Bhubaneswar: With Maharashtra reverting to lockdown like conditions in some of its districts, taking a proactive approach, the Odisha government on Friday directed all district Collectors to remain on alert.
As per the latest Union Health Ministry data, as many 75 per cent of the new confirmed cases are now from two states – Maharashtra and Kerala.
Sensing the threat of viral spread in the State, the additional chief secretary (Health) PK Mohapatra today sent a missive to the all Collectors, Municipal Commissioners, Police Commissioner directing them to ensure strict enforcement of COVID behaviour in their respective districts to avoid the return of corona virus to the State.
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“In view of movement of persons across the country, it is quite possible that such a situation may arise in Odisha unless adequate precautions are taken,” wrote Mohapatra.
The State government has further directed district Collectors and Municipal Commissioners to maintain adequate testing levels as per the guidelines.
“Special care is to be taken to ensure that these measures are implemented in crowded places such as markets, religious institutions and other public places. There should not be any deviation in implementing the above instructions,” Mohapatra mentioned so quite conspicuously.
COVID SCENARIO IN ODISHA TODAY
According to I &PR department report, 53 new COVID-19 cases were reported from different parts of the State in the past 24 hours. The highest of 11 new positive cases were reported from Sambalpur, followed by Sundergarh (7), Jharsuguda (5) and Jajpur (4).
The number of new COVID cases detected today in earlier hotspots like Cuttack and Khordha districts stood at 3 cases each.
Meanwhile, the total COVID-19 tally in Odisha till date has touched 3.365 lakh. But in the all-important indicator of active cases, the count in the State stands at 658, though a total of 1,914 persons in the State have succumbed to the virus so far.