The number of daily Covid-19 cases crossed the 800-mark in the State on Thursday with 804 persons being infected in 26 districts and the State pool. With this, the total tally increased to 12,96,132.
Among the newly-infected were 71 children in the age group of 0 to 18 years.
Notably, the State had reported 573 Covid cases on Wednesday.
Out of the new cases, 471 were from quarantine and 333 local contacts.
Khordha district reported the day’s highest 307 cases followed by Cuttack with 119, Sundargarh 80, Sambalpur 30, Puri and Mayurbhanj 28 each, Jajpur 19, Jagatsinghpur 18, Nayagarh 17, Baleswar 11, Bhadrak, Jharsuguda, Nuapada and Subarnapur nine each, Kalahandi eight, Koraput six, Balangir, Gajapati and Keonjhar five each, Angul three, Boudh and Rayagada two each and Bargarh, Deogarh, Kandhamal and Malkangiri one each.
Besides, 71 cases were detected from the State pool.
The active cases numbered 4,262.
So far, 9,127 patients have succumbed to the disease and 12,82,690 have recovered from it in the State.
Meanwhile, reviewing the Covid situation in the State at a high-level meeting on Thursday here, Chief Secretary Suresh Mahapatra asked to begin immunisation of people between 18 and 59 years, increase Covid tests, activate the 24x7 call centres and spread awareness among the people.
Mahapatra also asked the people to wear mask, maintain social distancing, not to create crowd and avoid crowded places besides sticking to Covid-appropriate behaviours.
Principal Secretary Health NB Dhal asked the officials to start the immunisation programme at the ward level in urban areas and panchayats in rural areas.
Development Commissioner PK Jena asked to engage health workers, Anganwadi workers, local representatives, NGOs and WSHGs in the immunisation drive.