Tests per day, per million: Odisha stands second in India

New Delhi, Aug 22: Odisha has achieved a significant milestone in becoming the second state in the country to conduct the maximum number of COVID-19 tests per day per million population.

The Union Health Ministry data suggests that Odisha is conducting 1,265 tests per million per day. Goa on the other hand is conducting 1,825 tests per million per day. When it comes to the national average of 580, Odisha is far ahead.

"#Odisha has emerged second leading state in the country by conducting 1265 tests per million per day, compared to national average of 580 as per @MoHFW_INDIA. Odisha has been consistently ramping up tests for identification and treatment of #COVID19 positive cases. #OdishaCares, " the Chief Minister's Office, Odisha said in a tweet.

Ramping up testing significantly, the Odisha government has been collecting 50,000 samples per day and this has decreased the positivity rate from 9.2 per cent to 5.5 per cent. This drop in number may point at a downward trend in Odisha.

A press note from the Odisha government said, "Odisha is a role model for the nation and globally in handling of the Covid battle and the recent information on Covid testing by Union Government, placing Odisha in 2nd position in India is just another initiative of the Odisha Government to win the war against Covid."

Odisha has reported 72,718 COVID-19 cases and 390 deaths. However a total of 48,577 patients have already been cured.

Odisha stands way ahead of bigger states such Madhya Pradesh, ( daily tests per million), Rajasthan (309), West Bengal (365), Maharashtra (579) and Punjab (546). Even when compared to developed states such as Karnataka, Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh, Odisha is way ahead.