Bhubaneswar,News Today,23rd October 2020: Odisha continued to report less than 2,000 new Covid-19 cases for the fourth consecutive day bringing down the daily positivity rate to below five per cent (pc) for second successive day on Thursday. As many as 1,913 new infections were recorded, taking the tally to 2,76,094. The cumulative positivity rate, however, remained at 6.56 pc as against the national average of 6.96 pc. As the daily count declined considerably, the number of districts reporting more than 100 cases a day has also come down from 17 a month ago to three.
Of the 1,913 new cases, 1,109 were from quarantine and 804 local contacts. Khurda registered the maximum 254 cases, followed by Cuttack (150) and Angul (106). Among other districts, Jagatsinghpur and Sundargarh recorded 99 each and Mayurbhanj reported 92 cases.With the rise in recovery rate, the active cases have also reduced significantly. The number of active cases dropped to 17,804, lowest since August 15.
There is, however, no let up in the Covid fatalities as 15 more patients, including four women, succumbed to the disease. Additional Chief Secretary of Health department PK Mohapatra said the infection growth rate in the State has reduced below one pc and recovery rate increased. “But we have been witnessing a bad trend of people not coming forward for tests. Suppressing symptoms may turn fatal,” he warned and urged people with flu like symptoms to volunteer for Covid test .Meanwhile, the State Government has estimated a total 2,93,963 confirmed cases and 22,929 active cases by October 31. While third phase sero-survey in Bhubaneswar has been completed, the study will be conducted in Cuttack and Puri after Dussehra.