BHUBANESWAR: After oscillating between 2,500-3,000 for nearly two weeks, the new infection count in the state on Monday came down to fewer than 2,000 (1993), for the first time since April 13.
This also dragged down the positivity rate to 2.73% from 2.91% a day before as the fresh positive cases were from among the 72,754 samples tested in the last 24 hours.
Meanwhile, the government confirmed 63 more Covid deaths, taking the toll to 4,662. Khurda, which has been reporting the highest daily fatalities for quite some time, saw 13 more deaths. The day’s Covid toll is put out after the death audit being conducted by the state. Khurda has been witnessing the maximum deaths as it boasts of the highest number of Covid beds, with the capital city coming under it’s jurisdiction. The second wave has seen around 2,800 official deaths so far.
Healthcare experts said though the steady fall in the Covid infections and the TPR are signs of improvement in the situation, some districts continue to remain areas of concern. While Jagatsinghpur and Kendrapada districts are seeing a sharp decline, Jajpur’s daily Covid cases remain above 100 even as Khurda’s new infections have dropped to below 400. The latter’s daily count had dropped earlier to fewer than 400 in June following Cyclone Yaas. The experts said while that was a superficial drop owing to fewer tests, the latest dip in cases and the district’s TPR to 3.54% are positive indicators. Cuttack, too, is seeing a let-up in cases.
Ajay Parida, director of the Institute of Life Sciences, said, “Though both the TPR and the daily count are decreasing, the rate of decrease is slow. Considering that the overall fall is sluggish and some coastal districts continue to remain vulnerable, we need to be careful. Apart from Mayurbhanj and Jajpur among the districts that saw a spurt recently, Puri has to be monitored as the cases there may rise after the Rath Yatra. The Covid graph in Balasore has been seeing ups and downs.”
Four districts — Gajapati, Deogarh, Kalahandi and Nuapada — reported cases in single digits on Monday. Balasore, Jajpur, Mayurbhanj and Puri, besides Bhubaneswar and Cuttack, reported cases in triple digits. At 42, Nuapada is left with the lowest active case count.
