Positivity rate dips to 9% in 3rd week of lockdown

Positivity rate stood at 16% in second week (April 29- May 5) of lockdown; weekly detection of cases also fell to 38,142 in third week(May 6-12)

RANCHI: Jharkhand, for the first time in over three weeks of the ongoing lockdown, saw a significant drop in weekly detection of number of Covid-19 cases and positivity rate (number of positive cases per hundred samples tested), with the latter dropping to 9% in the third week (May 6-12) of lockdown.

Prior to this week, the positivity rate stood at 16% in the second week (April 29- May 5) of the ongoing lockdown. The weekly detection of cases also came down to 38,142 in the third week from 41,626 cases in the second week.

The decline in cases and positivity rate indicates the spread of infection has slowed down.

Noticing a steep surge in Covid-19 cases in the first three weeks of April, the state government clamped a partial lockdown in the fourth week (April 22-28), that has been extended further with certain new embargo.

While the state has now entered the fourth week (May 13-19) of the lockdown, the first two weeks saw a decline in growth of cases, but reported a significant rise in positivity rate.

The state discovered 44,133 cases in the first week (April 22-28) of lockdown. These cases were detected after testing 322,392 samples, with 13.68% positivity rate, meaning thereby that every 100 samples tested, at least 13 returned positive.

The second week (April 29-May 5), however, brought witnessed stricter norms and the growth of positive cases registered a 5.68% decline in comparison to the first week. The state unearthed 41,626 cases in between April 29-May 5.

The positivity rate, however, didn’t go down, but jumped to 16.25% from the previous week of 13.68%, as 41,626 cases were discovered after testing 256,134 samples.

But the third week (May 6-12), for the first time after the pandemic’s second wave hit the state in early April, saw a drop in cases as well as the positivity rate.

With 9% positivity rate, the state detected 38,142 cases after testing 421,479 samples in between May 6-12.

Comparing these figures with the previous week, the growth of cases and positivity rate both dipped significantly.

The state reported weekly positivity rates of 4.85%, 7.16%, 10.96%, 13.68%, 16.25% and 9% in April 1-7, April 8-14, April 15-21, April 22-28, April 29-May 5 and May 6-12, respectively.

Health experts, however, opined that the lockdown has greatly impacted the fast spread of infection.

Dr Dewesh Kumar, assistant professor of department of preventive and social medicine, RIMS, said, “The lockdown has definitely slowed down the spread of the disease. Besides, people are more alert now. If we see the results of sample tests conducted at RIMS laboratory, we can say that positivity rate has gone down. We had seen positivity rate as high as 45% on April 17, when 278 positive cases were detected after testing 605 samples. This has been coming down gradually. We have also been noticing that there has been a significant decline in number of people seeking beds and consultation through telemedicine. This shows a positive trend as the rush in hospitals is gradually waning.”

According to health department’s Covid-19 bulletin on May 14, the state has so far reported 310,024 cases including 260,602 recoveries, 45,056 active cases and 4,366 deaths.