E-Paper
As Covid-19 cases reduce in Odisha, ease of restrictions in the offing
The government will review unlock measures only after assessing the present pandemic situation in the state, said director of medical education and training Dr CBK Mohanty
Odisha’s Covid-19 positivity rate dipped to 6% on Tuesday from a high of 24% last month while its daily caseload came down to 3,409 from 12,852 on May 22. The state’s daily caseload now is around the same as when the second wave of Covid-19 began in India in April, raising hopes that lockdown restrictions could be relaxed in around half of its 30 districts.
In the last 24 hours, Odisha reported 3,405 new cases, a drop of nearly 20% from the 4,339 new cases that it reported a day before that. The test positivity rate (TPR) which was 6.33% on Monday, reduced to 5.99% on Tuesday.
The current phase of lockdown is scheduled to end on the morning of June 17, but the health department officials said it may continue in many coastal and interior districts where the total positivity rate and bed occupancy are still high. The districts of Khurda, Cuttack, Jajpur, Balasore and Mayurbhanj are recording at least 2,500 active cases each, with Khurda leading the pack, while 16 districts are recording a TPR of over 5% since mid-May. Khurda too leads the pack of districts with high TPR at 13.4%.
Also Read | Adhere to Covid-19 protocols as restrictions are eased: Rahul Gandhi
“The government will review unlock measures only after assessing the present pandemic situation in the state,” said director of medical education and training Dr CBK Mohanty. “But even if the lockdown is lifted, night curfew may continue. People have to stay alert and follow all Covid-19-appropriate behaviour to avoid lockdowns in the future.”
As per the government’s assessment, the situation in districts Ganjam, Gajapati, Deogarh, Nuapada, Balangir, Bargarh, Jharsuguda, Kandhamal and Sambalpur is well under control. “As per the data of last seven days, the TPR is below 5% in these districts and the number of active cases as well as patients in hospitals have drastically come down,” said a health department official. For example, in Jharsuguda district, the weekly TPR in the district has seen a sharp drop to 1.84% in the week ending June 14 from over 12% in the week ending on June 9. However, as per WHO’s recommended rate (one positive result for 10 administered tests), the epidemiological parameters may not favour lockdown relaxations in districts such as Sambalpur, Balangir, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Baragarh and Sonepur, which have higher rates. So weekend shutdown would continue in nearly 20 districts, according to a senior health department official.
Officials said the districts of Bhadrak, Jajpur, Balasore, Khordha, Cuttack, Kendrapada, Puri and Angul will not see any relaxations in lockdown, except for opening up the window of essential business hours by nearly 2 hours as the TPR is high in these districts. To bring the situation under further control, the government is planning to extend the weekend shutdown till June 30. Non-essential shops in 16 districts
Khurda, Cuttack, Jajpur, Balasore, Bhadrak, Kendrapara, Puri, Nayagarh, Boudh, Jagatsinghpur, Mayurbhanj, Rayagada, Koraput, Keonjhar, Dhenkanal, Angul and Deogarh - may be allowed to open till 1pm and 5pm-8pm.
While gyms and swimming pools are likely to remain closed till June 30, there is no news on when educational institutes would reopen.
“As there is a threat to children in the anticipated third wave of Covid-19, the government is readying all infrastructure to deal with the situation. Only after reviewing the situation in the coming days, will chief minister Naveen Patnaik take an appropriate decision on reopening of schools,” said state school and mass education minister Sameer Dash. He said the government does not think it wise to reopen schools without vaccinating children above the age of 6 years.
