Odisha coronavirus update: 1,315 new cases, 66 fresh fatalities

Odisha's Covid tally rose to 9,82,181 on Wednesday as 1,315 more people tested positive for infection, while 66 fresh fatalities pushed the state's death toll to 6,168, a health official said.

Odisha's COVID-19 tally rose to 9,82,181 on Wednesday as 1,315 more people tested positive for the infection, while 66 fresh fatalities pushed the state's coronavirus death toll to 6,168, a health official said.

As many as 762 new cases were reported in quarantine centres, while 553 infections were detected during contact tracing, he said, adding that the single-day positivity rate was at 2.01 per cent.

Khurda district registered the highest number of new cases at 413, followed by Cuttack (198). Khurda also reported the highest number of fresh fatalities at 18 (including 11 in Bhubaneswar), followed by Cuttack (10) and Puri (nine).

The state now has 13,872 active cases, while 9,62,088 people have recovered from the disease so far, including 1,702 on Tuesday. Fifty-three other coronavirus patients have died due to comorbidities to date.

The state has thus far tested over 1.62 crore samples for COVID-19, including 65,209 in the last 24 hours. The cumulative positivity rate stood at 6.02 per cent.

Meanwhile, with significant subsidence in the intensity of the second wave across Odisha, the state government issued a notification withdrawing a previous order which had made it mandatory for travellers to produce COVID negative certificates to enter the state.

"Orders regarding stipulations/restrictions as per Clause-A vide Order No. 2980/(R & DM) dt. 30.05.2021 (i.e. entry of people into Odisha from other States by producing Rapid Antigen Test/ RT PCR negative Report/ final vaccination certificate etc.) is hereby withdrawn," a notification issued by the special relief commissioner said.

The state government had made it mandatory for people entering Odisha to produce COVID negative reports at airports, railway stations and border check-gates following a spike in infections in April-May.

Odisha's borders with Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh were sealed to check the spread of the infection.

The Odisha government had even requested the Railway Ministry to stop passenger train services to the state from Chhattisgarh. However, the Centre rejected the demand, following which the state took the measure.