BHUBANESWAR: The Covid-19 infections continued to rise further with enhanced testing as Odisha reported 1617 new cases and 13 deaths in a 24 hour period pushing the tally to 2,87,099 and the death toll to 1350.
The number of fresh cases went up by almost 30% in two days as tests were increased by 36%. While 41,395 tests were conducted during the last 24 hours, 1247 cases were detected of 30,303 samples tested on October 26.
The tests were accelerated after the Centre expressed concern over declining testing in the State at a recent review. The Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry had also asked the Odisha Government to monitor fatalities hospital wise following the rise in deaths due to Covid-19 and ensure that the patients in home isolation are followed up regularly.
Virologists and health experts opined that the tests in the range of 40,000 a day for a State like Odisha is not sufficient especially at a time when the infection is still prevalent. The State should conduct at least 50% more tests and keep a proper balance between rapid antigen and RT-PCR tests so that the actual prevalence can be assessed and containment measures adopted, they said.
Health authorities said all districts have been directed once again to scale up testing up to 55,000 per day during the festive and winter season and warned that they will be held accountable if cases rise due to lack of adequate testing and containment measures.
“Apart from accelerating the Covid tests, we have also asked them to keep an eye on flu cases and other viral infections that are common during winter. Awareness campaigns and door-to-door surveys have been intensified,” Additional Chief Secretary PK Mohapatra said.
Of the 1617 new cases, 941 were in quarantine and 676 local contacts. Though only two districts registered more than 100 cases, the number of cases rose in most of the districts. Khurda district reported a maximum of 222 new cases, followed by Cuttack (128) and Sundargarh (93).
Meanwhile, 13 more Covid patients, including two each from Khurda, Cuttack, Balasore, Nuapada, and Angul, and one each from Keonjhar, Jagatsinghpur, and Sambalpur districts. Ganjam district has so far reported the highest number of 236 fatalities, followed by Khurda (233) and Cuttack (112).
The State now has 15,619 active cases as 2,70,130 patients have recovered from the disease so far. As many as 44,63,559 tests have been conducted with a cumulative positivity rate of 6.43%.