Even as the daily caseload in the State keeps on falling for the fourth day in a row, the top health officials here seem unsure about the infection scenario in Odisha. The State Health Department is not ready to call it a day for the Third Wave in Odisha.
“For last many days, the number of Covid-19 cases detected per day in the State is on the downslope, despite more than 70,000 tests per day. It’s a positive indication, but the rate of decline is very slow. We have to wait for three-four days to have a definitive opinion on the peak. There is a need to observe the infection-trend in the State for a period of 10-15 days,” said State Health Director Bijay Mohapatra.
As per Mohapatra, the respite fact in the third wave is a low rate of hospitalisation in the State. The patients on ventilator support have also been less during the third wave. But the rate of infection has been high in the wave.
Speaking about the trial run of OmiSure test kits in the State, Mohapatra said the modalities of surveillance, treatment, vaccinations and stocks of medicines will not be affected by this. It is only meant for fast detection of the Omicron variant of Covid-19.
Meanwhile, Odisha reported 8,520 new Covid-19 cases from different districts in the past 24 hours. Khordha witnessed the highest number of 2262 cases followed by Sundargarh (932), Cuttack (789), Balasore (346), Kalahandi (226) and Nayagarh (216). The State reported six more Covid-19 fatalities, taking the death toll to 8,520.