BHUBANESWAR : Khurda logged the highest 51 new Covid-19 cases including 50 from Bhubaneswar as Odisha reported 210 infections from 21 districts and one death in last 24 hours. The daily caseload remained above 200 for the third consecutive day in the State.
Of the fresh cases, 23 were from Nuapada, 19 from Cuttack, 12 each from Balangir, Kalahandi and Sundargarh and 11 from Sambalpur. As many as 28,828 tests were conducted during the period and the test positivity rate was 0.72 per cent. The State recorded a Covid fatality after five days taking the death toll to 1,920. A 86-year-old man from Sundargarh district who was also suffering from diabetes mellitus and hypertension succumbed to the disease while undergoing treatment.
While Malkangiri district has no active case, 10 of the 30 districts have been registering new cases in double digits forcing the State administration to re-strategise containment measures. Health department sources said since most of the new cases from the Twin City were from the educational institutions, random testing in the institutes and their hostels and aggressive contact tracing are being conducted.
Meanwhile, a steady surge in the infections in the districts bordering Chhattisgarh has come as a big challenge. Of the six boarding districts, there has been a spurt in cases in Nuapada, Sundargarh, Bargarh and Jharsuguda. Sundargarh has recorded highest 131 cases in the last one week and Nuapada reported 114 cases including 29 from one village.
Health officials said the districts reporting maximum cases have been put on alert and administration has been asked to ensure aggressive testing and strict enforcement of Covid guidelines. The active cases rose to 1,360 even as 120 patients recovered on Saturday.