‘All COVID-19 patients in Odisha to get free treatment’

Bhubaneswar: At a time when the COVID-19 pandemic gripped nations, the Odisha government today said it will bear all kind of treatment expenses of COVID-19 patients.

Odisha government’s Chief Spokesperson on COVID-19 Subroto Bagchi said, “The government is setting up two COVID hospitals in Bhubaneswar and agreements with private parties have been signed in connection with this. All kinds of treatment will be provided to COVID patients at the two hospitals free of cost. The State government will bear all the expenses of these patients. There will be no constraint of funds for their treatment. Meanwhile, we wish no one gets contracted with COVID-19.”

In Odisha, three persons have tested positive for the deadly COVID-19 so far. Till 3 pm today, the government received reports of 370 samples. Of them, three persons were found to be positive for the virus, Bagchi said.

A total of 76 persons have been kept in isolation in different hospitals in the State. He further said 10,217 persons have registered themselves through COVID portal and Helpline- 104. Of them 4,291 returned from abroad while 5,926 were returnees from other States.

The two COVID hospitals with capacity of 500 bed each will come up in SUM Hospital and KIMS Hospital in Bhubaneswar in 15 days on public private partnership mode. Couple of days back, the State government signed agreements with the two private hospitals.

Bagchi further informed as many as 1,25,237 people in 2261 panchayats, who are unable to get food due to lockdown, have received cooked food. Similarly, cooked food have been provided to 19,816 people at 80 camps in urban areas.