After steady rise, Covid positivity rate witnesses a dip in Kolkata

KOLKATA: After a sharp rise for the past three weeks, the Covid positivity rate in Kolkata has started to dip, suggests latest data from the Centre. After a steady climb from below 0.5% to 4%, the positivity rate in Kolkata was 3.8% in the March 27-April 2 week.
The daily active Covid cases, which has already scaled the three digit mark, also dipped on Tuesday. The active cases in Bengal, however, were still at 139. According to the weekly data released by the Union health ministry, Bengal's overall positivity rate has slipped below 3% to 2.9%.
At 3.9%, Birbhum has the highest positivity rates in Bengal. Kolkata stands second at 3.8%. Among the districts hemming Kolkata, while North 24 Parganas has a positivity rate of 1.5%, Howrah, Hooghly and South 24 Parganas have a positivity rate below 0.5%.
"We are likely to encounter these occasional upticks for the next two to three years. There should be no major concern unless we find many patients requiring hospital care. That is very unlikely. As long as infection remains mild, we should not panic," said infectious diseases specialist Sayan Chakraborty of AMRI-Dhakuria.
Sources said the stray cases requiring hospital admission at present are cases of incidental Covid findings. Health officials said a section of doctors has started asking for Covid tests on symptomatic patients, especially those who have travel history. But these patients are not requiring hospital admission.
"During the endemic phase, there will be ups and downs in the number of cases. It is a natural process. But we are alert and prepared to tackle any significant upsurge, which at the moment does not warrant," said a state health official.
Till last week, sources in Swasthya Bhawan said, close to 40% of these active cases were in Kolkata alone where the positivity rate had crossed the 4% mark - the highest among all districts in the state. Even a fortnight ago, the positivity rate in the city was just 1.1%. On Tuesday, nine districts in Bengal had zero Covid positivity rate, three had a positivity rate below 0.5% and two below 1%.
"Most will get a mild infection, thanks to the vaccine protection, natural immunity and previous infections. But the infection can be serious among a section of elderly patients with comorbidities and the immunocompromised. As a result, there can be a slight increase in hospitalisation as well and mortality," said a doctor of a government hospital.