Puducherry: The Puducherry government tested 5,496 blood and swab samples, the highest ever in the union territory, and identified 380 new coronavirus cases on Tuesday, taking the tally of infections to 20,601.
Director of Health and Family Welfare S Mohan Kumar said in a release that as many as 5,496 samples were tested.
While the Puducherry region registered 270 cases out of the fresh cases, Karaikal had 63 new cases followed by 44 in Yanam and three in Yanam.
Kumar said 495 patients were discharged during the last 24 hours.
The overall COVID-19 cases in the union territory were 20,601, of whom 4,674 were active and 15,522 patients were treated and discharged.
The number of fatalities rose to 405 as 11 more died of the virus.
The Director said that so far 1.07 lakh samples were tested and it was found that 83,944 tested negative.
Results of examination of remaining samples were awaited, he said.
The fatality and recovery rates were 1.97 per cent and 75.35 per cent respectively, the Director said.
Most of the deceased had co-morbidities particularly hypertension and diabetes and they were in the age group ranging between 38 and 80 years, he added.