Omicron cases witnessed a steep hike in the State as 23 new cases were reported on Sunday, increasing the total tally to 37, All the samples were sent for genome sequencing at the Institute Of Life Sciences (ILS), Bhubaneswar.
Notably, the State had first reported two cases of Omicron infection on December 21 last.
Besides, the State on Sunday also reported a massive surge of 424 Covid-19 positive cases in 20 districts and the State pool, increasing the total tally to 10,55,556.
This was the highest number of cases reported in a single day in the State after almost two months.
Among those infected were 67 children in the age group of 0 to 18 years.
Notably, the State had reported 298 cases on Saturday.
Out of the new cases, 249 were from quarantine and 175 local contacts.
Khordha district reported the maximum 177 cases followed by Cuttack with 45, Sundargarh 38, Sambalpur and Jharsuguda 15 each, Puri 14 and Bargarh 10.
The districts which reported below-10 cases were Jajpur nine, Baleswar, Jagatsinghpur and Mayurbhanj eight each, Nabarangpur seven, Ganjam and Rayagada four, Dhenkanal three Kalahandi two and Balangir, Boudh and Kendrapada one each.
Besides, 40 cases were reported from the State pool.
The active cases stood at 2,078.
One more person succumbed to the disease, taking the total death to 8,463. The lone fatality was reported from Khordha district.
However, 147 more patients recovered, increasing the total recoveries to 10,45,109.