21 people who returned to Odisha from Surat test positive for COVID-19

Odisha on Thursday reported the highest number of COVID-19 cases in a day as 21 people, who recently returned from Surat, tested positive for coronavirus, an official said.

With these new cases, the total number of people afflicted with the disease has climbed to 206, he said.

Of the 21 new patients, 17 are from Ganjam district and four from Mayurbhanj, a new one in the list of districts where coronavirus cases have been reported, an official from the Information and Public Relations department said.

"These new patients have recently returned from Surat and are in quarantine centres," the official said.

Following the spurt in COVID-19 cases, the state government declared Ganjam as a red zone while Mayurbhanj and Jagatsinghpur were classified as orange zones.

Jagatsinghpur had reported four cases on Wednesday.

The first case in Ganjam was reported on May 2 and since then, there has been a sudden spurt in the number of cases, the official said.

"All necessary stipulations by the Centre .