Cases drop below 50 but Ganjam sticks out like a sore thumb

The State on Sunday reported 45 fresh cases from 16 districts with 14 others having zero infections in the last 24 hours.
Image  for representational purpose only(File Photo | PTI)
Image for representational purpose only(File Photo | PTI)

BHUBANESWAR: Even as new Covid-19 cases dropped below 50, the lowest in more than a year, Ganjam district seems to be moving in the opposite direction with cases in double digits for the last one week.

The State on Sunday reported 45 fresh cases from 16 districts with 14 others having zero infections in the last 24 hours. Nine districts registered only one case each. This was the lowest single-day count since January 2021.

With 67 recoveries on the day, the active cases also came down to 560, the lowest since March last year. Active cases stood at 557 on March 15, 2021. However, no death has been recorded for the last couple of days.

While the Covid situation has improved across the State with the overall test positivity rate (TPR) declining to 0.16 per cent (pc), Ganjam district recorded a maximum 11 cases with a positivity rate of 0.76 pc.

The number of daily infections had soared to 105 on March 17 from 80 the previous day as Ganjam contributed 32 cases alone. Since then, the coastal district has been registering an average of 13 cases daily.

The fresh cases in Ganjam have also left the district health officials perplexed. Ganjam CDMO Dr Uma Shankar Mishra said all cases are asymptomatic and distributed across the district. “Some of the samples collected from vulnerable places like crowded markets and people like vendors and mall employees have found to be positive. We are examining the cases. No cluster has been detected,” he said.

The rise in cases in Ganjam may turn out to be a headache for the district administration as it has allowed Chaitra Yatra at Tara Tarini temple with thousands of devotees participating in the month-long annual festival. The festival was held with Covid restrictions and without devotees in 2020 and 2021.

Director of Health Services Dr Bijay Mohapatra said active surveillance has been intensified in the State following the advisory from the Ministry of Health in view of the rising cases in some countries. “We are now focusing on the precautionary dose and vaccination of teenagers. Districts have been asked not to become complacent,” he added.

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