Cruel September witnesses 1.16 lakh COVID-19 cases and 356 deaths in Odisha
BHUBANESWAR: September has proved to be the cruelest month for Odisha as the State recorded more than half of the total confirmed cases in the 30-day period alone. It has been almost 200 days since the first case was reported.
A youth who had returned from Italy was first to be tested positive for novel coronavirus on March 15. But in September alone, it registered 52.15 per cent (pc) new infections and 41.44 pc Covid related deaths. The recovery, too, has been very encouraging as around 90 pc patients got well.
An analysis of the Covid infections revealed that as a whopping 1,16,173 Covid cases and 356 deaths were reported in the month that just went by, signalling that Odisha peaked way late than other states. On an average, about 3,872 cases were reported across 30 districts though Khurda, Cuttack and Puri contributed nearly 30 pc of the caseload.
Similarly, the average death reported on a day was 12. The highest single day spike of 4,356 cases was recorded on September 25 and 16 deaths on September 23.
However, 1,04,930 patients recovered during the period with the highest recovery of 4,388 patients recorded on September 25.
In August, the State had averaged 2,357 cases and nine deaths a day with a total tally of 73,082 cases and 278 deaths while at an average of 844 cases and six deaths a day, a total 26,163 cases and 192 deaths were registered in July.
Though cases remained over 3,000 all through September, the infection progressed around mid-September and the daily tally crossed 4000 mark on September 13 when 4198 cases were reported. The daily caseload breached 4000 mark for 13 days, including 12 days in a row, before going down due to reduced tests.
As cases spiked, the number of tests were cut down across districts bringing down the daily test count from a range of 50,000-55,000 to 40,000-45,000. With 14.11 lakh tests this month, the overall testing crossed the 30 lakh mark.
However, the State's struggle to control the situation continued as the numbers climbed rapidly with patients seeking more beds with ICU and ventilator facilities. Though over 70 pc patients with mild or no symptoms were advised to remain in home isolation to lessen the burden on Covid hospitals, there was a
scramble for beds which prompted the State Government to add more ICU beds in Cuttack and Bhubaneswar.
Health authorities attributed the rise in infection to the people’s reluctance to strictly adhere to Covid-19 guidelines and breach of safety protocols in marriages, community feasts and social gatherings.
Even as the Niti Aayog has warned that the ensuing festive season followed by winter when respiratory infections tend to occur more may escalate the Covid-19 situation, Odisha Government expected the cases to stabilise during October-November period in the State.
"The transmission in districts like Ganjam, Gajapati and Puri has almost stabilised. The only concerns are Khurda and Cuttack districts which are still recording high cases. By mid-October, we are hopeful that the number of new infections will come down. We are preparing our strategy keeping in mind the festive season and winter," Additional Chief Secretary of Health department PK Mohapatra said.