BHUBANESWAR: As Delhi and some other states witness a surge in new Covid-19 infections driven by Omicron sub-variant BA.2.12.1, Odisha reported just one positive case in last 24 hours. This was the lowest since the State recorded its first case on March 16, 2020. Barring the initial days of the pandemic, cases have been recorded almost every day in the last two years.
Though the infection count is now at an all-time low, the State government has stepped up testing from a range of 17,000 a few days back to around 20,000 now. The RT-PCR testing has also been increased to over 35 per cent (pc) of the total testing. As many as 19,500 samples were tested in the last 24 hours.
The test positivity rate (TPR) too has come down to an all time low as it was 0.005 pc on Saturday. Barring Khurda where the weekly TPR was 1.91 pc for the period from April 16 to 22, all other districts recorded below one pc. It was almost zero in nine districts.
The lone positive case was detected from Sambalpur district and the person was in quarantine after his arrival from outside the State. Odisha is among 19 states where the weekly positivity rate is less than five pc.Health authorities, however, insisted that it is not the time to rejoice as complacency at this moment may invite danger. Director of Public Health Dr Niranjan Mishra said the country is going through a transition from pandemic to endemic.
“Since the number of infections is rising in other states, the cases may increase here in coming days. The virus will stay like other influenza viruses. So the number of cases is not important now. We must look at the disease severity and fatality. We are taking measures in that direction,” he said.The Public Health Director urged people, especially senior citizens and persons with comorbidities to take precaution dose which will save them from disease complications.
Director of Institute of Life Sciences (ILS) Dr Ajay Parida said not a single case of the new sub-variant has been detected in Odisha so far.“We have asked the government to send all new cases for sequencing so that we can keep a vigil on any possible new variants,” he said.
With 4,356 cases on September 25, 2020, the State had registered the first wave’s peak while the second wave peak of 12,852 cases was recorded on May 22. In the third wave, the peak was recorded on January 19 with 11,607 cases. The active cases stood at 74.
Positivity Rate
Test positivity came down to an all time low as it was 0.005 pc on Saturday.
Barring Khurda where the weekly TPR was 1.91 pc for the period from April 16 to 22, all other districts recorded below one pc. It was almost zero in nine districts. As many as 19,500 samples were tested in the last 24 hours