One more tests positive for COVID-19 in Odisha, total cases reach 55

One more person tested positive for COVID-19 in Odisha on Monday taking the total number of coronavirus cases in the state to 55 even as the government withdrew containment zone restrictions in force at two places in Bhubaneswar and three in Cuttack, officials said.

The fresh COVID-19 patient is a 35-year-old man from Bomikhal area in Bhubaneswar, said state government's chief spokesperson on COVID-19, Suburoto Bagchi.

He said the new patient had come in contact with four others diagnosed with the disease earlier.

The man was staying at his home at Jaydurga Nagar of Bomikhal area since the lockdown from March 22 to April 12.

However, he was detected with COVID-19 during surveillance in the containment zone on April 13 though he was asymptomatic, the health department said, adding that the patient has been admitted to the COVID-19 hospital at the Kalinga Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS) here.

With this, the total number of positive cases in Bhubaneswar, considered as the corona hotspot in the state, has increased to 42. Earlier, 14 people from the same Bomikhal area had tested positive for the disease.

Of the 42 cases, 34 are active while seven people have recovered and discharged from hospitals. One COVID-19 patient had died on April 6.

One person from West Bengal is also under treatment at an exclusive COVID-19 hospital here.

Another man from Kalahandi district, who was infected with COVID-19, has recovered taking the total number of cured patients in the state to 13.

The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation on Monday withdrew containment zone restrictions imposed on two localities of Sunderpada and Jadupur-Begunia in the state capital, said BMC commissioner P C Chaudhary.

The decision was based on the house-to-house survey report and surveillance testing, he added.

However, Chaudhary said the residents of the localities will have to follow lockdown norms and maintain social distancing.

Meanwhile, the restrictions will continue to remain in force at three other locations including Surya Nagar, Satya Nagar and Bomikhal.

In a similar move, the district administration of Cuttack on Monday lifted containment zone restrictions from three places after the lone COVID-19 patient in the city made a complete recovery.

The decision was based on findings of the door to door survey and surveillance.

While the Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) announced withdrawal of containment zone restrictions from Pattapole in Cuttack city, Cuttack district collector said some localities under Salipur and Nischintkoeli blocks will no longer be considered as containment zones.

Cuttack district now has no containment zones, officials said.

However, containment zones declared in eight districts including Khurda, where Bhubaneswar is located, continue to be in force.

Other zones were located in Kendrapara (13 villages), Puri, Bhadrak, Sundergarh, Kalahandi, Ganjam, Jajpur (1 each).

Odisha has so far reported 55 COVID-19 positive cases. While 13 persons have recovered there are 41 active cases. A 72-year-old man died due to the virus on April 6.