Odisha has recorded the highest single day spike of 1981 Covid-19 positive cases, with the total tally mounting to 52653. The state has also reported nine covid-19 related death during the last 24 hours, taking the toll beyond 300. While 36478 persons have been cured, there still are 15808 cases under treatment. <br />'' <br />''Despite putting in place a robust mechanism of proactive responses against Covid-19, the trajectory of the virus in the state has been on the upswing, particularly during the last one month. The Government of Odisha has already initiated a couple of novel methods against the novel coronavirus which include investing the 'sarpanches' with the powers of a district collector in their respective jurisdiction to deepen community surveillance and 14 days mandatory but incentivised quarantine for the returnees with a view to arresting the surge in covid-19 caseload.<br />'' <br />''<span style="color: #222222;">Meanwhile five plasma banks are operating with encouraging results. The government has also decided to slap stricter penalty on the violators of the pandemic protocols that include  imprisonment up to two years and a fine upto 1 lakh rupees or both. The state, which has tested more than 7 lakh 65 thousand samples by now, is bracing itself to hike the daily tests to about 1 lakh. With such a slew of precautionary, preventive, curative and punitive measures, the state does expect to waylay the wayward virus, sooner than later.</span><br />