Odisha on Covid alert ahead of Rath Yatra after two deaths in Andhra Pradesh

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has intensified Covid-19 surveillance and preparedness measures ahead of the annual Rath Yatra in Puri, following a rise in active cases and two reported Covid-19 deaths in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh.

State health authorities said no confirmed Covid-19 cases have been detected in Odisha so far. However, surveillance has been strengthened to ensure that any potential infections are identified and contained at the earliest.

Odisha Public Health Director Rabindranath Mishra said regular Covid-19 testing is being conducted at healthcare facilities across the state. He stressed that there is no immediate cause for concern but said the government remains vigilant in view of the evolving situation.

As part of the enhanced surveillance, all hospitals have been instructed to carry out mandatory Covid-19 testing for patients presenting with Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI). Ganjam district, which shares a border with Andhra Pradesh, has also been placed on high alert following the increase in infections across the state border.

The precautionary measures come as Odisha prepares for the world-famous Rath Yatra in Puri, one of India's largest religious gatherings. The annual festival attracts millions of devotees who take part in the procession of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra from the Jagannath Temple to the Gundicha Temple.

Meanwhile, the Tamil Nadu government has sought to reassure the public, stating that there is currently no evidence of a surge in Covid-19 cases or the circulation of a highly virulent variant in the state.

The Directorate of Public Health and Preventive Medicine said it is closely monitoring the situation and urged people to rely on official information rather than rumours.

The clarification came after a 52-year-old man from Andhra Pradesh, who had been shifted from a private hospital in Tirupati to Vellore, died after being diagnosed with both Covid-19 and Klebsiella pneumoniae, a common bacterial infection. While two other deaths have also been reported in Andhra Pradesh, authorities have not confirmed whether they were directly linked to Covid-19.

Tamil Nadu officials said Covid-19 surveillance continues under the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme. Routine testing is being carried out for patients with severe respiratory illness who are not responding to treatment, those undergoing pre-operative screening before surgeries, and other patients where clinically indicated.