The rapid and pool tests will be conducted apart fromregular sample tests, he said.
"Rapid tests have started in Bhubaneswar, whichreported 46 of the total 61 coronavirus cases in Odisha, whileefforts are on to commence pool tests of samples at VIMSAR,Burla from Sunday," the minister said.
He said 90 samples will be initially tested every dayat the institute and the numbers will later be increased.
The state administration has already received 6,000rapid testing kits from the Indian Council of Medical Research(ICMR) in the first phase, Health and Family WelfareDepartment Secretary N B Dhal said.
"Antibody rapid tests for COVID-19 has commenced inBhubaneswar from Saturday. A total of 838 samples werecollected for tests on the first day. Tests in the city arebeing done with the help of the Bhubaneswar MunicipalCorporation," he said.
Dhal said the residents of the city have beenrequested to contact their respective RWA (Resident WelfareAssociation), ANM, ASHA or ward officer for the tests.
"It is a serological test in which blood is taken fromthe vein and the result is known in 15-30 minutes. This testis primarily done for surveillance," the official said.
He said if a person's blood test shows the presence ofa lesser number of antibodies than what is required to fightnovel coronavirus, his or her swab and nasal fluid sampleswill be collected and sent for COVID-19 test.
"The state government has planned to conduct 5,000tests in Bhubaneswar in a week. Frontline personnel such ashealthcare and sanitation workers, policemen, deliverymen,vegetable vendors, milk booth owners and people living incontainment zones and nearby slums will be initially tested ona priority basis," Dhal said.
The Health and Family Welfare Department hascategorised residents of Bhubaneswar in three priority listsas per their vulnerability to contracting the disease, hesaid.
Dhal claimed that Bhubaneswar is safe due to timelyintervention and prompt contact tracing of persons suspectedto be infected with the disease and their mandatory quarantinefollowed by sample test.
The state health department has released data statingthat till April 14, the highest percentage of samples per onelakh population has been tested in Bhubaneswar when comparedto other states and cities.
A total of 189.8 samples were tested per one lakhpopulation in Bhubaneswar while the corresponding number forMumbai is 180.5 and Thane is 119.3, as per the healthdepartment's data.
The average tests per 10 lakh population in Odishatouched 191 on Saturday, Dhal said.
The official said the COVID-19 tests are graduallyincreasing in the state with each passing week.
Only 227 samples were tested till March 27 while thenumber rose to 9,690 till the midnight of April 18, he said.
The samples were initially tested only at RMRC,Bhubaneswar till March 27 but later AIIMS, Bhubaneswar and SCBMedical College and Hospital, Cuttack were also authorised bythe ICMR to conduct the tests, Dhal said.
The sample tests increased to 3,547 in the third weekfrom April 4 to April 10. In that week alone, 2,152 sampleswere tested at RMRC, AIIMS, Bhubaneswar and SCB, Cuttack, hesaid.
In the fourth week from April 11 to April 17, thecumulative tests reached 8,619 including 5,072 tests in thatweek. The tests were also being conducted at the Institute ofLife Science, Bhubaneswar, MKCG, Berhampur and Ispat GeneralHospital (IGH), Rourkela, Dhal said.
Of the 9,690 samples tested till date, 61 have testedpositive for the disease and 9,629 have tested negative, headded. AAMACD ACD