Bhubaneswar, May 14 (IANS): The Odisha government has decided to increase the bed capacity in the COVID hospitals to 10,000, said Health Minister Naba Kishore Das on Thursday.

"While we had earlier targeted to keep 6,000 beds ready in the state, additional 4,000 will be added in coming days," said Das.

It was decided at the COVID-19 inter-ministerial meeting held on Thursday through a video conference.

As per direction of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to ramp up COVID-19 testing capacity upto 15,000 per day, steps are being taken to start testing facility in Bolangir, Koraput and Baripada Medical College and Hospital.

The number of swab samples testing for COVID-19 in Odisha will soon be increased to 15,000 per day and that ICMR has now given permission to private laboratories in the state to perform the tests, said the minister.

Odisha has reported 611 COVID-19 positive cases so far. While 158 persons have recovered so far, three died of the disease. The active cases stood at 450.