Record 2,496 new COVID cases in Odisha push tally to 57,126; death toll reaches 333

Odisha on Saturday reported record 2,496 fresh COVID-19 cases, taking state's tally to 57,126, a health department official said. Nine coronavirus patients also succumbed to disease, following which death toll rose to 333, he said.

state also reported recovery of as many as 1,521 patients taking total number of people cured of disease to 40,727, which is 71.29 per cent of state's total caselo.

Odisha w has 16,013 active COVID-19 cases. Of new infections, 1,591 were reported from among people lodged in various quarantine centres, while 905 were detected during contact tracing. fresh cases were found in 29 of state's 30 districts. Khurda district, of which state capital Bhubaneswar is a part, reported maximum number of new cases at 378, followed by Ganjam at 327, Balasore at 165, Sundargarh at 156, Rayaga at 146 and Koraput at 133.

"Regret to inform of demise of nine COVID positive patients while under treatment in hospitals," Health and Family Welfare Department said in a twitter. Of nine fatalities, four were reported from Sambalpur district, two from Cuttack and one each from Ganjam, Keonjhar and Nayagarh. Besides, 53 more COVID-19 patients have lost ir lives in state but se fatalities have been attributed to or reasons.

Odisha also tested record 47,887 samples for COVID-19 on Friday. So far, state has conducted 8,55,713 tests. state government in a statement said that re has been a sharp decline in rate of positivity. On July 21, rate of positivity was 10.78 per cent while it has come down to 5.2 per cent on August 14.