Odisha reports 779 new COVID cases, 68 more fatalities
Bhubaneswar: At least 779 more people, including 105 children, tested positive for COVID-19 in Odisha, taking the tally in the state to 10,05,654, a health department official said on Saturday.
Sixty-eight fresh fatalities raised the death toll to 7,765, he said.
The daily positivity rate was at 1.09 per cent as 779 new COVID cases were detected from 71,137 sample tests conducted in the last 24 hours, the official said.
The infection rate among people below 18 years of age was at 13.47 per cent, up from 12.99 per cent recorded on Thursday.
Altogether, 1,602 children and adolescents contracted the disease since August 15, and 35 of them died during the period, he said.
Of the fresh cases, 454 were reported from quarantine centres, and 325 detected during contact tracing.
Khurda district registered the highest number of new patients at 259, while Nabarangpur did not report any fresh case.
Odisha now has 7,996 active cases, and 9,89,840 people have recovered from the disease.
Of the new fatalities, 25 were reported from Cuttack, seven each from Kendrapara and Khurda, six from Jagatsinghpur, five each from Angul and Mayurbhaj, the official said.
Three COVID deaths each were recorded in Balasore, Bhadrak and Dhenkanal, two in Nayagah and one in Puri.
Fifty-three other COVID-19 patients have died due to comorbidities, he said.
The state has thus far conducted over 1.78 crore sample tests for COVID-19, including 71,137 on Friday, and the positivity rate stands at 5.62 per cent.
Meanwhile, the health department asked all the district collectors, municipal commissioners and public health officers to remain vigilant, following reports of fake Covishield vaccine.
Health and Family Welfare Department's Additional Chief Secretary PK Mohapatra said, World Health Organization has identified counterfeit/falsified Covishield vaccines in South-East Asia and Africa."
He said the Centre has asked health authorities to enhance vigilance in the supply chains and authenticate the product and its physical condition before use.
Mohapatra emphasised on the need to guard against unscrupulous activities and fake vaccination sessions.
You are, therefore, requested to remain vigilant and regularly monitor to avoid such incidents in your district or municipal corporation area," he wrote in the letter to the district administrations.
