Despite making an all-out effort, including extensions of the lockdown, the Odisha government has drawn little success in curbing the fatalities due to Covid-19 in the State.
Though Odisha has witnessed a dip in daily caseload since the last few days, the constant surge in the deaths has baffled health experts.
On the other hand, as there has been decline in test positivity rate (TPR) in Odisha every passing day, the State government hopes the Covid pandemic situation to improve in next couple of weeks.
“At present the test positivity rate in the State is at 14%. Moreover, five districts have reported TPR below 5 per cent,” said Additional Chief Secretary of State Health Department Pradipta Kumar Mohapatra.
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“Though the number of testing in the State has increased after Cyclone Yaas, the positive rate also has come down. The highest ever 12,852 cases were reported on May 22. The positivity rate in the State has come down to 14 per cent and we hope the positivity rate will decrease further in the next two weeks,” he said.
“Infection rate is going down in 19 districts and it is only around five per cent in as many districts. However, nine districts of the State-- Khordha, Cuttack, Angul, Sundargarh, Puri, Bargarh, Jajpur, Mayurbhanj and Balasore have 60 per cent Covid cases,” he further said adding that surge in the pandemic in the neighbouring states like Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal is a challenge for us.
Meanwhile, health expert Niroj Mishra cautioned people not to be relaxed during the upcoming festivals like Raja and Sabitri.
“People shouldn’t get complacent and flout Covid-19 norms during the upcoming festivals. It will ruin all the good work done during the lockdown period. The rate of infection has dipped in the State. But it will take another three weeks to keep it further down to five per cent. People need to be very careful till then,” said Mishra.