Bhubaneswar: Director of Health Dr. Bijay Kumar Mohapatra on Sunday said that Odisha’s Covid-19 testing rate is much better than the national average.
Speaking to the media persons here Dr. Mohapatra said that the COVID-19 situation in Odisha is better than that of the country with the positivity rate in India 1.1%, the state has reported 0.4%, in the month of November.
The Health Director said, “We are conducting 4,542 tests per lakh population while the National average is 2,685 per lakh. On Saturday, we conducted more than 59,000 tests. Testing might be impacted slightly due to the rains, but the State’s testing average is better than that across India.”
Dr. Mohapatra further said the death rate due to COVID in India is 1.3% whereas Odisha has reported 0.8%. “However, though the State’s (comparative) figures are encouraging, it is no way a reason for our people to be complacent. We need to be alert, and strictly adhere to COVID guidelines as specified by the State Government and Centre,” he added.
Notably, in a letter to Additional Chief Secretary of Health R K Sharma, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan had expressed his concern and asked the State government to ramp up testing and take measures to check the spread of disease.
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