BHUBANESWAR: With the daily Covid count going southwards, if you think the coronavirus infection is under control in Odisha, hold your breath. The number of new cases announced by the State Government may not be indicating the actual infection rate as most of the high burden districts are not conducting tests as per the target.
Of the 2,854 new cases recorded in the last 24 hours, nine districts have registered more than 100 cases with Khurda and Cuttack accounting for nearly 30 per cent (pc) cases. Although Khurda, Cuttack, Puri, Angul, Balasore, Mayurbhanj, Jajpur, Sambalpur, Sundargarh, Balangir, Bargarh and Kalahandi continued to record more cases consistently, the number of tests in these districts is way below the target.
Peculiarly, the districts like Ganjam where the infection has slowed down and that have been reporting less cases, the tests conducted are triple the numbers of tests carried out in the high burden districts.
While maximum 3,724 antigen tests were conducted in Ganjam that recorded only 39 cases, 977 and 1,201 antigen tests were conducted in Khurda and Cuttack that reported 393 and 244 cases respectively. Similarly, 888 antigen tests were conducted in Puri, which registered 114 cases.
And this has been the trend for the last over a month in the high burden districts where the tests range from 1000 to 2,500 while in other districts, it is 3000 to 6000 and sometimes 8000. Apart from the antigen tests, though the districts have been carrying out RT-PCR tests, the numbers are negligible (only 15 pc to 20 pc of the total tests). The district-wise number of RT-PCR tests is not divulged by the administration.
“The antigen tests have been prescribed for people with Covid symptoms and in containment zones. All other tests should be conducted through RT-PCR to identify more cases and isolate them to check the spread of the disease,” said noted gastroenterologist Dr Manoj Sahu.
Health experts alleged slowing down the tests in the districts where the infection is mature could be a deliberate attempt to manage the numbers and drag it for a longer period so that it would appear as the infection curve is flattening.
Some of the districts are not only conducting fewer tests, but the laboratory technicians are allegedly not collecting the swab properly leading to more negative reports.
“If you test less, the number of cases would be definitely less. Collection of swab should also be proper to ascertain the viral load. Lessening tests could be the strategy to put a check on the growing numbers. But sometimes it may turn fatal if people in distress are not tested and treated on time,” said noted microbiologist Dr Tribhuban Mohan Mohapatra.
The health authorities, however, denied the allegations that the tests have been deliberately reduced. Additional Chief Secretary PK Mohapatra said the districts have been given a target to conduct 53,000 tests a day. “We have already directed Khurda and Cuttack to step up tests,” he added.