Bhubaneswar: Capital Hospital Director Laxmidhar Sahu on Thursday said that the Covid-19 graph in Odisha is on a flattening mode at present but cautioned that if the curve does not make a downward trend, the government may have to ponder on extending the lockdown restrictions in the State.
Some days ago, the daily infection tally touched the 12k mark but now the new cases continue to post in the figures of 10k. So it seems the daily cases have started to flatten,” Sahu explained while addressing reporters here today.
He however said that all appropriate Covid protocols have to be followed by all religiously during this lockdown period which continues to remain enforced across the State till May 19.
Sahu said that even though the infection curve is showing signs of flattening, but the real effects of the lockdown will emerge once the graph begins to fall down steadily. If that does not happen, the State government might have to think again about extending the lockdown restrictions, the top doctor claimed.
He also pointed out an important reason for the surge in cases of infections in the rural parts of the State. Generally, people from villages contract infection while visiting cities and towns as the concentration of the cases is more in urban settlements so once they return back, outbreak begins in rural pockets, said the Capital Hospital Director.
Instances have also been seen how people are not adhering to Covid protocols in an appropriate manner and indulge in organizing functions, melas which is also another important cause behind the rise in infections in villages.
Meanwhile, Odisha’s active caseload of Covid infections crossed one lakh on Thursday. With 10649 more people getting contracted with the viral disease and 8457 new recoveries, the State’s active caseload has climbed to 100313. The death toll due to the disease also mounted to 2251 with 19 more fatalities.