COVID-19: Odisha Has A Higher Percentage Of Female Positives Than Nationally

Bhubaneswar: Odisha is doing well vis-à-vis the overall novel coronavirus cases in the country, as it accounts for under 1 per cent of India’s positive cases. But as for the gender divide of the COVID-19 pandemic, the state presents a contrasting scenario compared to the country as a whole.

According to the Union Health Ministry, 24 per cent of COVID-19 positive patients across India are females, but in Odisha, the percentage of female cases is around 35.

Data available with the state health department says 35 of the COVID-19 positive cases in Odisha are males and 19 females, including two minor girls.

As for the age-wise break-up, Odisha doesn’t have a single female COVID-19 patient aged above 60 and just one in the age-group of 50-60.

At the other end of the scale, the state has two COVID-19 patients below the age of 10.

As for the state’s testing capacity, Odisha is yet to reach optimum utilisation. While the state currently has a capacity to test 475 samples daily, only 62% has been utilised for the period of April 1-11.

Since the start of this month, Odisha has conducted 3,249 novel coronavirus tests, which amounts to 84 per cent of tests conducted since February 1. And the number of novel coronavirus positives detected between April 1 and 11 account for 92 per cent of the total positive cases detected till date.

According to these trends, the number of coronavirus patients in the state may go up to around 150 by April 30. Odisha has had 67 cases so far, of which 54 are currently active while one person has died.