No COVID Case In Odisha Since Dec 3; Govt Advises Elderly & Those With Comorbidities To Mask Up

Bhubaneswar: With COVID rearing its ugly head again, the Odisha government has advised elderly and those with co-morbid conditions to mask up.

While no new cases have been detected in Odisha since December 3, when one person had tested positive for the virus, the number of active cases has climbed to 2,997 in the country with emergence of JN.1, a sub-variant of the BA 2.86 Omicron strain. “Most cases have been reported from Kerala and those infected are elderly with comorbidities. Therefore, elderly suffering from diabetes and hypertension are required to be cautious. Those suffering from cold should isolate themselves, get tested, wear mask, and avoid crowded places,” Public Health Director Niranjan Mishra told the media.

Of the 328 coronavirus infections reported nationwide till 8 am on Friday, 265 were from Kerala, taking the active cases in the state to 2,606. One person has also died of the infection in Kerala.

The health official further said that JN.1 COVID variant has shown no evidence of increased severity and people are recovering after having symptoms of cough, cold and fever. “More than 98% of those infected have recovered in home isolation. Hospitalisation rate is very negligible. There is nothing to panic. In last 10 days, active cases in Odisha is also zero,” he said.

Notably, Karnataka government has made wearing of masks mandatory in public places for people above 60 years, those with comorbidities like heart and kidney disease, and those with COVID-19 like symptoms of cold and cough, as a precautionary measure to combat the infection.

Speaking to the media, Director of Health Services Bijay Kumar Mohapatra clarified that no guideline has been issued making the wearing of face masks mandatory for people. “The testing centre will be increased if required,” he said.