VISAKHAPATNAM: The third wave of Covid-19, believed to be driven by the Omicron variant, is spreading at an unprecedented rate in Andhra Pradesh. Hardly three weeks into the surge, the case positivity rate has almost reached the peak levels of the second wave.
While the peak daily case positivity rate during the second wave had touched the 26% mark, it already crossed the 24% mark during the ongoing third wave on Wednesday. It took almost three months during the second wave to reach its ascension, while it had happened in a more gradual fashion in the first wave in 2020. But the Omicron variant seems to have sparked a steep surge in the third wave.
For instance, Visakhapatnam district recorded a scary 48.5% case positivity rate on Tuesday and 49.3% positivity rate on Wednesday, meaning that one in two are testing positive for the pandemic. At least 40 urban local bodies/rural mandals recorded over 20% weekly case positivity rate, including Renigunta (38.4%), Rajahmundry (38%), Tirupati (36%), Sullurpeta (35%), Puttur (32.8%) and Tadepalli (32%).
The daily case positivity rate consistently remained under 1% in December 2021 with the average monthly positivity rate being limited to 0.5%.
But just within three weeks from the presumed end of the second wave, the state is now posting skyrocketing daily positivity rates.
From 0.3% daily case positivity rate on December 27, it jumped to 24% on Wednesday, implying a frightening 80-fold increase in the positivity rate in three weeks.
As per the SBI’s research report released on Tuesday, rural areas of Andhra Pradesh are contributing to about 73% of the total daily caseload.
As per the report, the national peak may come within the next two to three weeks. South Africa, where the Omicron variant was first reported, took only 22 days to reach its peak, while the USA reached its Omicron peak in 78 days.
Even though it is difficult to determine a single factor behind the steep surge in the case numbers in Andhra Pradesh, experts attribute it to the high transmissibility and spread of Omicron variant, laxity among some people regarding Covid-appropriate behaviour, increased mobility and gatherings during the festival season, etc.
The state officials anticipate that the cases may witness a dip as fast as it reaches the peak in the third wave.
