With cluster in Bhubaneswar, Odisha braces for second wave

BHUBANESWAR: In a major cluster outbreak of Covid-19, 45 students and staff of Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar (XIMB) here tested positive for the novel coronavirus in the last 24 hours even as Odisha recorded a single-day spike of 146 cases - a 50 per cent jump from the previous day, and also the highest since January 22. 

The cluster at XIMB is one of the biggest in the State so far since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic in the Capital in March, 2020. 

To check further spread of the virus, a team from BMC rushed to the premier B-school, sanitised the entire campus and sealed the premises until further orders. 

Around 200 samples were also drawn from the students and staff of the institute for the test.

“All faculty and students of the institute have now been tested for Covid-19.  Those who tested positive have been kept in isolation in separate rooms,” said Municipal Commissioner Prem Chandra Chaudhary. 

Analysis of travel history shows most of the infected persons in XIMB as well as the private institute in Cuttack had returned from high risk states including Maharashtra and Tamilnadu.

“Local authorities have been asked to intensify tracking of incoming passengers from these states and ensure their immediate testing,” Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) PK Jena said.

Apart from XIMB, a servitor of Lingaraj temple and three of his family members also tested positive for Covid-19. The new infections pushed the active case figure of the city beyond 100.

Terming the situation ‘alarming’, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) seemed to have finally woken up from its slumber and decided to intensify enforcement activities and go for random testing at airport, railway station as well as hostels of educational institutions. 

Chaudhary said the situation in the Capital city has turned alarming as cases are being reported in double digits for the last 5 to 7 days.

“We have decided to intensify enforcement activities and go for random testing at airport, railway station as well as hostels,” he said. 

As cases surged in the State, night curfew also returned to Malkangiri district where the local administration imposed restriction on public movement between 9 pm and 6 am from March 23 and 31.

With Covid-19 raising its head again in the state, the Special Relief Commissioner said the health department is keeping a close watch on the situation.

Around 25,315 Covid tests were conducted across Odisha in the last 24 hours in which the test positivity rate remained 0.57 per cent.

Apart from cases in Bhubaneswar, 25 new cases were also reported from Cuttack including 19 from Cuttack Municipal Corporation jurisdiction.