Combating COVID-19: Odisha to conduct 5,000 tests in Bhubaneswar

Odisha government would be conducting 5,000 tests during the next seven days in Bhubaneswar, which has become a hotspot in the State with 46 coronavirus cases till now.

"Odisha to conduct 5,000 tests during the next seven days in Bhubaneswar. There are 60 positive cases of coronavirus in the State as of now with no new cases reported in the last two days. 19 people have cured. Out of 60 cases, 46 are from Bhubaneswar," said Odisha Chief Secretary Asit Kumar Tripathy.

He said that as per the categorisation, Bhubaneswar comes under hotspot. "We have divided Bhubaneswar into three containment zones. A special officer has been appointed to look after the government's engagements," he said.

Tripathy said that under the strategy, we have prepared a priority list for testing and we are going to maximise the testing of samples in Bhubaneswar. "In the next seven days, we will collect 5,000 samples from the city as per the priority list prepared by the Health Department," he said.

The Chief Secretary said that under the priority one, persons having travel history, contact persons of positive cases, persons from containment zone, etc., will be tested. Under priority two, healthcare workers, station workers, police personnel, and the staff of COVID-19 hospitals will be tested. Under priority three, people above 60 years with co-morbidity and under priority four random population will be tested.

The State's Health Department has also taken the decision to prohibit spitting in public places. From now, spitting in public places will be an offence under the COVID Regulation Act, and violators will penalised with Rs 200 for first three instances and Rs 500 for the subsequent violation, said the Chief Secretary.

( With inputs from ANI )

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