*Odisha Health Secretary Urges Calm, Not To Panic After COVID Case Detected in Bhubaneswar*

*Bhubaneswar, May 22*: A Covid-19 case has been reported in Bhubaneswar, raising concerns as the patient, who recently returned from Delhi, is currently under quarantine. Authorities are awaiting lab test results to determine the specific strain of the virus.

Against this backdrop, Aswathy S, Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Odisha Health Department, has urged the public not to panic. She stated that while Covid has not been entirely eradicated from the country, only sporadic cases are being detected and the current strains tend to be milder.

Speaking to reporters, she clarified that the individual who tested positive also has co-morbidities, suggesting that Covid is not the sole cause of concern in this case. "The strain currently circulating in the country is less severe and typically causes mild illness," she added.

Reassuring the public, the Health Secretary emphasized that both the State Government and the Health Department are closely monitoring the situation. “We are alert,” she stated, adding that the Government of India and the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) have not issued any new Covid-related guidelines following this case. However, the Odisha government has directed the Health Department to maintain vigilance.

The Health Department continues to monitor the situation and will take appropriate steps based on the findings of the pending lab test report.