BHUBANESWAR: Even as the new COVID-19 cases dropped below 2,000 mark for the second consecutive day due to a dip in testing, Odisha on Tuesday declared 68 fatalities, the highest in a day so far taking the cumulative death toll to 4,730.
Of the fresh 1,930 cases spread across all 30 districts, five recorded more than 100 with Khurda leading the list at 431 cases, followed by Cuttack (220), Balasore (134), Jajpur (125) and Kendrapara (123).
The test positivity rate rose again from 2.7 per cent (pc) to 3.09 pc as the number of tests dipped from 72,754 to 62,410, including 23,840 RT-PCR tests. The TPR was highest 12.4 pc in Puri, 7.6 pc in Khurda, 6.8 pc in Cuttack and 5.5 pc in Nayagarh.
Sources said the infection rate was one pc or less in 11 districts, which may see unlock after July 16. The lockdown restrictions are likely to continue in some districts that have been reporting high cases and weekly TPR of more than five pc.
According to health authorities, the State government may impose restriction on inter-state movement of people and there will be special focus on Khurda and Cuttack where the infection is yet to be controlled.
Appealing people not to become complacent, Director of Medical Education and Training Prof CBK Mohanty said, "The positivity rate in several districts has fallen below five pc though it is still high in some. The cases are high in Khurda and Cuttack for which special containment measures are being taken up." The State has 20,851 active cases now.