Bhubaneswar: Even as the single-day Covid case spike has been witnessing ups and downs for the last few days in Odisha, a top health official observed that the overall situation is stable in the State as the daily cases are plataeuing between 10,000 and 12,000 for the last few days.
Public Health director Dr Niranjan Mishra said the number of infection has declined slightly. “The situation is stable now. The daily count is hovering between 10,000 and 12,000,” he added.
He further said the state-wide lockdown was a need of the hour to check the increasing trend of transmission. “The impact of the lockdown can be felt between two and eight weeks. The infection will also decrease subsequently,” he pointed out.
Speaking on the spread of the virus to rural areas, Mishra maintained that Anganwadi workers, ASHA, ANM workers are the key forces in the collective fight against the invisible enemy. They have been imparted special training and directed to keep close watch on the situation in their respective areas, Mishra said.
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The Collectors and Chief District Medical Officers (CDMOs) have focused on rural regions where the infection is mounting every day. They have been asked to take necessary measures whenever/wherever required to prevent local transmission.
Although the number of infection is increasing in village areas, the situation is not so precarious. The rural areas share 50 to 60 per cent of the daily infections, he maintained.
Similarly, eminent health expert Dr Niroj Mishra has voiced in favour of the extension of lockdown which would help reduce the number of daily infections.
He said that the reduction in daily infections might be delayed as Odisha had witnessed a surge much after other states witnessed their peak." The cases may significantly fall by end of May or first week of June," he added.
Mishra also stressed on focusing on rural areas where infection are witnessing a rising trend.
Odisha reported 10,757 new Covid-19 cases and 22 fatalities in last 24 hours. Khordha district which continued to remain on the top in single-day spike came down to second position with 909 new infections, While Cuttack climbed to first position with 973 fresh cases. Sundergarh remained behind Khordha district with 832 people testing positive for the virus in last 24 hours.