BHUBANESWAR: Even as Covid-19 cases continued to rise in Khurda and Cuttack, the State government has inexplicably decided to slash testing target in the districts. While Khurda (including Bhubaneswar) and Cuttack have been conducting an average of 10,000 and 6,000 tests per day respectively for last more than a month, the Health and Family Welfare department has recommended the districts to conduct 4,800 tests a day each in August.
The recommendation for low testing in Khurda came at a time when the infection is refusing to die down despite high vaccination coverage. The State also witnessed a spike in new cases as 1,315 people tested positive as compared to 1,032 a couple of days back. The number of cases in Khurda also rose to 413 from 237. Cuttack recorded 198 cases followed by 89 in Jajpur. The test positivity rate (TPR) too went up from 1.5 per cent (pc) to 2.01 pc during the period. In fact, Odisha is among the top-six states having highest active cases, daily caseload and case fatality ratio. It is ranked third in terms of announcing Covid deaths after Maharashtra and Kerala.
Former ICMR consultant and microbiologist Dr Tribhuban Mohan Mohapatra expressed surprise over Odisha’s reduced testing numbers. “Bhubaneswar is facing a peculiar situation as cases in the city are rising even after it achieved the projected vaccination target. The administration should not take any chance and conduct as many tests it can to identify the positive cases and isolate them,” he advised.
Even as the Health department has set the target for 3,200 tests a day in the city, Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) officials, however, maintained that they would continue to conduct 7,000 to 8,000 tests until the cases are significantly reduced. “Since new cases are being detected after relaxation of lockdown norms, we will continue to conduct as many tests as possible,” an official said.
The Covid death toll increased to 6,168 after 66 fatalities were announced on Wednesday. Khurda reported the highest 18 deaths (including 11 in Bhubaneswar) followed by 10 in Cuttack and nine in Puri. Director of Health Services Dr Bijay Mohapatra said there has not been significant changes in daily testing target as districts have been asked not to conduct less than 71,000 tests a day.
No -ve report or vax certificate needed to enter Odisha
Bhubaneswar: The State government on Wednesday said that people entering Odisha from different states will no longer have to produce Covid negative test report and full vaccination certificate. “Orders regarding stipulations/restrictions on entry of people into Odisha from other states by producing rapid antigen test/ RT-PCR negative report/final vaccination certificate is hereby withdrawn,” a notification issued by the SRC stated.