Odisha Govt Issues Clarification After Centre Flags High COVID Positivity In 3 Districts

Bhubaneswar: A day after the Centre raised concern about high COVID test positivity rate (TRP) in three districts of Odisha, Aditional Chief Secretary (Health) PK Mohapatra on Wednesday clarified that the TRP in the state had dropped below 4 per cent from 15.47 per cent during late May.

He said that the state reported 2602 new infections in the last 24 hours. These cases were detected from 74468 samples sent for test. The TPR dropped to 3.49 per cent against 3.93 per cent the previous day.

“At present, the TPR is below 1 per cent in 10 districts. It is less than 5 per cent in 24 districts and six other districts – Cuttack, Jajpur, Khurda, Nayagarh, Dhenkanal, Mayurbhanj- are marginally above this mark. These districts have been witnessing a downward trend in TPR,” he said, adding that the TPR in Khurda has dropped to 5.17 per cent.

Mohapatra said that they are hopeful that the situation would improve in the next two weeks.

On bed occupancy, he said that 90 per cent of beds are vacant and among them, 60-65 per cent are for critical patient care (65 per cent-ventilators, 62 per cent-ICU). Only 13 per cent of general beds are occupied. “Considering this, de-hiring order has been issued. While COVID Care Centres and private COVID facilities are being closed, those run and managed by the government will continue to function in view of a possible third wave,” he said.

He further said that bed occupancy has come down to 10 per cent from 95 per cent when COVID cases had peaked in the state.

Odisha has 28015 active cases, and 80 per cent of them are in home isolation, he added.

In a letter to Chief Secretary SC Mahapatra, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhusan had raised concern over three districts of Odisha reporting weekly positivity of more than 10 per cent (June 28 to July 4).

Nuapada reported a positivity of 11 per cent for the week ending on June 27 while it was 27 per cent for the week ending July 4. Balasore, Dhenkanal and Nuapada reported weekly positivity of more than 10 per cent for the week ending July 4, the letter said.