BHUBANESWAR: Amid concern over a second wave of COVID-19 across the country, Odisha witnessed a spike in new infections with 110 cases being detected in the state in the last 24 hours. Fresh cases have crossed the 100 mark for the first time in nearly one-and-a-half months. The last time this happened was on February 8 when 105 cases were recorded, while 114 cases were recorded on January 30.
The state saw a rise of 26 cases from the previous day as 84 infections were found on Wednesday. While 24,984 tests were conducted on that day, 24,572 samples were tested on Thursday. The test positivity rate was 0.44 per cent (pc), up from 0.33 pc recorded last week.
According to the state dashboard, the new cases were spread across 22 districts taking the tally to 3,38,599. The maximum of 20 cases were detected from Cuttack, followed by 15 from Khurda, nine each from Mayurbhanj and Nuapada, seven from Sundargarh, six each from Ganjam and Angul and five from Jajpur.
Cuttack has become an area of concern for the state administration as the city has been witnessing a steady rise in new cases for the last three days. It had reported 12 cases on Wednesday and 25 cases on Thursday. A private residential school located at the busy Arunoday market was shut down after 25 students and a cook had tested positive for novel coronavirus.
Apart from Cuttack, other districts that have been seeing a decrease in total tests, low share of RT-PCR tests and increase in weekly positivity besides lax contact tracing are Sundargarh, Sambalpur, Khurda, Balasore, Mayurbhanj, Jajpur, Angul and Bargarh.
At a recent review, the Union Health Ministry had flagged the Odisha government’s over-dependence on rapid antigen tests as well as laxity in conducting optimum tests. Odisha was one of eight states that were asked by the Centre to return to the basics - test, track and treat besides focusing on surveillance.
Health experts expressed concern over lack of strict enforcement and monitoring of returnees from affected states like Maharashtra, Gujarat, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh and Punjab. “The thermal screening conducted at railway stations and airport has no meaning. All returnees should be properly monitored and asked to remain in isolation and tested irrespective of their health condition,” they suggested.
The number of active cases in the state now stands at 705. Cuttack has the highest with 103 active cases, followed by Sundargarh (94), Mayurbhanj (75), Khurda (58), Jajpur (41), Bargarh (41), Balasore (40), Angul (34) and Sambalpur (30).
Of the 3.38 lakh total confirmed cases, 3,35,923 patients have recovered and 1918 succumbed. The state has conducted 87,36,689 tests so far with a cumulative test positivity rate of 3.88 pc. The recovery rate and fatality were 99.2 pc and 0.56 pc respectively.