Covid: Odisha to allow vaccination for vulnerable people without ID proof

Odisha on Wednesday reported

10,982 new COVID-19 cases and 17 more deaths, a Health Department official said.

The cases were detected after testing 49,191 samples on Tuesday, taking the test positivity rate (TPR) to 22.32 per cent. The state's TPR has been over 20 per cent since Friday.

There are 98,230 active cases in the state at present.

Odisha has so far reported 5,65,648 cases and 2,232 deaths, the official said.

Of the new infections, 6,149 were reported from quarantine centres while the remaining 4,833 were local contact cases, he said.

Khurda district, of which state capital Bhubaneswar is a part, reported the highest 1,539 new cases, followed by Sundergarh (964), Cuttack (885), Angul (539) and Sambalpur (454).

These five districts account for 40 per cent of the new cases reported during the day, the official said.

Only Malkangiri out of the 30 districts recorded cases less than 100.

Angul and Khurda reported three deaths each. Kalahandi, Nuapada and Sundergarh reported two deaths each and one patient each succumbed in Balasore, Boudh, Dhenkanal, Ganjam and Puri.

Meanwhile, the state government has decided to administer COVID-19 vaccines to vulnerable people who do not possess any ID proof as a part of its effort to inoculate the entire population of Odisha.

In a letter to the district authorities and municipal commissioners, Additional Chief Secretary, Health, PK Mohapatra said vulnerable groups of citizens may not possess any of the seven prescribed identity cards for registration on CoWIN.

"Such vulnerable persons may not be denied COVID-19 vaccination for absence of identity proof," he said.

"Such groups of people include nomads (including sadhu/saints from various religions), prison inmates, inmates in mental health Institutions, citizens in old age homes, roadside beggars, people residing in rehabilitation centers/camps and any other identified eligible persons, aged 18 years or more, and not having any of above prescribed individual photo ID cards," he added.

Mohapatra said the district authorities and civic bodies will undertake appropriate preparations, including the identification and enlisting of such persons to be vaccinated.