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In first week of April, half of Kashmir’s Covid cases in Srinagar
The health department’s data shows that 3,867 people were infected by the virus in the first week of April in Jammu and Kashmi
The coronavirus cases in Srinagar are surging fast as around half of Kashmir’s total infections in the first week of April have been reported in district.
The health department’s data shows that 3,867 people were infected by the virus in the first week of April in Jammu and Kashmir. Kashmir saw 2,755 cases of which, 1,347 were reported in Srinagar.
“In densely populated areas like Srinagar, the virus is spreading rapidly. It is a crowded place and people are taking fewer precautions,” said Kashmir Doctors’ Association president and influenza expert Dr Nisar ul Hassan.
“The virus especially spreads through gatherings in closed spaces and we have been witnessing many indoor functions and social functions here,” he said.
As against the steady increase of Covid cases in March, the surge has become steep in April. From 461 daily cases in the UT on April 1, the count has reached a six-month high of 812 cases on April 7.
“The tourist influx is mostly concentrated in Srinagar. They stay in Srinagar hotels, go to different places and then come back to Srinagar to stay in hotels and homes. That can be a reason for escalation of cases,” he said.
Srinagar was declared an orange zone on March 30 but people were allowed to gather at public parks and garden. People have been criticising the government for organising Tulip Festival from April 3 which saw heavy rush of people most of whom did not follow the SOPs.
Till April 7, Srinagar health authorities have administered around 81,500 vaccines, including first and second dose, to healthcare and frontline workers and citizens over 45 years of age as against 2.26 lakh doses in Jammu.
“We need to ramp up vaccinationas even the young population is now getting affected. Of the total J&K population, we have vaccinated just 1.72 lakh people with both the doses,” Dr Hassan said.
Overall, Srinagar has recorded 28,115 cases and 477 deaths of total 1,27,774 cases and 2,018 deaths in the UT.
The J&K administration closed schools from Monday due to surging cases of Covid-19. While primary classes up to Class 9 will remain closed for two weeks; Class 10 to 12 will be shut down for a week till April 11.
The Valley’s largest tertiary care hospital in Srinagar Sher-I-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) on Wednesday decided to stop all non-emergency surgeries and admissions to cater to increasing rush of Covid patients.
Srinagar DC Aijaz Asad reviewed Covid containment measures and established special Covid vaccination sites at Kashmir University, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, and the J&K Bank headquarters at Tourist Reception Centre.
Asad said that from now on, all incoming travellers will undergo testing at Lower Munda in Kulgam. “This will help in containing spread of the virus in Kashmir,” he said.
The DC said that mass vaccination of hotel staff, drivers, houseboat staff and others concerned with the tourism sector will be started across all tourist destinations.
JAMMU DM CANCELS FAIR, EXHIBITION PERMITS
Amid spike in Covid cases, Jammu district magistrate Anshul Garg on Thursday cancelled permissions for fairs and exhibitions in district.
Garg, under Section 144 of the CrPC r/w relevant provisions under the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 and the Disaster Management Act, 2005 cancelled all permissions for fairs and exhibitions in district.
“In view of the current situation, there is sufficient ground for proceeding under Section 144 of the CrPC for immediate prevention or speedy remedy to prevent danger to human health and safety,” an order issued by the DM stated.
Organisers of the exhibitions will wind up their operations within 24 hours and sub-divisional magistrates concerned will submit compliance report to the DM office.
As per the orders, any violation will invite punitive action under Section 188 of the IPC and under the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 and the Disaster Management Act, 2005.
835 COVID CASES IN J&K
J&K recorded 835 new Covid cases on Thursday taking the UT’s case tally to 1,35,662, health officials said.
The UT also recorded another fresh fatality in Kashmir taking the death toll to 2,019.
Of the new cases, 555 are from Kashmir while 280 are from Jammu. Of the day’s cases, 163 are travellers.
Officials said with 349 cases, Srinagar had the highest number of new cases, followed by 148 in Jammu, 74 in Baramulla, 47 in Reasi and 35 in Udhampur. Nine of 20 districts reported single-digit cases.
On Thursday, 246 patients were discharged, including 224 from Kashmir and 22 from Jammu. As many as 1,28,020 people have recovered so far, taking the recovery rate to 94.36%. Over 6.37 million Covid-19 tests have been conducted in the UT so far.
