Arresting Covid comeback in Odisha
A Covid cluster has raised apprehension of a fresh transmission in Odisha even as the possibility of a fourth wave amidst rising cases in the country remains a matter of concern. In the last 24 hours, two schools in Rayagada district reported 64 positive cases, taking the daily number to a two-month high. For about a month, Covid cases in the state had remained in the sub-20 level but the sudden spurt—that too in educational institutions—has the administration in a tizzy. It is so far unclear how students in such a high number contracted the virus and we do not know the strain they carry. Currently, almost all Covid curbs are off to facilitate normal life and livelihood in the state. The total active cases stand at 161 whereas the cumulative confirmed number is a little over 12.88 lakh in Odisha. The jump in cases comes when the weekly positivity rate is nearly 0.82% nationwide and the focus is back on Covid-appropriate behaviour in some northern states.
As per a mathematical model by IIT Kanpur, the fourth wave of Covid, possibly riding on a new variant, is likely to hit India in June-July and peak by the month of August. Last week, the XE variant, which combines the BA.1 and BA.2 strains of Omicron, was confirmed in the country by the Indian SARS-CoV2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) which, though, said very few cases of the recombinant variant has been found in the nation yet. Besides, it has not been associated with increased severity of cases or hospitalisation. For Odisha, this could be a chance to increase its surveillance and enforcement. Though all new cases have been sent for genome sequencing, the possibility of fresh transmission cannot be ruled out as educational institutions are operating at full capacity, which is where the bulk of the new infections have surfaced. Since Odisha has a history of recording its Covid peak two months after Delhi and Maharashtra, it would be prudent on part of the government to tighten the testing and monitoring measures besides imposition of mandatory masking norms in crowded places as well as enforcing them, which is currently not taking place. This could help arrest the trend and assuage any fears.