Omicron Wave: Slight Dip In Growth Rate, Doubling Time In Odisha, Says Health Official

Bhubaneswar: Director (Public Health) Niranjan Mishra on Monday held out some good news, saying that the growth and doubling rate of COVID-19 cases in Odisha have decreased slightly, although the state has been recording over 10,000 daily cases for the past five days.

“Out of over 75,000 active cases in Odisha, 1,200 patients are in hospitals, which is considerably low. This indicates the situation is under control though positive cases are rising. But we have to remain alert,” he said.

“It is not right to draw conclusions on the trend so quickly,” he cautioned.

According to him, Omisure, the kit for detecting Omicron, will be distributed in all districts soon. The kit has been developed by Mumbai-based Tata Medical and Diagnostics Ltd (TATA MD) in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

Odisha has ordered around five lakh Omicron kits.

Mishra said that Khurda and Sundargarh districts, which are seeing high test positivity rates (TPRs), had recorded high TPRs during the first and second waves too.