BHUBANESWAR: Covid cases in the capital city remained consistent with daily infection load around 300 for the past 15 days, the period when most of the state’s rural and urban pockets recorded significant drop in cases.
The capital’s Covid status remains vulnerable despite the fact that the state has seen further drop in total positivity rate.
Odisha on Friday reported 2,912 new infections from among 64,255 samples tested, a positivity rate of 4.53%.
The capital’s active cases had come down to 1200 on June 17 but without significant drop in infection, active cases are up again and have crossed 1500.
Bhubaneswar contributes close to 40% of Khurda district’s total active cases of 5,107.
The city’s cumulative Covid count inched closer to 90,000 out of which it has added 55,000 cases in three months during the second wave.
Admitting that decline in daily Covid count in the capital is very slow compared to other urban centres, Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) commissioner Sanjay Singh said, “Enforcement during lockdown has been somewhat slack.
In the weekend shutdown too, we found people congregating and moving unnecessarily.
Many markets are also witnessing rush.
We have reviewed the situation and closed the city’s biggest vegetable market at Unit-I till July 1.
Other markets, too, will face similar sanction if vendors are found violating the norms.
We will decentralise the markets by relocating the vendors to the roadside.” Many health experts had observed that enforcement during the second wave was not strict.
On Friday, the government reported 40 more Covid deaths, taking the toll to 3,801.