BHOPAL: Massive surge in COVID-19 cases was reported in Madhya Pradesh on Wednesday, with the central Indian state reporting 594 cases and one death in the last 24 hours, taking the total active cases in the state to 1544 cases.
On the lines of the previous two waves of the killer viral ailment, the third wave too is being driven by the state’s most populated city Indore and capital city Bhopal. Indore reported a maximum 319 cases and one death in the last 24 hours. The day’s positivity rate which stood at 1.83% (137 cases) on Tuesday shot to 3.91% with 319 cases on Wednesday. The state’s single day positivity too grew to 0.99% compared to 0.53% of the previous day.
Prior to this single day spike of maximum 326 cases was reported in Indore during the second wave on March 20, but the day’s positivity at that time was far more higher at 7.63%.
The state capital Bhopal was second only to Indore when it came to fresh cases, reporting 92 cases at day’s positivity of 1.58% in the last 24 hours, compared to 69 fresh cases at 1.19% in the previous 24 hours. The state’s single day positivity too grew to 0.99% compared to 0.53% of the previous day.
The two cities, Indore and Bhopal, accounted for 69.19% of the total 594 fresh cases reported in the state in the last 24 hours.
The other districts which reported significant spurt in cases, included 58 cases in Gwalior, 23 cases in Jabalpur, 15 in Sagar and 14 cases in Vidisha. More than 20 out of the 52 districts in the state now have active cases.
The state now has 1544 active cases, including 820 cases in Indore and 261 cases in Bhopal, meaning that two major cities, accounted for 70% of the total active cases in the state.
The fresh and active cases have been rising sharply since the first day of the New Year. Compared to just 407 active cases on the last day of 2021, the active cases have grown by 279% to 1544 active cases in the first five days of the New Year 2022.
Cases growing sharply, but hospitalization need low
Statistics available with the state government, meanwhile, showed that around nine out of ten cases being reported are being treated in home isolation, owing to mild symptoms or no symptoms. Out of the 1544 active cases in the state presently, 87.30% (1348 patients) are being treated under home isolation), while just 12.69% (196 patients) are hospitalized.
The state government’s real time updated data on bed availability/occupancy, showed that out of the total 55,999 beds (normal isolation, reserved oxygen support and HDU/ICU beds) at government and private hospitals in the state, just 196 beds (0.25%) were occupied till Wednesday evening.
CM reviews situation
In the wake of rising fresh and active cases, the chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan reviewed on Wednesday the situation and issued necessary directions, particularly for the major cities and the districts neighbouring Maharashtra owing to alarming spurt in the cases in the western state.
The CM directed for no longer allowing big fairs anywhere in the state, fixed the maximum limit at weddings to 250 and 50 for funerals/uthavana. Schools will be allowed to hold offline classes maximum with 50% attendance. Night curfew will continue across the state.
The CM, who three days back had stressed upon increasing daily COVID testing capacity to 70,000 to 75,000 daily, instructed on Wednesday to ensure at least 60,000 tests daily.
Chouhan said that the arrangements for isolation at Motilal Nehru Stadium near Lal Parade Ground in Bhopal should remain the same as in the previous Corona waves. This arrangement should be made as a precaution, even though the effect of the infection is less. Similarly, arrangements should be made to keep patients isolated in the stadium in Indore too.
30% target of first dose to 15-18 age group achieved in first three days only
Making a detailed presentation about the COVID-19 situation in the state, the additional chief secretary (ACS Health) Moh Suleman said the state has already achieved 30% vaccination of the targeted 48 lakh first doses of the vaccine for the 15-18 years age group. The Chhatarpur district of Bundelkhand region is the highest achiever with 57%, followed Indore with 56%, Sehore 48% and Sagar and Harda at 44% each. So far, 14,37,274 doses have been administered to the targeted 48 lakh beneficiaries under the 15-18 years age group.