Bhubaneswar: A day after chief minister Naveen Patnaik said Odisha may witness second wave of COVID-19 in second week of December and various opinions making round on it, health experts have cited the reasons for the possibility.
According to them, since atmospheric pollution goes up in winter, the spread of any viral infection also increases. Hence there are chances of the number of people getting affected by COVID-19 to rise.
Besides, it has been clinically established that the strain of the coronavirus of the second wave is stronger than that of the virus of the first spell. Though the new strain has not been traced in India, people have to remain alert and more careful this time as cautioned by the chief minister, they said.
The experts further said since various activities are opening up under unlock provisions, gathering of people and their number are also increasing. It also provides scope to the fast spread of the coronavirus.
Pointing at the situation in European and western countries where COVID-19 cases have witnessed a spike, they called for opening post-COVID hospitals in the second phase.
