<span style="color: #222222;">In Odisha, the covid-19 caseload has decreased to 29443. While the cumulative caseload has increased to 244142 with 3144 fresh cases, the recovery has also increased to 213672 with 3455 patients reported cured from the infection on Thursday.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">With 16 fatalities yesterday, the death toll has also gone up to 974.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">AIR correspondent reports, though the State continues to grapple with covid-19 positive cases everyday, Ganjam district has ed the most positive of the stories on pandemic management for it to be satisfied about.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">The spectacular turnaround the district has achieved, from being the covid-19 hotspot in the state to being the one reporting far too few cases like only 38 on Thursday, has earned accolades from the University of Oxford.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">As revealed by the government in a meeting in Bhubaneswar on Thursday, empowered sarpanches, active village committees for intensive screening and assured healthcare have all made Ganjam a successful model of covid-19 management.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Meanwhile, in deference to the demands of priests and servitors alike, the state government has sought reports from the district collectors on the feasibility of opening up places of worship in the state, which continue to be off-limits to the devotees.</span><br />