A 10-year old boy is among the fresh six cases of COVID19 in J&K, taking the total number of the infected patients to 55. Of these, 52 have been detected in past two weeks.
The worst fears of a Srinagar family came true on Tuesdaywhen their 10-year old son tested positive for COVID19. The family has allegedthat his sample was not taken by Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences(SKIMS) earlier when they requested for it, even when they reported about theapprehensions of him being COVID19 positive. A doctor at the hospital said thefamily had brought the boy to hospital after a person, with whom the boy had abrief contact at a mosque, tested positive. “They had feared that the son mighthave contracted the virus from this person and it turned out to be true,” hesaid.
Medical superintendent SKIMS, Dr Farooq Jan, said the sampleof the boy was taken as per the guidelines on 30 March. “On his first visit,the patient had no symptoms and reported a brief, casual contact with a COVID19positive person – a handshake,” he said. He said that the family of the patienthad been advised to isolate him and watch out for symptoms and report at thehospital in case they notice any symptom. “That is what they did,” he said. DrJan said the patient was “doing fine”.
Three more patients also tested positive at SKIMS today. DrJan said one patient from Budgam had contact with a COVID19 patient alreadyadmitted at the Institute. He said that two patients from Bandipora had contactwith people who had travelled to Delhi and had tested positive.
Samples of two patients, admitted at JLNM Hospital have alsotested positive for COVID19 at Chest Diseases Hospital today. Dr S Saleem Khan,nodal officer for COVID19 at Government Medical College Srinagar, said thesepatients, both hailing from Srinagar peripheries, had contact history withCOVID19 patients.
Director health services Kashmir, Dr Sumir Mattoo said thepatients, mother-son duo, had contact with the deceased COVID19 positive casefrom Srinagar. “They are fine and other family members are already inquarantine,” he said.
With the fresh six cases, the total number of COVID19confirmed patients in J&K has reached 55. 52 of these cases have beendetected in the past two weeks, 18 March onwards. The steep rise in cases, DrBhupinder Singh, nodal officer for COVID19 in J&K, said, is due to theaggressive contact tracing exercise by the health department. “The more caseswe detect, the better it is. It will help stop the spread in a more effectiveway,” he said.