Odisha on Monday reported the highest single-day tally of 4,829 Covid-19 cases. Out of these, 448 are children below the age of 18 years.
The third wave of Covid-19 is likely to reach its peak in Odisha around the end of this month, officials said.
Director of health services Bijay Mohapatra said: “The number of cases is increasing daily. It may reach its peak towards the end of this month. Besides, the omicron variant of the virus is present in all districts of the state.”
The total number of omicrons affected has reached 103 in the state with a report of 28 new cases.
With no letdown in Covid-19 severity, the Odisha government on Monday launched the booster dose campaign for people above 60 years, health workers, and front line workers. Odisha Legislative Assembly Speaker Surya Narayan Patro was among the first to receive the dose.
Grassroots workers and local NGOs have been mobilised to create awareness on the issue. People who have completed nine months (39 weeks) after taking the second dose are eligible for the booster shot.
“We have set a target to administer the booster dose to 3,53,173 health workers, 3,52,265 front line workers, and 10,47,400 people above 60 years and above with comorbidities,” officials said.
Registration and appointment will be made through the Co-WIN portal. However, eligible people can also get registration done in the onsite mode through their existing Co-WIN account.
The state government has launched house-to-house searches to identify people who have not taken either the first or second dose of Covid vaccination. As a preventive measure, the Odisha government has already closed down the schools and colleges.
Meanwhile, chief secretary Suresh Chandra Mohapatra has asked all the district collectors to visit all Covid hospitals personally and see the arrangements such as availability of medicine, manpower, instruments, pathological test facilities, oxygen, seamless admission of the patients, proper treatment, trained doctors, nurse and health workers.
“We have already created 7,181 oxygen-supported beds, around 1,000 pediatric beds, 2,024 ICUs and HDUs (High Dependency Unit), and 874 ventilators at the district level,” officials added.
