Bhubaneswar, Jan 23 (IANS): Daily Covid-19 cases in Odisha dipped to 8,520 on Sunday with test positivity rate (TPR) slipping further to 11.7 per cent.

The state had reported 11,607 on January 19, and since then, the daily Covid infection graph is on downward trend. Odisha has registered 10,368 cases on January 20, 9,833 cases on January 21 and 8,845 cases on January 22.

Similarly, the daily test positivity rate is also coming down in the State. The TPR, which was 16.7 per cent on January 19, has dropped to 13.97 per cent on January 20 from 13.21 per cent recorded on January 21. And it further dipped to 12.89 per cent on January 22.

Of the fresh Covid-19 cases, highest (2,262) have been reported from Khurda district, followed by Sundargarh (932), Cuttack (789), Balasore (346), Jajpur (253), Kalahandi (226), Bolangir (217), and Nayagarh (216). Other districts in Odisha reported below 200 cases on Sunday. With this, the active caseload in the state now stands at 85,320.

The state also reported six more Covid-19 deaths, taking the death toll to 8,520. The deaths were reported from Angul, Balasore, Bhadrak, Cuttack, Kandhamal and Sundergarh districts.

State Director of Health Services, Bijay Mohapatra said the Covid cases are falling since past few days without decreasing the number of Covid testing. "About 70,000 tests are being carried out daily in the state. So, it is a good sign for all of us," he said, but added that it would take a few more days to know whether the peak of infections has been reached or not.