Positivity rate up by 10% in second Covid wave in HP

India — The overall positivity rate during the second wave of Covid-19 in Himachal Pradesh is 10% higher than during the first wave, the state health department data has shown.

During the first wave that lasted from the outbreak in March last year to February 23, 2021, the positivity rate in the state was 5.48%, while it was 15.73% after that till date.

National Health Mission state director Dr Nipun Jindal said on Friday that it has been more than 15 months since the first Covid-19 case was reported in Himachal Pradesh in March last year. After that, 58,403 positive cases were recorded in the state and 982 people lost their lives till February 23. There were only 200 active cases left at that time.

During the second wave that began from February-end, 1,27,416 positive cases were reported, and 1,994 people succumbed to the contagion.

Dr Jindal said case fatality rate was 1.68% in the first wave, while in the second it was 1.54%.

He said the government has increased its testing capacity, isolation and treatment facilities.

A total of 10.63 lakh tests were done in the first wave, while the number of tests has crossed 8 lakh since February in the second wave.

Another major intervention during the second wave has been the vaccination drive. The state vaccinated 18,77,950 people in the 45-plus age group with at least the first dose of Covishield.

The state has also ramped up its Covid care facilities. On March 1, 2021, there were 11 dedicated centres with a total of 440 beds, including 32 ICU ones. The number such facilities has gone up to 56 with 3,860 beds of which 291 are ICU ones.