High Positivity Rate, More Patients With Comorbidities: Why Sikkim's Covid Situation Is Cause For Concern

Sikkim recorded average Covid positivity rate of 15.6 per cent over the last week. This is five times the national average for the same period.

While most states in the country have seen Covid positivity rates drop over the past couple of weeks, bringing down the national average, the figures in Sikkim are a cause of concern. The Himalayan state, which has a population of less than 7 lakh, recorded an average positivity rate of 15.6 per cent over the last week -- June 21 to June 27. This is five times the national average of 2.93 per cent for last week. Covid positivity rate is a percentage of total samples tested that turn out to be positive. It is a key indicator of the spread of the disease in a community. As per state data, the daily positivity rate for Sikkim dropped below 10 per cent only once in the last week, recording 9.2 per cent positivity on June 25. The figure shot up to 20.8 per cent on June 27, more than seven times the national positivity rate of 2.82 per cent for the same day. The national positivity rate has remained below 5 per cent for the last two weeks.