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With 2,345 Covid-19 cases, Srinagar among worst-hit cities in north India
The J&K administration claims all is well but has issued gag orders to doctors and health department officials, asking them not to speak to the media
With 2,345 Covid-19 cases, Srinagar is among the worst-hit cities in north India. The J&K administration claims that all is well but has issued gag orders to doctors and health department officials asking them not to speak to the media.
Fifty-seven fatalities, including 54 locals from Srinagar, show the city is emerging as a Covid-hotspot. For the last four days after a surge in cases, fresh restrictions were imposed in the city. Markets are now closed and red zones have again been sealed.
On Thursday, 259 people were found positive in Srinagar alone, a day before the surge there were 153 cases. The spike has left people worried and doctors have already started flagging the issue of shortage of Covid-19 beds in the hospitals within the city.
“The administration got four months to prepare amid the lockdown and now we are being told there is a shortage of beds. If tomorrow, 1,000 cases will are reported, is the government prepared to tackle the exigency? Do we have sufficient high-flow oxygen beds available in the hospitals?’’ asked Adil Ahmad, who lives on the outskirts of the city at Shalteng.
Huma Bhatt, a young entrepreneur and poet, said people should stay indoors as cases are rising. “Not wearing masks, gloves or taking precautions can be suicidal.”
‘PEOPLE NOT FOLLOWING GUIDELINES’
J&K art, cultural and language academy former secretary Rafiq Masoodi said there has been a dangerous increase in the number of Covid-19 cases in Kashmir, especially in Srinagar city.
“The government can’t police people everywhere. I am a senior citizen and I don’t go out but once a month when I go to get groceries, I can only spot three or four people wearing masks,’’ he said.
“When government knows that people are not adhering to norms then why are they opening parks, gardens and tourist places?” he asked.
“There have been instances where people have posted pictures from the Dal Lake to demonstrate how social distancing is being ignored,” he said, alleging that people were not being screened properly at the airport.
Former Srinagar Municipal Corporation mayor Junaid Azim Mattu said the government needs to adopt a comprehensive, multi-pronged approach to deal with rising Covid-19 cases in Srinagar.
“There is no other way to get a grip on the situation. SMC, the health department and the district administration need to work at close quarters and do so consistently,’’ he tweeted.
Mattu said the designation of containment zones is one measure and not a strategy in itself.
“Allied measures need to be taken. Hospitals, large public offices, bank branches and markets are the most vulnerable hotspots and need our focused attention on a daily basis. Multiple cases at JK Bank HQ is a case we need to study and draw quick lessons from.’’
DC SAYS TALLY INCLUDES PEOPLE FROM OTHER DISTRICTS
Srinagar deputy commissioner Shahid Choudhary said most cases that are added to Srinagar’s tally don’t actually belong to the district. “Yesterday’s 259 cases include 120 security forces and 68 people from other districts. During instances where 151 to 119 cases were reported in a single day cases, only 20% cases were from the Srinagar.’’
Contrary to the DC’ s claims, Srinagar has been among the worst affected districts since the Covid-19 outbreak.
It now has 946 more positive cases than Baramulla district that has 1,399 positive cases. Of these cases, 327 were travelers who came from different parts of the country or foreign countries.
