45 percent. The fresh infections were spread over Puducherry 746, Karaikal 170, Yanam 29, and Mahe 34.

Director of Health and Family Welfare services S Mohan Kumar said, "14 people succumbed to the disease during the last twenty-four hours raising the toll to 1,550. Five of those who died had no co-morbidities and the age groups of the deceased ranged between 22 and 75 years. The department has tested 10.58 lakh samples so far and found 9.15 lakh out of them to be negative. Total active cases sofar were 10,709 and 93,173 patients were discharged after recovery."

The Director said the fatality and recovery rates were 1.47 percent and 88.37 percent. Meanwhile, 34,763 health care workers and 21,296 front-line workers have been inoculated so far. The official said 1.59 lakh people coming under the category of either senior citizens (above sixty years) or those above 45 years with co-morbidities have been vaccinated so far since March 1.

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