Odisha sets “zero transmission” target against coronavirus disease

Setting a “Zero Transmission” target against COVID-19, Odisha government has claimed that the state has already reported lowest rate so far as detection of positive cases are concerned in the country.

National Health Mission Director Shalini Pandit said this while briefing the media here.

“The challenge before us is to achieve zero transmission of the corona disease. The state has reported just 1.08 per cent positive case against the national average of around five per cent,” Pandit said.

She said that of the total 5,537 samples tested so far, the state reported only 60 positive cases keeping the rate at 1.08 per cent.

Though some other states have less positive cases than Odisha, the rate of positivity to COVID-19 in the state is one of the lowest rates of the positive case as Odisha’s rate is 1.08, while it is one per cent in Jharkhand. The recovery rate in Odisha remains at 30 per cent while the death rate is two per cent, the NHM Director claimed.

Pandit also said that it was possible because of the utmost discipline maintained by the people of Odisha, who strictly followed most of the norms like social distancing, hand washing and staying at home during the lockdown period.

Quoting an ICMR survey, Pandit said, “A COVID-19-infected person can easily transmit the highly infectious virus to 406 people in 30 days without lockdown. However, if an infected person remains in lockdown and obeys all norms, he/she will transmit the virus to only two persons.” “Since there is a lockdown, we have to identify these two persons who have been infected from a COVID-19 patient and make the rate of transmission zero,” Pandit said, adding people must obey the lockdown norms in letter and spirit and help the state to achieve “zero transmission.” Referring to low corona test in the state, Pandit said, “So far, we have tested the suspected cases and the persons showing symptoms or the people who have come in contact with a positive case. Now, we will expand and test asymptomatic persons also.”

Rejecting the allegation that corona tests are confined to Bhubaneswar, Cuttack and other urban areas, Pandit claimed the tests are being done in all districts. “We have conducted tests of 200 persons each in Malkangiri and Kalahandi and 300 people in Bolangir to name a few,” she said.

While sharing her experience in the containment zones, Pandit said, “We tested 300 people in a containment zone and four positive cases who had no such flu symptoms. We will have to completely stop transmission with the help of people as lockdown and the home stay has benefited the state and ensured a low rate of transmission in Odisha,” she said.

On the present corona status of the state, Pandit said of the 60 positive cases detected so far, 18 people have already been cured and discharged from hospitals. Similarly, of the 41 active cases, only two patients require hospital care even as the state has so far arranged 3,620 beds in the dedicated COVID-19 hospitals. As many as 113 persons are under hospital isolation at present.

Of the 60 positive cases, 20 are women, comprising 33.3 per cent of the total number of patients detected in the state so far.

“Of the two patients requiring hospital case, one has already tested negative to the COVID-19. But, we cannot discharge him from the hospital because of his other health problems. Therefore, only one of the 41 active COVID-19 cases needs hospital care,” Pandit said.

“Like natural calamities and cyclones, Odisha will also win over the COVID-19 by adopting the Zero Transmission goal,” said a senior official in the health department.