Covid infections explode in Odisha, negative RT PCR report mandatory for flyers from Delhi, Kolkata
A Covid-19 explosion of sorts was witnessed across the State on Friday with several districts reporting a big spike in new infections. Sundargarh reported 454 fresh positive cases with a test positivity rate (TPR) of 10.74 per cent. On Thursday, the district had recorded 262 cases as compared to only 15 cases on December 31.
Sources said the new cases include some employees of Rourkela Municipal Corporation, Rourkela Development Authority, Smart City Ltd and Tata Power Western Odisha Distribution Ltd. The total positive cases at National Institute of Technology-Rourkela and Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya at Sundargarh town stood at 58 and 89 respectively. Following the case spike, the administration has started enforcement at targeted marketplaces in Rourkela.
Similarly, 106 new infections were detected in Jharsuguda, taking the total active case tally to 288. Among those infected are 20 officers including project director of DRDA, Jharsuguda office. The office has been sealed for three days. Besides, 20 places have been declared containment zones. The administration is keeping a watch on Jharsuguda airport and RT-PCR test report has been made mandatory for flyers arriving from New Delhi and Kolkata.
In Koraput, 19 fresh cases were detected on the day. The new cases were reported from the urban pockets of Jeypore, Koraput, Semiliguda and Borigumma. The district had reported only three cases on January 3.
Kalahandi too saw a surge in new infections as in the last four days, 43 positive cases have been detected in the district. Currently, 54 cases are active in Kalahandi. Anticipating steep spike in cases in the coming days, the administration has opened the dedicated Covid hospital at Kamthana. On the day, Kalahandi Collector Parag Harshad Gavali reviewed infrastructure readiness of the Covid hospital. He informed that from January 10, two Covid care centres at Parla and Mursing will be made functional. Rapid response teams will be activated at different places across the district in two days.
Covid facilities were also activated in Ganjam district. Collector Vijay Kulange informed that the dedicated Covid facility at MKCG Medical College and Hospital with 90 ICU beds has been readied for patients. Tata, Aswini and Hi-tech hospitals have been directed to keep beds with oxygen facilities ready for patients.