COVID-19: Odisha nears 100-mark with five new cases; tally at 94

BHUBANESWAR:  West Bengal returnees continued to pose a major threat to the Covid-19 containment measures in Odisha as five more persons from Bhadrak district tested positive on Friday, taking the total number of cases to 94.

The positive cases, all men, aged between 24 and 41, belong to Basudevpur, Tihidi and Dhamnagar blocks. They all had recently returned from Bengal and were in home quarantine.

With the new cases, the number of people affected with the disease rose to 16 in the district and spread to two more blocks prompting the administration to initiate containment measures in Kalyani, Khadipada, Anandpur, Bamanbindha and Kanpada panchayats. 

The State Government has imposed shutdown in Balasore, Bhadrak and Jajpur districts till 10 am on Sunday following the surge in positive cases. The three north Odisha districts now account for 38 cases with 33 reported in less than a week.

As the 60-hour shutdown is expected to help contact tracing and testing of suspects, chief spokesperson Subroto Bagchi appealed the people to set an example and show the way for successful handling of fourth phase of Covid-19 in the State. 

“People who have returned to these districts from other states should not to go into hiding and strictly adhere to quarantine protocol. They must come forward and inform their panchayat representatives or the administration so that they can be tested early and required measures can be initiated,” he said.Expressing concern over the rising number of positive cases in the vulnerable age group of 60 and above, Bagchi said, by cooperating the administration the returnees can safeguard the lives of their parents, grandparents and children.

“Two women, aged 80 and 70 tested positive on Thursday notwithstanding the fact that they remained indoors. It is because of their family members, who did not follow the instructions of the Government. The State has successfully handled three phases of Covid-19 and the fourth phase will start once the people from Odisha stranded in other states arrive after the lockdown is lifted. We have to be prepared for that,” he said. 

Of the 94 positive cases, 46 have been reported from Khurda, followed by 16 from Bhadrak, 12 from Jajpur and 10 from Balasore district. The rest 10 cases are from six other districts. While 32 persons have recovered so far, 60 active cases have been admitted to different Covid hospitals. The State has tested a record 2,474 samples on Thursday.