65 persons test positive for COVID-19 in Odisha; infection tally rises to 737

Sixty-five people tested positive for COVID-19 in Odisha, taking the total number of such cases in the state to 737, officials said on Saturday.

Jajpur reported 31 fresh cases, Ganjam 13 and Cuttack six. While Kendrapara and Puri reported four cases each, three cases were detected in Khurda and two each in Mayurbhanj and Nayagarh.

Of the new cases, 62 were detected among those in quarantine centres, they said.

Three persons who were in home quarantine also tested positive. One of them had a travel history to a state worst hit by coronavirus, and the other two came in contact with him.

Sources in the health and family welfare department of the state said a total of 86,140 samples have been tested so far, of which 4,221 were tested on Friday.

Of the 30 districts in Odisha, 21 have so far reported COVID-19 cases.

With the 65 new cases, the total number of COVID-19 cases in the state rose to 737, officials said.

At present, the state has 568 active cases and 166 people have recovered, while three died.

Ganjam in south Odisha has reported the highest number of cases at 277, followed by Jajpur at 121, Balasore at 102, Khurda (56), Bhadrak (46), Sundergarh and Kendrapara (26 each), Puri (18) and Angul (15), they said.

Eleven cases have been reported from Mayurbhanj, Cuttack (10), Nayagarh (six), Jagatsinghpur (five), and four each in Keonjhar and Boudh districts.

Two cases each have been detected in Bolangir, Deogarh, Kalahandi and Jharsuguda districts, and one each in Koraput and Dhenkanal districts, the officials added.