Himachal’s Covid positivity rate rises by 6% in a week

Testing ramped up as Bilaspur and Hamirpur join Kangra, Mandi, Shimla, Solan and Sirmour districts with positivity rate of more than 20% between May 3 and 9

Himachal Pradesh recorded a Covid-19 positivity rate of 26.3% last week, a jump of more than 6% as compared to the rate from April 26 to May 2.

A sanitisation drive at the Ridge in Shimla last week. The Covid-19 positivity rate was 26% between May 3 and 9, a jump of 6% from the previous week. (Deepak Sansta/HT)

“The districts of Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Kangra, Mandi, Shimla, Sirmour and Solan have recorded a positivity rate of more than 20% between May 3 and 9,” state in-charge of the National Rural Health Mission Dr Nipun Jindal said on Tuesday.

The state has ramped up testing as it conducted 1,02,455 Covid tests last week, while 84,351 tests were done in the preceding week.

The case fatality ratio has shown a decline in the past week from 1.38% to 1.17% the week before.

Health department spokesman Gopal Berry said that the state-level Covid clinical committee is conducting virtual capacity building sessions for stakeholders. One such session was held on May 8 and 9 for the judicious and appropriate use of remdesivir and oxygen with the focus on the management of patients in home isolation.

Experts of the State Institute of Health and Family Welfare organised a webinar on the management of paediatrics and epidemiology diagnosis and infection prevention practices. Bedsides, a panel discussion of experts was held on the treatment to be started and precautions to be taken during home isolation.

Efforts on to normalise non-Covid health services

The health department is making efforts to provide non-Covid essential services such as maternal, newborn and child-care besides dialysis, tuberculosis treatment, HIV and maintenance of voluntary blood donation. Chief medical officers and medical superintendents have been asked not to delay essential services to any patient for want of a Covid-negative test result.

“All health-care providers should follow precautions, observe infection control procedures and get themselves vaccinated against Covid-19,” Berry said.