BHUBANESWAR: The new Covid-19 cases crossed the 200 mark in Odisha as reports of large gatherings of people without masks for Rath Yatra festival poured in from several districts on Friday. The State logged 204 fresh cases, up by around 32 per cent (pc), in the last 24 hours as infections spread to more districts. This was the highest single day count in the last over three months after the third wave subsided by mid March.
The fresh cases were spread across 17 districts. The State has been recording over 150 cases for the third consecutive day. As many as 155 cases were detected on Thursday and 161 on Wednesday.
The maximum 86 cases were found from Khurda district followed by 38 from Cuttack, 18 from Sundargarh, eight from Balasore, five each from Mayurbhanj and Puri besides four from Nuapada.
The test positivity rate (TPR) also rose to 1.31 pc. Eight of the 27 districts having active cases recorded more than one pc TPR with Khurda topping the list with 4.65 pc followed by Cuttack (4.02 pc), Puri (2 pc) and Sundargarh (1.81 pc). Though no death has been reported in the last over two months, the active cases surged to 804 within a week.
State health authorities said they are keeping a close watch on the rising trend and taking containment measures as per requirement. “If there is a spread of the infection due to the Rath Yatra congregation, it would be known only after a week or so,” they said.
Director of Health Services Dr Bijay Mohapatra said the situation is not alarming as only eight people are under treatment and none is on ventilator. Though the number of infections has increased due to movement of people from different states of the country, disease severity has come down due to vaccinations. People due for second and precautionary doses are being mobilised for inoculation, he added.