Odisha reports 234 new COVID-19 cases, bans public gatherings in festivals

The Odisha government on Friday issued fresh guidelines banning large congregations for religious festivals, as the state's COVID-19 tally mounted to 3,39,694 with 234 new cases.

Seventy-three more people were cured of the disease during the day, taking the total number of recoveries to 3,36,482, which is 99.05 per cent of the caseload.

The government also expressed displeasure over the "insufficient and erratic" supply of COVID-19 vaccines to the state.

In a letter to the Centre, Additional Chief Secretary, Health and Family Welfare department, P K Mohapatra said there should not be any discrimination among the states in vaccine supply.

Of the new cases, 139 were reported from quarantine centres and 95 detected during contact tracing.

Nuapada district, bordering Chhattisgarh, recorded the highest number of fresh cases at 33, followed by Khurda (32), Cuttack (29) and Bargarh (24).

The death toll in the coastal state remained at 1,919 as no fresh fatality has been reported since March 22.

Fifty-three other COVID-19 patients have also died due to comorbidities in the state, he said.

The state currently has 1,240 active cases, which is 0.36 per cent of the caseload.

Odisha has so far conducted over 89.20 lakh sample tests for COVID-19, including 28,662 on Thursday.

Meanwhile, an order issued by the chief secretary said, "In the interest of the health of the general public and for containment of the spread of COVID-19, it is hereby directed that congregations for celebrations of festivals like 'Good Friday', 'Easter', 'Pana Sankranti', 'Jhamu Jatra', 'Danda Jatra' and 'Sri Ram Navami' and associated religious and cultural gatherings shall not be allowed in public throughout the state." The order also said the state is passing through a "critical situation" due to the detection of a new variant of COVID-19.

It said religious rituals in churches, temples and other places of worship will continue as usual with a limited number of people and strict adherence to the COVID-19 protocol.

Considering the local conditions, collectors and municipal commissioners may impose appropriate restrictions on the entry of devotees into places of worship.

In a separate order, the state government also made it clear that large congregations for the celebrations of 'Utkala Dibasa' (Odisha Day) and related cultural functions will not be allowed across the state on April 1.

The official meetings and celebrations of 'Utkala Dibasa' shall be carried out with a maximum of 200 participants amid strict adherence to the COVID-19 protocols.

Other organisations and private institutions that are willing to observe 'Utkala Dibasa' are required to take prior approval from the local administration, it added.