Odisha on Monday reported 138 new COVID-19 cases, taking the state”s virus tally to 2,994, an official said.
The day also witnessed recovery of 99 patients, taking the total number of persons cured from the highly infectious disease to 1,993, he said.
Of the 138 fresh cases, 125 have been detected from quarantine centres where people returning from different states are lodged, while 13 are local contact cases, he said.
Meanwhile, a report from Balasore district said two employees of Proof and Experimental Establishment (PXE), a DRDO laboratory in Chandipur, have tested positive for Covid-19. The two were detected with the virus at Komand hospital, Kolkata, said H S Panda, additional director, Public Relation Officer PXE, Chandipur.
Ganjam district reported a maximum 33 new cases followed by 15 from Cuttack, 13 from Khurda, 12 from Sundargarh, 11 from Bhadrak, 10 each from Keonjhar and Kandhamal, 7 from Puri, 6 from Jajpur and Mayurbhanj, 3 from Nayagarh, Nuapada and Dhenkanal, 2 from Kalahandi and one each from Rayagada, Sambalpur, Bolangir and Kendrapara districts.
Similarly, as many as 99 patients from 15 district districts recovered from the disease, an official said, adding that highest 16 people were cured from Jajpur district followed by Khurda (13), Kendrapara (11), Ganjam (9), Deogarh (8), Cuttack and Jagatsinghpur (7 each), Balasore, Bargarh and Bolangir (6 each), Keonjhar (4), Nayagarh (3) and one each from Koraput, Sambalpur and Sundargarh.
The state on Sunday conducted 3,317 sample tests, taking the total coronavirus tests in the state so far to 1,79,415.
Of the total 2,994 COVID-19 cases, 990 are active as 1993 patients have recovered from the disease and 9 people have died. As the first week of June (from 1 to 7) reported as many as 845 cases, the state government has launched a public awareness campaign to sentisitise people that self hygiene is the only alternative to stop the spread of the disease.
“Information, Education and Communication are the key to win the fight against Covid-19 and check the possible spread of the pandemic,” Chief Secretary A K Tripathy said adding that an aware and alert community can achieve wonders in fight against this unseen enemy.
The state government has launched “Mu Bi COVID Yodha (I am also a COVID warrior) in order to make go for self defense against the virus, he said.
Meanwhile, as part of the unlock phase-I, the state run Odisha State Road Transport Corporation (OSRTC) and East Coast Railways (ECoR) resumed their passenger services within the state. The state government on the day also evacuated 183 migrant workers stranded in Andaman and Nicobar island by using a special flight.
The government also extended its prohibition on opening the places of worship, malls and hotels till June 30 keeping in view the spike in virus cases. The Ganjam district administration also launched a fresh round of health screening to detect people with COVID-19 symptoms as corona cases have crossed 600 mark in the district. The districts which have reported more than 100 cases are Ganjam (631), Jajpur (325), Khurda (257), Balasore (190), Cuttack (187), Kendrapara (167), Bhadrak (151), Bolangir (122) and Puri (108).
