BHUBANESWAR: The State on Tuesday reported seven new COVID-19 positive cases from two districts taking the tally to 118 in 54 days. Four cases have been detected in Sundargarh district and three in Bhadrak. With the fresh cases, the number of COVID cases in Bhadrak rose to 19 while it touched 10 in Sundargarh.
After one person from Bhubaneswar recovered, the number of active cases now stand at 79. Although the rate of people testing positive is 0.44 per cent (pc), five super spreaders account for around 45 pc of the total cases. This is the figure besides the returnees from West Bengal, who have turned out to be a headache, for the State Government.
After Bomikhal and Suryanagar in Bhubaneswar where two persons transmitted the infection to at least 24 people, the recent spike in positive cases in Balasore, Jajpur and Sundargarh has been attributed to three patients. As many as 24 contacts of the three persons have tested positive so far. Balasore’s Patient No. 61 has infected 12 primary contacts, including family members and relatives and another secondary contact. He had tested positive on April 18 and is undergoing treatment at a COVID hospital in Bhubaneswar.
Of the 16 cases recorded in the coastal district, 13 are linked to one patient, a resident of Neliabag area in Balasore town. “Swab samples of around 100 of his contacts were collected and 13 among them have tested positive,” said a health official. Similarly, Patient No 51 from Sundagarh has infected at least eight others. As per the data released by the Health department, Patient No. 69, 101, 102 and 103 are contacts of the 67-year-old patient besides the four persons who have been detected positive on Tuesday.
One patient has transmitted to four others in Jajpur. After Khurda, which has not reported any case for the last 14 days, Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur and Sundargarh have emerged worst affected.
Spreading worry
Patient No. 61 has infected 12 primary contacts in Balasore
Patient No 51 from Sundagarh has infected at least eight others