A majority of people that have tested positive for COVID19 in the recent past are under home isolation and only 8 percent have merited admission to hospitals. However, the casualties and fresh cases continue to mount: 551 tested positive today and 11 lost lives.
As per official figures, currently, 6928 cases are active in J&K. Of these, 561 are admitted in hospitals. Data reveals that in Jammu division, 2048 cases are active of which 132 are admitted in hospitals, mostly in GMC Jammu, Narayana Hospital Katra and GMC Doda.
In Kashmir division, 4880 cases are active of which 429 are admitted. Most of the patients are admitted in SKIMS Soura and SMHS Hospital. However, hospitals like GMC Baramulla, SKIMS Medical College Hospital Bemina and Chest Diseases Hospital also have a significant number of admitted patients at present.
Available data suggests that 92 percent of COVID19 cases are under home isolation and do not have symptoms that require hospitalization. When the pandemic started, every positive case was hospitalized, putting immense load on infrastructure and facilities of the health sector. Although many experts have sought the Government to follow the WHO guidelines regarding home isolation of asymptomatic and mildly symptomatic cases, it was only recently that such a system was put in place in J&K.
Currently, only 8 percent active cases are hospitalized based on the symptom severity. A health official said that most of the admitted patients are on oxygen support. “As on Thursday, we had 318 patients across J&K, who were on oxygen support,” he said adding that 52 of these were under intensive care.
The number of severely sick COVID19 patients succumbing to COVID19 has not come down significantly over the past weeks. On Thursday, 11 people succumbed, 7 of them in Kashmir division.
Four of the deceased were from Srinagar district – a 67 year old female from Lal Bazar admitted at SKIMS Soura, a 78 year old male from Bemina admitted at SMHS Hospital, an 85 year old male from Chanapora admitted at SKIMS Medical College Hospital Bemina and a 90 year old male from adjoining Bagh-e-Mehtab area admitted at SKIMS Soura.
Two Budgam residents also lost the battle with the SARS-CoV2 today. These were a 58 year old from Chattergam admitted at SMHS Hospital and an 85 year old male from Nouru area admitted at Chest Diseases Hospital. An 85 year old male from Chandoosa Baramulla admitted at SKIMS Soura was also among the fresh fatalities.
Four people were reported to have died in Jammu division today. The death toll in J&K has reached 1466.
Of the 551 cases, 354 were from Kashmir division and 197 were from Jammu division. Jammu and Srinagar districts reported 109 and 127 cases respectively.