With 66 new cases, Odisha Covid-19 count touches 1,335

BHUBANESWAR: The number of persons infected with Covid-19 in the state touched 1,335 on Sunday with 66 new cases detected in the last 24 hours. The virus spread to another district, Nuapada, which reported its maiden case. This takes the total number of affected districts in the state to 27 out of 30.
Amid the spurt in cases, the state government on Sunday revised the Covid-19 guidelines and lifted a few restrictions.
Of the 66 fresh cases, sixty were from quarantine centres, four were of people in home quarantine and three were local residents. Of the new cases, 16 were from Puri, 13 from Nayagarh, seven each from Ganjam and Balangir, five from Angul, four each from Sundargarh and Kalahandi, three from Khurda, two each from Malkangiri, Cuttack and one each from Jagatsinghpur, Nuapada, Dhenkanal. Among the three cases reported in Khurda district, one was detected in Bhubaneswar.
“With an increase in the number of tests, the number of positive cases will go up further. Among those who are in quarantine centres, the tests of elderly persons, pregnant women, children, persons with symptoms of comorbidities are being done on a priority basis. Around 30% to 40% returnees, who are in different quarantine centres, have been tested so far,” Dr Jayant Panda, technical spokesperson for health and family welfare department, said.
Meanwhile, 53 more patients recovered from the infection taking the total number of cured persons to 550 in the state on Sunday. “Ganjam district has 30 recovered patients, followed by 18 in Jajpur, three in Khurda, two in Keonjhar,” health and family welfare department said. The death toll in the state is seven so far.
Around 72 doctors from eight districts across the state successfully completed the Covid-19 critical care training that was conducted at SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack.