COVID-19: Odisha crosses 1,000-mark with 74 new cases

72 of the new cases detected in quarantine centres

Updated - May 20, 2020 09:00 pm IST

Published - May 20, 2020 12:24 pm IST - BHUBANESWAR

Migrant labourers are seen from a truck as they collect food packets donated by social workers in the outskirts of Bhubaneswar as they are returning to their home districts on May 17, 2020.

Migrant labourers are seen from a truck as they collect food packets donated by social workers in the outskirts of Bhubaneswar as they are returning to their home districts on May 17, 2020.

Odisha crossed the 1,000 mark of COVID-19 cases as 74 more people tested positive on Wednesday, taking the State’s total to 1,052.

According to the State Health & Family Welfare Department, 72 of the 74 new cases were detected in quarantine centres and the remaining two elsewhere.

The new cases detected include 28 in Boudh district, 11 from Puri, nine from Cuttack, seven from Khordha, six each from Ganjam and Jajpur, two in Malkangiri, and one each in Balasore, Dhenkanal and Kandhamal district.

The number of active cases in the State now stands at 739, while 307 persons had recovered, six persons died.

The sixth victim, a 70-year-old man of Khordha district, was admitted to the hospital with respiratory distress on Tuesday, was tested positive for COVID-19, the Health Department said.

The State recorded its first COVID-19 positive case on March 15 when a youth who returned from overseas was found positive for the disease.

In fact, more and more Odia migrant workers returning from other States have been testing positive during the past three weeks. The State reported a total of 143 positive cases by April 30.

The authorities are, however, not worried since a vast majority of positive cases are being detected in the temporary medical centres set up at the gram panchayat level.

Nearly two lakh Odias have already returned during the continuing lockdown so far. The State is expecting the return of over five lakh people from other States and overseas.

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