Odisha Likely To Reach Comfortable Zone By Month-End, Says Health Director; Asks People To Follow Protocols

Bhubaneswar: Decline in daily COVID-19 infections has brought some relief from the panic situation and the decision to reopen schools is a big indication towards this.

However, the signs of decline call for stricter enforcement of COVID-19 protocols to stop the virus from bouncing back and preventing a fourth wave.

Stating that rise and fall of cases is a trend in which the pandemics behave, Director, Health Services, Bijay Mohapatra said declining new cases is a good sign and it brings hopes that the Odisha may reach a comfortable zone by the end of this month.

He, however, warned of increase in cases if people do not follow COVID appropriate behaviour. “Lack of adherence to COVID protocols may result in an increase in cases,” said Mohapatra.

Besides a decline in hospitalisation, fall in positivity rate from 11-12 per cent some days back to 8-9 per cent too are good signs.  Hoping that the situation would improve by February-end, Mohapatra said. “If we strictly adhere to COVID norms, we can stop the cases from rising once again,” he added.

With the schools open and primary class set to resume from next week (February 14), the Health Director said it is everyone’s responsibility to ensure that the children follow COVID protocols. “Teachers and school administration will have a bigger role when primary classes resume by keeping a check on congregations and students behaviour,” he said.

Parents, on the other hand, must teach their children to adhere to the COVID appropriate behaviour before sending them to the institution. Moreover, parents should not send symptomatic children to schools, said the Health Director.

Keeping the cases low needs a coordinated effort and the Health Department is keeping a watch in areas where the schools are located, he said.

Meanwhile, COVID-19 cases continued to fall in Odisha with 1,503 cases reported on Tuesday, including 329 in the 0-18 age group testing positive for the virus in the last 24 hours with 21 more deaths confirmed. COVID-19 toll in Odisha climbed to 8,775 on Tuesday.

On the increase in fatalities, Mohapatra said “Four to six weeks after the peak period, it is natural to see an increase in the fatalities.” He said around 75 to 76 per cent of total infected patients are on ventilator support. Of them, around 50 per cent run chances of mortality.

“Yet we can’t ignore the comorbidities of these patients. As per the Supreme Court’s direction, if a patient dies after 30 days of testing positive for the infection, we term the death to have been caused by Covid-19,” Mohapatra added.

Khurda continues to top list by reporting the highest number of  333 fresh cases in the state.