The Odisha government has urged the Centre to provide at least 50,000 doses of the Corbevax vaccine amid a rise in cases of coronavirus.

Odisha on Tuesday reported 141 fresh Covid-19 cases as the number of active cases in the state surged to 731. Only one death was reported from Sundergarh on Sunday.

Bijaya Kumar Panigrahy, director of family welfare, told The Telegraph: “There has been a rise in covid cases in Odisha. We have asked the ministry of family and health welfare to provide 50,000 doses of Corbevax. We need the doses as a precaution. But the doses should have a long expiry date and can be preserved here.”

On the immunisation programme, he said: “When covid was at its peak, we covered 97 per cent of the population and all of them were administered the precautionary doses. Later 91 per cent of people turned up for a second dose. But only 41 per cent of people turned up to take the booster doses. We require 50,000 doses of Corbevax so that those who need to be vaccinated would be given the doses.”

Sources said the government would give these Corbevax vaccine doses to the front-line workers to contain the spread of the virus. The Centre has approved it as a precautionary dose after the completion of six months from the date of administration of the second dose of either Covishield or Covaxin for the population above 18 years.

The state has alerted its district officials to gear up their machinery to face the caseload. It also organised mock drills across the state on Monday and Tuesday to ensure that it remains prepared to deal with the rising covid cases. All the hospitals have been asked to see whether they have the required drugs.

"They need to check that the required medicines in the stores are not outdated. They have been asked to see whether they have the required logistic support and equipment like beds to face the sudden rise of covid caseload in their areas,” Panigrahi said.

Director of public health Niranjan Mishra said: “Most of the patients have minor symptoms and there is nothing to worry about. Only serious patients are undergoing treatment.”