BHUBANESWAR : Even as new Covid-19 cases dropped marginally in Odisha in the last 24 hours, the steady rise in infections in Khurda has pushed the weekly test positivity rate (TPR) in the district to 4.61 per cent (pc).
According to the statistics released by the Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry, Khurda was among the 100 districts in the country having the TPR of more than four pc between June 14 and 20. Apart from Khurda, the weekly positivity rate is also rising constantly in Cuttack, Puri and Balasore. It was 1.05 pc in Puri, 0.85 pc in Cuttack and 0.84 pc in Balasore during the period. In terms of daily positivity rate too, Khurda topped the district with a TPR of 4.32 pc on Tuesday and 2.62 pc on Wednesday, followed by 2.37 pc in Cuttack and 0.91 pc in Jajpur. The TPR was 1.54 pc in Puri on Tuesday.
The State reported 45 new cases, including three from the 0-18 years age group, pushing the active cases to 281. Khurda recorded the highest 18 cases while 12 cases were from Cuttack, three from Balasore and two each from Jajpur and Dhenkanal.
Khurda has been recording a steady rise in new cases for the last one week. The cases rose from 16 on June 15 to 32 on June 21. The district has the maximum 147 active cases, followed by 23 in Cuttack, 14 in Balasore and 13 in Boudh.
With the significant rise in positivity rate in the highly populated districts and cities in the last few days indicating that the infections may spike suddenly in coming days, the health authorities have urged people to take precautionary doses and the second dose those who are due for it.
Meanwhile, the Health department has made the arrangement for Covid vaccination on war footing in Puri ahead of Rath Yatra. Director of Public Health Dr Niranjan Mishra said in view of possible congregation of lakhs of devotees, vaccination will be scaled up in Puri. District administration has been asked to set up special camps to administer vaccines to people who have not taken the second dose and precaution dose, he added.