Puducherry, Feb 12 (PTI) Puducherry witnessed a steep fall in the number of new COVID-19 cases with only 81 fresh infections reported in the Union Territory on Saturday taking the overall tally to 1,65,152. The UT had reported 149 cases on Friday and taking the overall tally to 1,65,152. Director of Health G Sriramulu said the new cases were identified at the end of examination of 1,705 samples and the cases were spread over Puducherry (59), Karaikal (20) and Mahe and Yanam regions (one case each). The Director said the total active cases were 1,581 that comprised 51 patients undergoing treatment in hospitals while the remaining 1,530 patients were in home quarantine. Sriramulu said no fresh death was reported and the toll remained at 1,957. He said 493 patients recovered from the disease and were discharged from hospitals while the overall recoveries were 1,61,614. The health department has tested 21,89,799 samples so far and has found 18,34,507 samples out of them to be negative. The test positivity rate was 4.75 per cent while fatality and recovery rates were 1.18 per cent and 97.86 per cent, respectively. The Director said the health department has administered 15,54,226 doses that comprised 9,25,968 first doses, 6,17,433 second doses and 10,825 booster doses. PTI COR HDA HDA