As Covid instances fall throughout state, 5 districts see rise in numbers; 4 of them in Vidarbha

WHILE the Covid-19 case curve in most components of the state is dipping, 5 districts in Maharashtra are witnessing a rise within the variety of instances.
Of these, 4 are in Vidarbha — Amravati, Yavatmal, Akola and Wardha. The fifth one is Nandurbar.
A state authorities bulletin termed these as “districts deserving special attention”. The bulletin, dated February 4, acknowledged that the 5 districts registered the very best progress fee in variety of Covid-19 instances for the week earlier than the issuance of the bulletin – Amravati 3.15 per cent, Yavatmal 2.8 per cent, Akola 2.24 per cent, Nandurbar 2.25 per cent and Wardha 2.16 per cent.
Amravati Divisional Commissioner Piyush Singh informed The Indian Express, “The rise in Covid-19 cases in the three districts of Amravati division — Amravati, Akola and Yavatmal — can be attributed to two factors. We have undertaken intensive testing for teachers after schools were reopened about a fortnight ago. This was compulsory testing and we have found a large number of teachers and their contacts… to be Corona positive. Our daily number of tests have also increased from about 1,000 to 1,500. The other factor contributing to the increase is the increasing number of people with mild fever due to weather change. They all are compulsorily tested for Covid-19 and many of them have tested positive.”
He, nevertheless, added, “Most of these were asymptomatic cases and did not require hospitalisation.”
Singh additional mentioned, “We had noticed similar increase in cases during the Gram Panchayat elections too. It had later tapered down. We hope the same will happen after the next few days.”
Wardha Collector Vivek Bhimanwar cited “less herd immunity” within the district as motive for rising variety of optimistic instances. “Wardha was one of the last districts to be affected by Covid-19. So, herd immunity also set in late. A sample survey conducted by the Sevagram Medical College shows that only 24 per cent people have developed herd immunity in the district. This is the likely reason for increasing number of cases,” he mentioned.

Bhimanwar mentioned the federal government ought to undertake a graded strategy whereas endeavor mass vaccination, at any time when it begins. “It should be more intensive in districts with less herd immunity. I have already informally suggested this to the state government,” he mentioned.
Both Singh and Bhimanwar mentioned that with all the things opening up and other people turning into much less cautious about observing preventive norms like sporting masks and avoiding crowding, the variety of Covid-19 instances was anticipated to rise additional. They additionally identified that the drop in optimistic case numbers was commensurate with voluntary testing. “The numbers will go up when compulsory testing is more,” mentioned Singh.
Meanwhile, two of the 5 districts deserving consideration, when it comes to the weekly dying fee, are Bhandara (7.69 per cent) and Gadchiroli (7.32 per cent) from Vidarbha. Among districts deserving consideration when it comes to the weekly positivity fee are two districts from Vidarbha, Nagpur (8.43 per cent) and Amravati (8.91 per cent).