Bhubaneswar: Noting that next three to four weeks are crucial for Odisha, the state government Thursday cautioned districts and asked them to keep all health infrastructure ready to tackle any possible rise in COVID-19 infections, a senior health department official said.
Though the state used to report a maximum of up to 20 fresh cases daily this month, one should not consider that COVID-19 has completely gone from Odisha. The COVID infections are likely to rise in the state in the coming days for which all measures need to be in place to tackle the impending situation, Health Director Bijay Mohapatra told reporters here.
He said hospitals have been asked to keep COVID wards ready to admit patients in case corona positive cases escalate and the districts have been directed to keep a closer look on the situation.
Stating that there is less possibility of a fourth wave, the infections could be seen in cluster form as in the third wave. The exodus of people of Odisha from the infected states led to the spike in the cases in the state during the third wave.
Keeping this in mind, the government has asked district authorities to keep a close watch on those coming from other states to check the spread of COVID, he said.
Meanwhile, the state Thursday reported seven new infections taking the COVID-19 tally to 12,88,024 while as many as 12,78,767 patients have so far recovered. The state’s COVID-19 toll stands at 9,124, the health department said.
Of the 30 districts of Odisha, 16 have already turned COVID-19 free with no fresh cases or active cases, official sources said.
PTI