Odisha breaches 5,000 COVID-19 death mark

Highest 23 deaths reported from Khurda followed by 8 from Ganjam, 6 each from Mayurbhanj and Sundargarh
For representational purposes (Photo | EPS)
For representational purposes (Photo | EPS)

BHUBANESWAR: The Covid death toll in the State crossed 5,000-mark as the State government announced 66 more fatalities on Sunday. The State also reported 2,215 new infections in last 24 hours.

Health department sources said the fresh fatalities from 16 of the 30 districts took the death toll to 5,058. The highest 23 deaths were reported from Khurda followed by eight from Ganjam, six each from Mayurbhanj and Sundargarh, five from Boudh and three from Bargarh.

With 897 fatalities so far, Khurda district has reported the highest number of coronavirus deaths in the State followed by Sundargarh (440), Ganjam (416), Cuttack (311), Puri (304), Bargarh (241), Kalahandi (192) and Angul (198).

Even as the daily test positivity rate (TPR) dipped to 2.85 per cent (pc) after a drop in number of new infections for a couple of days, the cases surged again as Khurda and Cuttack contributed nearly 40 pc of the caseload exposing the loose ends in the containment plans of the government.  

The maximum 483 cases were recorded from Khurda, 348 from Cuttack, 150 from Balasore, 126 from Jagatsinghpur, 124 from Jajpur and 99 from Mayurbhanj. As many as 77,519 tests including 23,448 through RT-PCR were conducted in last 24 hours. The active cases stood at 18,797 after 2,492 patients recovered on Sunday. 

Health authorities, however, claimed that the cases are being detected as the surveillance has been intensified following relaxation of lockdown restrictions. Director of Health Services Dr Bijay Mohapatra said many symptomatic individuals who prefer to ignore Covid tests are actually spreading infection. The integrated surveillance by ASHA and anganwadi workers will continue till August.

Active surveillance has also been strengthened simultaneously. The focus is on Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Jajpur, Balasore and Mayurbhanj besides the coastal districts of Jagatsinghpur and Kendrapara, he added.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has appreciated the efforts by healthcare workers in their fight against Covid as the total number of Covid tests breached the 1.5 crore-mark.

“Glad to share that Odisha has achieved the milestone of 1.5 Cr COVID19 tests. Appreciate all our healthcare personnel for their tireless hard work in ramping up testing, strengthening Odisha’s fight against the pandemic,” he tweeted. 

Related Stories

No stories found.
The New Indian Express
www.newindianexpress.com