Odisha: Covid situation worsens, state seals border with West Bengal
6,215 new cases detected; state records 8 deaths
By Swagatika Bhutia
BHUBANESWAR, APRIL 23: This situation in Odisha is fast turning grimmer. The state on Friday reported eight deaths and 6,215 new positive cases.
Two deaths each were reported from Kalahandi and Ganjam and one each from Balasore, Bolangir, Kandhamal and Khurdha districts. The fresh cases spread across 30 districts included 3,604 from quarantine and 2,611 local contact infections, as per the data released by the State Information and Public Relations Department.
On Thursday, seven people had died of the disease while five had perished on Wednesday.
Of the fresh cases, Khurdha reported the highest 950 followed by Sundargarh (684), Kalahandi (682), Nuapada (446), Cuttack (383), Puri (306), Bargarh (268), Sambalpur (263), Jharsuguda (261), Nabarangpur (257), Bolangir (211), Keonjhar (157) and Mayurbhanj (115).
Other districts which reported less than 100 cases are- Bhadrak (86), Jajpur (85), Nayagarh (82), Balasore (79), Rayagada (70), Ganjam (67), Sonepur (65), Jagatsinghpur (62), Koraput (58), Gajapati (47), Kendrapara (41), Kandhamal (34), Deogarh (33), Malkangiri (21), Boudh (20) and Dhenkanal (16).
The Covid-19 death toll in the state rose to 1,973 while total cases surged to 3, 94,694. The active caseload stood at 39,117, informed the health department.
The state government has so far tested a total of 97, 95,470 samples including 43,538 on Thursday. The positivity rate in Odisha stands at 4.03 percent which has been steadily rising for the past few days.
Meanwhile, the the Odisha government on Friday sealed all the entry points with the bordering state West Bengal. The state also increased its vigil on coastal areas apprehending possible ingress of migrants into through water route.
Keeping in view the rush of migrants to Odisha from high-risk states especially West Bengal where a triple mutant variant of Coronavirus is said to be the major reason of high caseload and mortality, the coast guard has beefed up its security and intensified coastal patrolling at 18 marine stations across the state, said Coast Guard ADG (Security) Pranabindu Acharya.
“Apart from strict checking at the marine stations, security has been heightened at the fish landing stations. Patrolling has been intensified and strict checking at every boat is being carried out. The Sagar Rakshak Dal has been alerted, who shares information with us regarding the migration through waterways,” Acharya said.
