Odisha reports 1,379 new COVID-19 cases, tally at 3,49,561

Odisha's COVID-19 tally mounted to 3,49,561 as the state registered this year's highest single-day spike of 1,379 new cases on Sunday, a health official said.

The coastal state recorded more than 1,000 coronavirus infections for three consecutive days as the daily caseload was at 1,282 on Friday and 1,374 on Saturday.

Of the new cases, 808 were reported from quarantine centres and 571 detected during contact tracing.

Sundargarh district recorded the maximum number of fresh cases at 317, followed by Khurda (158), Nuapada (90), Sambalpur (86).

The death toll remained at 1,926 as no fresh fatality due to the infection was reported since Saturday.

Odisha now has 7,979 active cases, while 3,39,603 patients have so far recovered from the disease.

The state has thus far conducted over 93.70 lakh sample tests, including 31,651 on Saturday, and the positivity rate stands at 3.73 per cent.

Meanwhile, the state has sealed its border with Chhattisgarh where the number of daily COVID-19 cases has been rising sharply, the official said.

The state government has intensified checking and patrolling exercise at its border, he said.

In view of the surge in coronavirus cases, the state government has appointed a few senior bureaucrats as observers in some districts to monitor the COVID management there.