Bhubaneswar : Odisha reported a record spike of 12,390 covid positive cases and 22 deaths in the past 24 hours pushing the covid tally in the state to 5,88,687 with 2273 fatalities.
Since May 1, the daily covid infection cases have been registering over 10,000 barrings on May 10 when it dipped to 9793.
On May 12 last the state reported the highest number of 12,238 covid positive cases which was surpassed in the last 24 hours when 12,390 cases were registered from all the 30 districts.
In fact, for the first time, all the 30 districts in the state reported more than 100 covid positive cases in a single day with Khordha district registering a record and highest number of 2201 cases.
The district has so far also registered the highest number of 91,850 covid positive cases, 15937 active cases and 400 covid deaths. The other two districts which have the highest covid positive cases recorded so far are Cuttack ( 46160)and Sundargarh ( 43,005 ). In May till date, the state has reported 1,30,080 covid infection,96,595 active cases and 219 deaths.
Official sources said out of 12390 new cases,6938 were reported from various quarantine centres and the rest 5452 are local contact cases.
As many as six districts- Khordha, Sundargarh, Cuttack, Sambalpur, Angul and Bargarh have reported more than 500 covid positive cases in the past 24 hours.
As many as 22 covid patients undergoing treatment succumbed to the virus in the past 24 hours. They included four from Khordha district, three from Angul, two each from Kalahandi, Kendrapara, Rayagada and Sundargarh while one each died in seven other districts.
Official sources said till midnight of May 13, about 1,07.,69,312 tests were conducted in the state and 5,88,687, almost 5.47 per cent of them found infected with the coronavirus.
To date, however, 4,82,345 of them have been recovered while the active cases stand at 1,04,016.
Meanwhile, in a significant decision, the Odisha government has included more categories of staff as Front line workers for priority in Covid Vaccination.
The Forest officials and guards, Banking, Railway staff, DCPU Childline, Oxygen plant staff, filling station and call centres employees are declared as Front line Covid workers.
The government veterinary doctors, livestock inspectors and para veterinarians are also included as front line covid workers.
With lockdown and weekend shutdown in force, the covid enforcement has been strengthened across the state with the deployment of 159 platoons of the police force to strictly implement the covid regulations and strongly deal with the violators.
According to Additional Director General of Police ( law and order) J K Jethwa, so far over one lakh covid regulation violators have been prosecuted, 269 arrested and 8200 vehicles, both two-wheelers and four-wheeler have been seized by the police.
Considering the high surge of the covid cases in the twin cities of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack, the Commissioner of Police has banned morning walk, evening walk and cycling during the lockdown and shut down period in a bid to prevent the spread of the virus.
The government, Mr Jethwa said has constituted 22 flying squad comprising officials of the Crime Branch, STF personnel and Drug inspectors to keep a strong vigil on the black marketers, hoarders and the private hospitals overcharging the covid patients illegally violating the rate chart fixed by the state government.
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