Governor Ganeshi Lal takes the vaccine in Bhubaneswar on Monday
BHUBANESWAR: Though the fresh Covid infection count in Odisha has sharply increased in the past two weeks, there has been no significant rise in hospitalisations or deaths.
Odisha has added more than 4,300 new infections since March 22. However, the state saw only three Covid deaths in the same period, while around 300 patients are currently hospitalised, including 110 in ICUs. The state has reported only one death in the past one week, a government source said.
After 573 more persons tested positive on Monday, in the highest single-day infection count in four months, the state’s active cases rose to 3,358. Around 90% patients are in home isolation as they are either asymptomatic or have very mild symptoms.
A vaccination centre in Berhampur shut on Monday owing to poor supply
BHUBANESWAR: The state health department on Monday once again wrote to the Centre highlighting the “acute shortage of Covishield vaccine” in the state.
In a letter to Union health secretary Rajesh Bhushan, additional chief secretary (health) Pradipta Mohapatra said the state has only enough stock to last two days.
Stating that the Union health ministry has been requested to supply at least 15 lakh doses of Covishield immediately amid the surge in cases and the impending heat wave, Mohapatra pointed out, “We have been assured that 3,49,130 doses of Covisheild will reach here on April 6. It will not be sufficient for even two days.”
Senior students at a government school in the city. State-run schools are conducting offline classes
BHUBANESWAR: In the wake of spurt in Covid-19 cases in Odisha, many private school in the city have decided not to start offline classes for the new academic session. The state government had allowed offline classes for classes IX to XII.
However, state-run schools are continuing offline classes for class IX to XII students as the final examinations are yet to be completed and new academic session has not started. A plus two student of BJB higher secondary school has tested Covid-19 positive.
Chairman of Confederation of Odisha Private Schools B N Patnaik said, “All schools have decided to go for online classes this year too from Monday. Until all teachers and students are vaccinated we are not going to resume offline classes and safety of children is of paramount important to us.”
The sepoy’s wife on Monday lodged a complaint with the commissioner of police Saumendra Priyadarshi against DCP (armed) (Representative image)
BHUBANESWAR: A senior police officer of the commissionerate police has landed in controversy for allegedly seeking sexual favours with the help of a sepoy posted at Odisha Special Armed Police’s (OSAP) 7th Battalion here.
The sepoy’s wife on Monday lodged a complaint with the commissioner of police Saumendra Priyadarshi against the deputy commissioner of police (armed) Bijay Kumar Sahoo for forcing her husband to supply women to him.
She alleged that her husband Nihar Ranjan Nayak was being mentally tortured by Sahoo after he turned down the officer’s demand.
Villagers of Potu Senari from Kotia panchayat in Koraput gather to cast votes in the recent panchayat election in Andhra Pradesh
KORAPUT: The Odisha government on Monday decided to file an injunction before the Supreme Court against fresh attempts by Andhra Pradesh to conduct panchayat election in some parts of the Kotia group of villages.
“The government after careful consideration has decided to file a suit under Article-131 of the Constitution before the Supreme Court of India against the state of Andhra Pradesh and its officers for appropriate relief in relation to the Kotia dispute,” a letter by the state’s law department states.