13 more test positive for COVID-19 in Odisha, total count 74

(Eds: Updating the number of positive cases)

Bhubaneswar, Apr 20 () Thirteen more people tested positive for COVID-19 in Odisha on Monday, taking the total number of cases to 74 in the state, an official from the Health and Family Welfare Department said.

Of the 13 new COVID-19 positive cases, five each are from Bhadrak and Jajpur, two from Balasore and one from Sundergarh district, the official said.

"Contact tracing of all the new cases are going on and follow up action is also being taken," he said.

Out of the total 74 cases detected so far, 53 are male and 21 female, including a two-year-old girl.

"Twenty-three per cent of positive cases are between the age group of 41 and 60 years, while nine per cent in the age of 60 and above," the official said.

The number of active COVID-19 cases in Odisha is now 49. A total of 24 patients have been cured and a 72-year-old man from Bhubaneswar died due to coronavirus.

A total of 10,641 samples have been tested so far, including 1,731 rapid antibody tests.

"Ten persons of Bhadrak and Jajpur districts with recent travel history to West Bengal have tested positive for COVID-19 during the last 24 hours. All people with travel history to West Bengal during the last 28 days are requested to inform the local sarpanch, block development officer or tehsildar and quarantine themselves at home," the Health and Family Welfare Department said in an appeal.

Following detection of five new cases, the Bhadrak district administration on Monday declared Basudevpur and Bhandaripokhari blocks as containment zones.

Three of the five fresh cases in Bhadrak district are from Basudevpur block and two from Bhandaripokhari, Bhadrak District Collector Gyana Das told reporters.

Of the total 74 cases, 46 COVID-19 positive cases are from Khordha district, eight from Bhadrak, seven from Jajpur, three each from Balasore and Sundergarh, two each from Kendrapara and Kalahandi, and one each from Cuttack, Dhenkanal and Puri districts. AAM RG SNESNE