BHUBANESWAR: Odisha recorded a further drop in its daily infection count as only 5,057 tested positive in the last 24 hours, 844 less than the previous day. The daily test positivity rate (TPR) of the State also plunged to 8.2 per cent bringing relief to the Health and Family Welfare department in its fight against the pandemic.
Hotspot Khurda reported the highest 1,111 cases followed by 495 in Cuttack and 429 in Sundargarh. Health department officials said that 4,149 fresh recoveries on the day also brought down the number of active cases to 60,068 active. Besides, no Covid death was reported in this period.
Public Health Director Dr Niranjan Mishra, however, said that though the Covid graph is on a declining trend, it is still too early to speculate if the third wave will end soon. “As the Omicron virus is an infectious strain, the infection count may surge anytime for which we have to remain alert and follow Covid appropriate behaviour every time,” he said.
Dr Mishra said that large-scale vaccination has helped the State in fighting the current wave effectively and urged all the eligible beneficiaries to take the precautionary dose on time. On the other hand, keeping in view the large number of people undergoing treatment in home isolation, the Health department shared mobile numbers of skilled metal health professionals to render psychological first aid and other mental support to them besides, the persons with mental illness.
The department has shared numbers of three mental health professionals for each district. The service will be provided to the patients from 10 am to 5pm for six days from Monday to Saturday every week.