Covid situation under control, Odisha government clarifies to the Union

BHUBANESWAR:  Responding to the Centre’s missive on clinical management and high test positivity rate (TPR), the State government on Wednesday clarified that the TPR has dropped below four per cent from 15.47 per cent during late May. Addressing media persons, Additional Chief Secretary of Health PK Mohapatra said the TPR is below one pc in 10 districts and less than five pc in 24 districts though it is marginally high in six districts - Cuttack, Jajpur, Khurda, Nayagarh, Dhenkanal, Mayurbhanj.

Stating that they are hopeful of an improved situation in the next two weeks, he said the bed occupancy has also come down drastically as around 90 per cent of general beds are vacant and only 35 per cent ventilators and 38 per cent ICU beds are occupied. “The bed occupancy has come down to 10 per cent from 95 per cent during the peak. This is why we have started de-hiring the Covid facilities set up by private entities.

Only those run and managed by the government will continue to function in view of a possible third wave,” he said. On Covid fatalities, Mohapatra clarified that the numbers announced these days are not the death toll of the previous days. “Those are past deaths for which the audit has been duly completed and the cause of death identified. I appeal to people not to consider this as fresh fatalities. The Covid situation in the State is well under control now,” he added. Odisha has 25,095 active cases.