Government has so far contained Covid: Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik

BHUBANESWAR: On a day Odisha reported the highest single day spike of 12523 new Covid infections and 27 deaths, chief minister Naveen Patnaik said the state government has so far been able to contain the virus spread.
“Last year in the first wave, despite the economic impact we contained the virus with a greater success. This year in the second wave, we have so far been able to contain it largely. The recovery rate is also improving,” Naveen said on the sidelines inaugurating a 150-bed district Covid hospital on the premises of Shri Jagannath Medical College at Puri via virtual platform on Friday.
The state’s total recovery rate (both first and second wave) currently stood at 84.88%. A total of 10,881 patients were discharged from Covid hospitals in the state following their recovery on Friday.
“This is a very challenging time for all of us in the country. This pandemic has created a huge humanitarian crisis. It’s a threat to our lives, our health and our general well-being,” Naveen said. The chief minister said the state government has a robust Covid infrastructure and is working to improve it further. “The government is making every possible effort to provide best treatment facilities and save precious lives, he informed,” Naveen said.
Built with the collaboration of Sum Hospital Bhubaneswar, the new Covid hospital at Puri has 90 general oxygen beds, 40 HDU beds and 20 ICU beds. It is also equipped with a high quality laboratory and diagnostics facility. Announcing that the expenditure for operation of the Covid hospital will be borne from the chief minister’s relief fund, Naveen said the hospital will be helpful in providing better medical care to critical Covid patients of the district as they don’t have to look for hospitals in Bhubaneswar or Cuttack.