BHUBANESWAR: Contrary to the claims of Odisha health authorities that the reproduction (R) value of Covid is declining in the State, experts have sounded alert to take precautionary measures in some bigger cities and towns where the R value is rising.
According to the researchers at Chennai-based Institute of Mathematical Sciences (IMSc), the individual R estimation for Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Puri, Kandhamal and Khurda was more than the State average of 0.89 during the July 23 and August 1 period.
The R-value was the highest 1.24 in Bhubaneswar, 1.13 in Puri, 0.97 in Cuttack city, 0.91 in Cuttack district and 0.94 in Khurda and 0.92 in Kandhamal. The average R estimation of the State had gone up to 0.89 from 0.74 during June 8-21 with occasional fluctuations.
A senior researcher at IMSc Prof Sitabhra Sinha said the growth rate is high in Bhubaneswar, Cuttack and Puri where the situation can rapidly escalate if proper containment measures are not put in place. “R is very close to one in some places including Bhadrak and Jagatsinghpur where there is a higher chance that it will tip over to greater than one in the near future. We must be very cautious in opening up places that can lead to crowding and hence, potential super-spreader events,” he warned.
On rising cases in Bhubaneswar despite 95 per cent vaccination coverage, Prof Sinha said just because one has been fully vaccinated does not mean that he/she cannot get infected and pass on the infection to others.
“Apart from vaccination, people should be convinced to adhere to wearing masks in public and avoid crowding, even if they are fully vaccinated. With a high density population, the administration has to be very watchful for the three cities in Odisha,” he added.
Meanwhile, the State saw a rise in new cases as 1,129 people tested positive as against 1032 a day before. The test positivity rate (TPR) also rose to 1.9 per cent (pc) from 1.5 pc. Khurda reported the highest 388 cases (including 223 from Bhubaneswar), followed by Cuttack (135). The Covid death toll soared to 6120 with 69 more fatalities.
Allaying Covid third wave fear, Director of Medical Education and Training (DMET) Dr CBK Mohanty had said there is no need to panic now as the R value is declining and Covid survivors, who have already received both the doses of vaccine, are less prone to re-infection.
Worrying R-Value
Highest of
1.24 in Bhubaneswar
1.13 in Puri, 0.97 in Cuttack city
0.91 in Cuttack district
0.94 in Khurda,
0.92 in Kandhamal
Govt offices to function with full strength
Bhubaneswar: With daily Covid-19 cases falling, the State government has directed all departments and subordinate offices to function with full strength of employees until further orders. In an order, the General Administration and Public Grievance Department said that since most of the employees are fully vaccinated, they will have to mandatorily attend office regularly. The order further said that the employees who are unable to get vaccinated for medical or some other compelling reasons, may seek exemption from attending office from the head of office, which would be considered on a case-to-case basis. “Employees who are neither vaccinated nor exempted would not be permitted to attend office and their absence will be treated as willful,” the order said. Government offices will, however, remain closed on 2nd and 4th Saturdays and continue to function on other Saturdays of the month.
Cong demands spl audit into Covid deaths
Bhubaneswar: Alleging that the State government is suppressing Covid-19 death figures, the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) on Tuesday demanded a special audit to determine the exact number of casualties due to the pandemic. “The State government is completely silent over the modalities it is following for the audit of deaths at the district level even after the High Court did not accept its affidavit on the number of Covid deaths,” Congress spokesperson Nishikanta Mishra told a media conference here. The government is depriving the next of kin of many Covid victims from getting compensation by suppressing and under-reporting the actual number of Covid deaths, Mishra said and questioned the reason behind it. “While the number of positive cases has started declining as claimed by the government, deaths are on the rise and people have the right to know the truth”, he added.