Odisha sees big spike in Covid infections, daily cases cross 1,100 again

As the cases are rising in Bhubaneswar, the Regional Medical Research Centre will reopen its OPD for swab collection.
Image used for representational purpose only. (File Photo | PTI)
Image used for representational purpose only. (File Photo | PTI)

BHUBANESWAR: Odisha saw a big spike in new Covid-19 infections as cases once again crossed 1,100, pushing the positivity rate to beyond 5 per cent.The infection spread to all 30 districts as the State logged 1,174 fresh cases. Khurda and Sundargarh led the tally with 316 and 261 cases respectively. Other districts that contributed to the surge included Sambalpur (89), Mayurbhanj (87), Cuttack (63), Balangir (32), Kandhamal (28) and Nayagarh (25).

The test positivity rate (TPR) jumped to 5.46 pc from 3.69 pc a day before even as the number of tests rose from a range of 17,000 to 21,000. Three districts recorded a high TPR of more than 10 pc with Sambalpur leading the list at 22.6 pc, followed by Boudh at 18.2 pc, Sundargarh at 12.3 pc. The positivity rate in six districts was over 5 pc. One more person succumbed to the disease taking the death toll to 10 in this wave so far. With around 19,757 cases getting registered during the last one month, the case fatality rate (CFR) stood at 0.05 pc.

Though health authorities claimed that the situation is under control and there is no reason to panic, the variants/sub-variants behind the recent spike in the State are yet to be ascertained.Director of Public Health Dr Niranjan Mishra said the the Covid cases are hovering around 1000 in the State for the last few days. “Samples from several districts have been sent to Institute of Life Sciences (ILS) for genome sequencing. We are waiting for the sequencing data,” he said.

Health officials, especially from Khurda, Cuttack, Sundargarh, Sambalpur, Balasore and Mayurbhanj districts, where positive cases are high, have been asked to send RT-PCR positive samples for whole genome sequencing.

The ILS and Regional Medical Research Centre have been requested to enhance sequencing surveillance to detect new variants. As the cases are rising in Bhubaneswar, the RMRC will reopen its OPD for swab collection. Two lab technicians will be provided by Capital Hospital through outsourcing agency, sources said.

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