NAGPUR: With just 779 new cases and only six deaths due to Covid, September 2021 has confirmed that the pandemic is moving towards becoming an endemic now.
In September 2020, the 11 districts of Vidarbha region had reported more than 90,000 cases in 30 days which means average 3,000 new cases per day. In comparison, 28 cases per day were reported in September this year. Death toll last year was 2,428 and this year only six patients died. According to experts, all these are the positive signs.
“There were strict restrictions in September 2020. Still, more than 3,000 cases per day were reported in Vidarbha. Now, we have almost opened up fully. Even schools are functioning in rural areas since more than six weeks now. Cases are still under control which means we are on a right path,” said epidemiologist Anand Thatte.
Almost a week after Ganeshotsav and other festivities, the case graph in Vidarbha is firmly stuck to the baseline. Nagpur district, where a hasty announcement of ‘third wave’ was made earlier this month, reported zero new cases for the first time in pandemic – on September 29. Out of near 4,500 tests per day on an average, 12-14 new cases are being detected in the district.
Conditions in other parts of Vidarbha are even better. There was no Covid death in Bhandara, Gondia, Yavatmal, Buldhana, and Washim districts in entire September month. The only death reported in Nagpur was of a patient referred from other state in serious condition. In Akola, a man who was brought dead from Katol found Covid positive. In Gadchiroli, a 70-year-old man died. Chandrapur, Amravati and Wardha also reported one death each in this month, which is lowest-ever since April 2020 – when even the first wave was to set in.
Vaccine is also playing its part. Death toll has gone down significantly. Serious cases have become rare. Even if tested positive, patients are not in need of oxygen or ventilators. Covid wards are almost empty as less than 200 patients are under treatment. The number of patients is so less for the first time since May 2020. Most patients are still in home isolation.
Now, more than 10,000 tests are being conducted daily on an average and less than 30 of them are tested positive which means the test positivity rate is less than even half percent.
A member of Covid-19 task force told TOI that October is going to witness three major steps of unlock. “Temples, schools and cinema halls will open in October. It would be interesting to see the outcome. If conditions remain the same, we can confirm in November that the pandemic will become endemic,” said the doctor.
