BHUBANESWAR: Even as the new Covid-19 cases declined further bringing down the daily test positivity rate (TPR) to below 3% in the State, Ganjam witnessed a six-fold rise in new infections during the 24-hour period showing the early signs of a second wave of the pandemic in the district.
While the fresh cases dropped by over 10% across districts, in Ganjam it rose to 61 from 11 cases recorded the previous day. This was the highest single-day spike in the district in the last 40 days. The last maximum number was 62 on September 26.
The State reported 1201 fresh cases and 12 deaths in the last 24 hours taking the tally to 2,94,415 and the death toll to 1405. With 132 cases, Khurda was the only district to record over 100 cases. Four districts -- Gajapati, Deogarh, Boudh, and Kandhamal -- registered new cases in single digits with Gajapati recording the lowest with only two cases.
Cuttack district recorded 69 cases, the lowest in the last three months. On August 1, 54 positive cases were detected in the district that witnessed the scourge of Covid-19 throughout August, September, and October. Balasore and Jagatsinghpur, where by-elections were held on Tuesday, registered 48 and 73 cases
respectively.
Ganjam district, which bore the brunt of Covid-19 pandemic between mid-June and mid-September following the return of migrant labourers, registered a total 1264 cases with an average of 32 cases a day between September 26 and October 2. Only 12 deaths reported during the period.
As a precautionary measure, the Ganjam administration has decided not to allow reopening of places of worship this month and urged traders not to set up temporary firecracker stalls. People have been advised to avoid large congregation and observe green Diwali as pollution due to the burning of crackers may aggravate respiratory complications in Covid patients.
Attributing the decline in new cases to reduced tests in hotspot districts, health experts suggested the Government to step up measures before it is late. The State conducted 42,080 tests in the last 24 hours. The daily TPR stands at 2.85% against the cumulative positivity rate of 6.28%.
Meanwhile, 12 more patients, including three from Khurda, two from Dhenkanal, and one each from Nuapada, Sundargarh, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Bhadrak, Balasore and Kalahandi succumbed to the disease. With the highest 234 deaths, Khurda surpassed the death toll of Ganjam (230). The State now has 13,919 active cases.