COVID-19 testing declines, cases rise: Union Health Secy writes to Odisha

Bhubaneswar: Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan today shot off a letter to Odisha Government raising his concern over the rise in COVID-19 case along with a drop in number of testing in the state.

Sharing the figures, he said the state has reported 71,445 cases in the month ending December 4, with a contribution of 2-5 % to India’s daily COVID tally over the past one month. Khordha district has reported a high quantum of weekly tally with 900 new cases reported in the week ending December 3.

Six out of the total 30 districts have reported an increase in the weekly caseload in the week ending on December 3, as compared to the week ending on November 26, Bhushan highlighted in the letter.

Dhenkanal district has witnessed a significant surge in number of cases to the tune of 666% in the last 14 days. Between, November 20 and 26, the district reported only nine cases while as many as 69 cases were recorded in the district from November 27 to December 3

Worth mentioning, over 50 students of a Plus 2 residential college in Kunjakanta area in Dhenkanal town were found positive for the virus this week. As part of precautionary measures, the Dhenkanal Municipality authorities immediately sealed buildings of the college and its hostel, declaring the entire campus as micro containment zone. Earlier this week, the administration declared Kunjakanta area as containment zone for a period of 10 days following detection of several positive cases.

Also Read: 16 more students of Plus 2 college in Dhenkanal test COVID positive

In the letter, the Union Health Secretary also pointed out that the state has shown a decline of 3.1 % in weekly COVID-19 tests–from 4,01,164 total tests in week ending November 26 to 3,88,788 total tests in the week ending December 3 with 36 % RT-PCR share. 

Bhushan urged the state to take necessary steps as per the ongoing strategy of Test-Track-Treat-Vaccinate-Covid Appropriate Behaviour to reduce fatality and keep the situation under control. He also assured the state of requisite support on behalf of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in the collective battle against COVID-19.

Besides Odisha, he wrote to Karnataka, Jammu and Kashmir, Mizoram, Kerala  and Tamil Nadu. highlighting the fact that few districts in the country are witnessing a surge of 726% in last 14 days.