Odisha reports 82 new COVID-19 cases, 1 fresh fatality

Come forward and getvaccinated, the DGP said.Many senior IPS and IAS officers posted pictures onsocial media of them getting inoculated in different parts ofthe state.Meanwhile, the Cuttack district administration haswithdrawn a controversial order to block the salary of peoplewho refuse to get vaccinated.We had no intention to force anyone or threaten tocut salary for refusing to get vaccinated.

Odisha's COVID-19 tally roseto 3,35,548 on Saturday as 82 more people tested positive forthe infection, while one fresh fatality pushed the state'scoronavirus death toll to 1,909, a health official said.

As many as 109 more people have been cured of thedisease, taking the total number of recoveries to 3,32,842,which is 99.19 per cent of the caseload, he said.

DGP Abhay was among the 22,986 frontline workers whowere vaccinated during the launch of the second phase of theinoculation drive in the state.

As many as 2,52,069 health workers including HealthDepartment Additional Chief Secretary P K Mohapatra, have sofar been inoculated.

The state has targeted to vaccinate 3,38,700 healthworkers by February 10, officials said.

Forty-nine new cases were reported in quarantinecentres, while 33 infections were detected during contacttracing.

Sundergarh district reported the highest number of newcases at 15, followed by Angul (nine) and Sambalpur (seven).

Odisha now has 744 active COVID-19 cases.

The state has so far tested over 78.40 lakh samplesfor COVID-19, including 20,856 on Friday.

Apart from DGP Abhay, Commissioner of Police SudhanshuSarangi and several other senior police officers were alsoadministered the COVID-19 vaccine in Cuttack.

''The government has issued the vaccine for us after aproper trial. There is no need to panic. Come forward and getvaccinated,'' the DGP said.

Many senior IPS and IAS officers posted pictures onsocial media of them getting inoculated in different parts ofthe state.

Meanwhile, the Cuttack district administration haswithdrawn a controversial order to block the salary of peoplewho refuse to get vaccinated.

''We had no intention to force anyone or threaten tocut salary for refusing to get vaccinated. But one needs tounderstand that once a person registers his/her name, avaccine is brought for him/her. It may get spoiled if notadministered on time,'' Cuttack Collector B S Chayani said.