Despite the recent surge in COVID positive cases in Odisha, the Institute of Life Sciences (ILS) under the central government’s Department of Biotechnology, has predicted that the situation in the state is likely to improve from the second week of September.
ILS director Dr Ajay Parida says the situation will gradually normalise after reaching its peak in the first week of September. “This (fall in cases) has happened in Ganjam district and will occur in other parts of the state”, said Dr Parida. He emphasised that testing, tracing, and isolation are the three major factors to contain the spread of the infection in the community.
Even though the state has an increasing number of positive cases, the recovery rate is high with the fatality rate being low. Also, the rate of positive cases is on a decline as compared to the quantum of increase in the number of tests. Odisha’s positivity and fatality indicators are also much below the national average.
The director also expressed concerns over the re-emergence of the virus. “Though the rate of spread of COVID-19 had come down in Kerala, it again surfaced in that state. Going by this analysis, one cannot accurately predict complete eradication of the infection”, he added.
The ILS along with ICMRs RMRC (Regional Medical Research Centre) is undertaking a genomic study in Odisha to trace the new strain of the virus. Meanwhile, 2,239 people tested positive for COVID-19 in the last 24 hours, taking the total tally in the state to 64,533. The death toll has risen to 362.