Odisha reports only one fresh COVID-19 case after two years

Odisha on Saturday reported only one fresh COVID-19 case for the first time since the outbreak of the pandemic, a health official said.

Thirteen of the 30 districts have turned coronavirus free, the official said.

The development has brought some relief to the medical personnel even as Delhi and several states are reporting a spike in COVID-19 cases.

"For the first time in over two years, Odisha has reported only one COVID-19 case," the official said, adding that the first infection was detected in Bhubaneswar on March 16, 2020.

Odisha's first COVID-19 patient was a student, who had returned from Italy, and had subsequently recovered from the disease.

The state's tally now stands at 12,87,980. The total number of active cases has dropped to 85, while 12,78,718 patients have recovered from the disease and 9,124 have succumbed to the infection to date.

Besides, 53 other COVID-19 patients have died due to comorbidities, he said.

The administration tested 19,500 samples for COVID-19 in the last 24 hours.

Though only one fresh case was detected, Health Services Director Bijay Mohapatra said that the next three weeks will be crucial for Odisha as it has been noted that infections spread to the state a month after spike in cases in the national capital.

He urged people to maintain all COVID-19 protocols to prevent a resurgence in cases in the state.

Mohapatra suggested that parents maintain strict vigil on their children who haven't been fully vaccinated.

If children exhibit symptoms, they should undergo testing and maintain isolation, he added.