BHUBANESWAR: At least six persons, aged above 60 years, have died of Covid-19 in the State without travel history and not having stepped out of their homes, the State Government said on Wednesday and issued an alert to family members to take care of the elderlies. An audit of the deaths revealed, so far 24 persons, who had tested positive for Covid- 19, have died.
While 17 succumbed to the disease, seven others died due to co-morbidities. Of the 17 Covid deaths, nine persons were above 60 years and 11 persons had co-morbidities.
Spokesperson Subroto Bagchi said though all 24 tested positive for novel coronavirus, the primary reason of death of seven persons was not Covid-19. He blamed the family members of the elderly persons for their death. The Covid deaths have been reported from five districts with the worst hit Ganjam contributing maximum eight deaths in the last two months.
While four deaths have been recorded in Khurda and three in Cuttack, one each succumbed in Puri and Bargarh. Similarly, the non-Covid deaths have been recorded in six districts. Two persons died in Khurda besides one each in Cuttack, Puri, Balasore, Mayurbhanj and Nabarangpur.
Bagchi stressed that the Government has allowed home quarantine in urban areas for those who can take all precautionary measures and follow the protocol properly.
“People staying outside the State are returning home as Covid situation is alarming there. But no one should take it as family reunion,” he said. Meanwhile, 282 new cases were detected in the State.