COVID-19: All 103 samples test negative in Odisha

All 103 samples examined for

coronavirus infection on Monday have tested negative in Odisha, officials said.

Though it comes as a big relief, the authorities will not be complacent in their fight against COVID-19, they said.

With this, a total of 473 samples have been tested for COVID-19 of which three have tested positive in the state.

The three positive cases were reported in a span of 15 days, they said.

The state government on Monday sent 103 samples, 80 samples to RMRC, Bhubaneswar and 23 to AIIMS, Bhubaneswar. All the samples tested negative for coronavirus, said a senior health department official.

What gave added relief to the health experts and the state government was that the condition of the three COVID-19 positive patients is stable. Patient-3 had no fever for last two days, they said.

It comes as a big relief for us, but we are not going to be complacent. The fight against the spread of COVID-19 is being conducted in a vigorous manner, they said.

Though no fresh COVID-19 positive case has been detected in Odisha since March 26, the state government is not giving scope for any relaxation in the enforcement of the 21-day lockdown which aims at containing the spread of the deadly virus, said a senior official.

A 33-year-old researcher who had returned from Italy had tested positive for novel coronavirus on March 16 while another 19-year-old man who had visited the UK tested positive for COVID-19 on March 20.

The third patient, a 60-year old bank officer, had no foreign tour history.

Together, the three patients had come in contact with 176 persons. Meanwhile, a fake hand sanitiser manufacturing unit has been busted in Jharapada area on Monday.

Two persons were detained and adulterated hand sanitisers worth Rs 3 lakh, artificial colours and other chemicals were seized from the unit, an official said.

State Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister R P Swain has admitted that some traders are selling essential commodities at exorbitant prices during the lockdown period.

We appeal to the traders to behave in a humanitarian manner during this crisis," the minister said.