41% of Jharkhand’s total Covid cases reported in first two weeks of July
July’s second week, however, has felt the maximum turmoil as the number of cases detected was double the cases discovered in the first week.
In the ongoing fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, Jharkhand has entered into another turbulent phase of case explosion in the first two weeks of July, which witnessed 41% of the state’s total cases.
In this month’s first two weeks, the state reported 1,756 cases. The period also saw 21 deaths that took the toll to 36.
July’s second week, however, has felt the maximum turmoil as the number of cases detected was double the cases discovered in the first week. While 566 cases were detected between July 1-7, 1,190 cases were reported between July 8-14.
Besides, the positivity rate of the disease, which is the number of samples found positive out of the total samples tested, also increased in the period to 3.7%, thereby meaning that of the 100 samples tested during this period, an average of 3.7 people were found infected.
The period also saw pandemic hitting almost every section of the society and even reached the corridors of power, infecting lawmakers, government officials, doctors, police personnel, journalists and others.
The maximum spread of infection in this phase was felt in city and town areas as districts with a sizeable urban population remained the worst-affected.
The top five worst hit districts are East Singhbhum (with its headquarters in Jamshedpur), Ranchi, Dhanbad, Koderma and Hazaribag, which reported 309, 272, 139, 130 and 108 new cases respectively in the last two weeks. Ranchi registered the maximum 122% growth as cases jumped to 494 on July 14 from 222 on June 30.
The steep surge in number of cases in urban pockets, however, has created a panic, especially after chief minister Hemant Soren and his entire staff went into home quarantine following his contact with an infected minister.
Another alarming development came on July 12, when the state reported nine deaths due to the pandemic.
According to health experts, the situation can worsen if people don’t start following all preventive protocols and guidelines. “Many people are still violating the norms. Some even don’t use masks. A majority of population has not downloaded the Aarogya Setu App,” said Dr Rakesh Dayal, state nodal officer of the integrated disease surveillance programm (IDSP).
Former head of medicine department of Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), Ranchi, Dr RK Jha said, “Prevention is the only key to keep a check on the spread of pandemic. We have to prepare ourselves mentally as we are in it for a long haul. We have to understand the importance of using masks, maintaining social distancing, using sanitizer and washing hands frequently.”
In order to put a break on spread of the disease, several district administrations have been taking stricter measures and passed prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. Some districts have also clamped complete lockdown for a week.
