17 new Covid cases detected in Odisha, total rises to 73

Bhubaneswar, March 24 (SocialNews.XYZ) Odisha reported 17 new Covid-19 positive cases on Friday, taking the total number of positive cases to 73, officials said.

As many as 5,600 samples have been tested in the last 24 hours, of which 17 tested positive for Covid-19. So, the test positivity rate has remained 0.3 per cent, which is below the national rate, said Director, Public Health Niranjan Mishra.

So far, only one patient has been hospitalised and he is now undergoing treatment at the hospital, he said.

Mishra, however, said there is no need to panic as till now no cluster outbreak is reported from any part of Odisha. "If many people from one particular village or area tested Covid positive, we call it cluster outbreak. In our state, there is no cluster outbreak reported till now," he said.

The state Health Department has already directed all the districts to increase Covid-19 tests and spread awareness. People, who show symptoms of influenza or cold, cough and fever, should immediately get themselves tested, he said.

He appealed to people to follow Covid-19 appropriate behaviour like wearing masks, maintaining social distancing and washing hands.

Director, Health Services, Bijay Mohapatra said the Covid-19 situation is under control in Odisha. The state government is continuing surveillance, testing and tracking on suspect cases, he said.

"Though no serious case has been reported till now, we have kept ready isolation units at secondary and tertiary level healthcare institutions. We have adequate oxygen beds, ICU beds and required medicine to meet any emergency, if it arises," he said.

Source: IANS