Only two districts had a positivity rate (the rate at which a number of people tested positive for every 100 tests) of 10% till December 24. However, by January 6, it (weekly positivity rate) climbed to over 10% in 41 districts in 17 states and UTs.
New Delhi: As many as 120 districts across 29 states and Union Territories have reported a weekly Covid-19 positivity rate of 10% in the current third wave of the pandemic, fuelled by ‘highly transmissible’ Omicron’variant, the government data showed on Wednesday. Only two districts had a positivity rate (the rate at which a number of people tested positive for every 100 tests) of 10% till December 24. However, by January 6, it (weekly positivity rate) climbed to over 10% in 41 districts in 17 states and UTs. Currently, nearly 120 districts have weekly positivity rate of over 10 per cent, the data which was compiled from states and laboratories in the ICMR portal showed.
In a document elaborating the weekly positivity rate, the Indian Council of Medical Research, or ICMR said, “Testing is the backbone for curbing the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 as it helps early detection of cases and their isolation and contact tracing. All states are advised to scale up testing to maximum possible levels using rapid antigen tests in underserved areas, rural areas and places where RT-PCR testing is not feasible.”
Here’s your 10-point cheatsheet:-
- The positivity rate in Delhi climbed to 25.65 per cent. The cumulative numbers of infections in the city stood at 15,90,155 after 21,259 fresh Covid-19 cases were detected yesterday.
- Maharashtra Covid Task Force Member Dr Shashank Joshi has said that the Omicron wave in Mumbai is flattening and the positivity rate is expected to be down to 20% from 30% earlier.
- Covid test positivity rate in Karnataka crossed 10 per cent to 10.3 per cent as daily cases rose to 14,473 in the state on Tuesday, of which 10,800 were in Bengaluru.
- Kerala yesterday reported 9,066 fresh Covid cases after 63,898 samples were tested, increasing the daily test positivity rate to 14.18 per cent.
- The World Health Organisation (WHO) experts has warned that repeating booster doses of the original Covid vaccines is not a viable strategy against emerging variants and called for new and updated coronavirus vaccines that provide better protection.
- While the recent surge in Covid cases seen in India is largely due to Omicron, it does not mean that Delta has weakened, experts contended yesterday.
- Union health secretary Rajesh Bhushan on Monday wrote to his counterparts in states and Union territories and said India is witnessing a hospitalisation rate of 5-10 per cent in the present surge, however, the situation is evolving and may change rapidly. “In the present surge, 5-10% of active cases needed hospitalisation so far. The situation is dynamic & evolving, the need for hospitalisation may change rapidly”, his letter read.
