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‘There is no shortage of medicine or vaccine in J&K’
Financial commissioner, health and medical education department, Atal Dulloo, says that they are ready to meet any challenge; adds that more beds are being brought in to the hospitals across the UT
As J&K is witnessing a surge in Covid-19 cases, the Jammu and Kashmir administration has started to ramp up its infrastructure and add more Covid-19 beds.
On Sunday, J&K had recorded 1,526 fresh infections, highest daily surge in last eight months.
Currently, the Union territory’s case tally reached 1,46,692 and while death toll went up to 2,057.
In April alone, 63 people have lost their lives to the disease. For the past six days, the UT has recorded above 1,000 cases. J&K had an all-time high of 1,698 daily cases on September 12, 2020.
Even on Sunday, with 520 cases, Srinagar had the highest number of the new infections.
Financial commissioner, health and medical education department, Atal Dulloo, said that they are ready to meet any challenge. “We are adding more beds to the hospitals across the UT. And, we don’t have any shortage of medicine or vaccine.”
Kashmir director, health, Dr Mushtaq said that Jawahar Lal Nehru Memorial Hospital is the apex Covid hospital of the directorate and the oxygen generation capacity is being increased from 300 LPM (litre/minute) to 1,300 LPM.
“Once complete, oxygen plant could be able to serve more high-risk Covid patients where high-flow oxygen is indicated,” he added.
Currently, there are more than 11,000 active cases in J&K — the highest number of cases are in Srinagar and Jammu. Many experts, however, say if cases start going up further, then J&K administration could also face problems like other states.
“We are prepared to some critical point beyond that capacity. So, everybody is praying that things remain under control in J&K,” said a senior doctor at Government Medical College, who is overseeing the Covid patients.
Last week, Shri Maharaja Hari Singh hospital had designated six new wards for Covid patients due to fresh influx. “For us, this is a wake up call. If we make decisions this time, things can become easy,” said another doctor.
The government had closed many Covid centres and hospitals and now, it is finding it difficult to get them open again, especially in Baramulla district.
1,516 infections recorded in UT
For the second day in a row, Jammu and Kashmir’s daily Covid infections crossed 1,500 mark with 1,516 new cases, the highest single-day count since September 16, taking the Union territory’s case tally to 1,48,208.
With six fresh fatalities — four in Kashmir and two in Jammu division — the toll reached 2,063, health officials said.
Of the new cases, 748 are from Kashmir division while 768 are from Jammu. Among the Monday’s cases, 231 are travellers.
So far, 69 people have lost their lives to the disease this month. This is for the seventh consecutive day that the UT has recorded over 1,000 cases. J&K had an all-time high of 1,698 daily cases on September 12, 2020.
Officials said with 451 cases, Jammu had the highest number of new infections, followed by Srinagar with 383 cases, Baramulla 110, Reasi 102 (including 79 travellers),Udhampur 81, Anantnag 48 and Budgam 46.
Four out of the 20 districts reported single-digit cases. The number of active cases, which has been rising steadily, reached 12,164, officials said. On Monday, 813 patients recovered, including 606 in Kashmir and 207 from Jammu. As many as 1,33,981 people have recovered so far, taking the recovery rate to 90.40% from the highest of around 98% which was seen in the first fortnight of February.
Over 6.79 million Covid-19 tests have been conducted in the Union territory so far.
Central University of Kashmir postpones some exams
Central University of Kashmir on Monday postponed some of the semester exams and rescheduled some other exams to ensure the attendance on the campus is thinner amid the surge in Covid-19 across the Valley.
The university has also decided to impose a fine of ₹50 on students and ₹200 on employees if they are found without masks on the campus.
The measures come a day after HT reported that students of the Central University of Kashmir have been demanding that their ongoing examinations should either be postponed or shifted online as the Covid cases were increasing.
Alleging that the varsity officials are not even following Covid-19 protocols while calling them to campus for semester exams, the students said that this is putting their lives, and that of their families, at risk.
Vice-chancellor of the varsity, Mehraj ud Din Mir, on Monday inspected the examination centres of the varsity across various campuses.
“(He) expressed satisfaction over the arrangements made in view of the Covid-19,” said varsity PRO Arshad Meraj in a statement.
The V-C was informed that strict Covid protocols are followed while conducting the examinations and “SOPs are followed in letter and spirit”.
Mir, according to the statement, exhorted upon the employees of the health section of the university to take all necessary precautions and measures to ensure Covid-free examination.
The statement informed that Tulmulla campus director Prof (Dr) Shahid Rasool, while accompanying the V-C at Tulmulla campus, informed him that Covid protocol officers have been designated in each department of the campus, who are given the responsibility to ensure full compliance with the SOPs issued by the government.
He said that rapid antigen testing was conducted on Monday on the campus and the students and staff were tested on the spot for any possible case, but none was found infected.
Posters and banners have been installed at entry points of departments and prominent places across the campus, informing the students, faculty and staff about the Covid SOPs.
He further said a fine of ₹50 would be charged from a student and ₹200 from the employees found without wearing a mask on the campus at any time.
Later, Prof Mehraj ud Din Mir chaired a meeting of the deans and discussed the issues related to re-emergence of Covid-19 cases. Some of the exams have been postponed and some rescheduled to ensure the attendance on the campus is thinner.
The counselling of PhD aspirants for the recently held entrance test has also been postponed, the statement said.
