GROWING CONCERN

With more than four weeks of continuous lockdown in Srinagar and other areas of Kashmir valley, twenty-two new cases of COVID-19 were reported today by official spokesman. He said that among the fresh cases eighteen are from Kashmir and four in Jammu. The total number of COVID-19 patients in the J-K now reached 300-mark.

Officials said that fifteen of these were confirmed in SKIMS, three in CD hospital lab and four in Jammu. This is an alarming situation in Jammu and Kashmir that despite lockdown and severe restrictions, more cases are coming to the surface of infected people by coronavirus.

In Jammu region, the concern is more as doctors have tested positive again. This trend of infection among the doctors and paramedical staff in Jammu has shown that the government has failed to provide sufficient number of PPE’s and other equipment to the doctors and paramedics to treat positive patients of COVID-19.

Rapid testing is also not happening in Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir despite claims by the government that they will soon get 80000 such kits for Kashmir valley alone.

Although the authorities have declared many areas as red zones and have sealed them by not allowing people either to enter or exit from these area, it is surprising that how long without any rapid testing equipment’s, authorities can keep people under lockdown without providing them any respite. Shortage of essential items and even medicines is now complaint of many localities, in Srinaga and other areas of Kashmir. Government should bring rapid testing kits as soon as possible especially for the red zone areas to pave way for lifting of lockdown.