Bhubaneswar: Covid-19 cases have been increasing day by day in the State. The State has reported 680 cases on Tuesday, which is more than double of the cases reported on January 1.
While 298 Covid-19 cases were reported on January 1, it has been increased to 424 cases on January 2 and again 424 on January 3 too. The daily test positivity rate has jumped to 1.31 per cent from 0.77 per cent recorded yesterday.
Out of the 680 new cases reported today, 119 belong to the 0-18 year population. While 397 cases were reported from quarantine centres, remaining 283 are local contact cases, the information and public relation department of Odisha said.
Khurda district reported the highest 263 cases, followed by 69 in Sundargarh and 59 in Cuttack.
With the confirmation of the death of a 50-year-old man from Balasore district due to Covid-19, the toll mounted to 8,464. The total active cases in Odisha now stood at 2888.
The Health Department has warned the people to maintain caution as Odisha is likely to witness more number of Covid-19 cases in the coming days.
Director Health Services, Bijay Mohapatra said Covid-19 is witnessing an upward surge in the state.
“The first and the second wave picked up late in the State. Hence, people have to be fully cautious and strictly adhere to the Covid-19 appropriate behaviour,” appealed Mohapatra. He said that the State Government is fully prepared to deal with the rising Covid cases.
As the cases have been rising in the State, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has conveyed a high-level meeting this evening.
Meanwhile, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) authority has sealed the Bhubaneswar DCP office for two days (January 4 & 5) following detection of positive cases in the office.
As many as 31 students of the National Institute of Science Education and Research (NISER), Khordha, have tested positive for coronavirus. The fresh cases were detected in the hostels of the institution. The infected students are currently kept in isolation in the hostel.
Following the detection of new positive cases in the NISER premises, the authorities of the college have urged the students not to enter the campus as part of precautionary measures.
Similarly, the Puri district administration has declared Hotel Sona International near the beach as a micro containment zone. The move came after three Omicron cases were detected in the hotel including a tourist from West Bengal and two hotel staff.
Puri Sub-Collector Bhabataran Sahu has urged all the residents of Puri and tourists coming to the town to remain alert in view of rising Covid cases. “Use masks and maintain social distancing while coming out of your home,” he advised.