Ladakh is expected to receive COVID19 vaccines by February next year, Commissioner Secretary Health and Medical Education, Ladakh, RigzinSampheal said Monday.
Addressing a news conference in Leh, he said 17 points in Kargil and 15 points in Leh had already been recognised for the storage of the vaccine.
Sampheal said that on receiving the vaccines, the first ones to be administered the vaccine would be the medical fraternity and senior citizens.
He said the administration was running 50 more ambulances and had set up COVID testing labs in both Leh and Kargil districts.
The Commissioner Secretary said that the Ladakh administration had made arrangements to keep COVID19 centers functional and winter-ready.
“Seven COVID Care Centers in Kargil and five in Leh are fully functional,” he said.
Sampheal said a 200-bed facility in Kargil and the ICU unit in SNM Hospital in Leh with an increased facility of 120 beds would soon be made operational.
He said the heating and oxygen facility at MahabodhiKaruna Charitable Hospital had also been strengthened.
“The hospitals of Leh and Kargil are fully equipped with sufficient oxygen facilities. Hundred nurses each would be added to Leh and Kargil hospitals,” the Commissioner Secretary said.
Meanwhile, the COVID19 death toll in Ladakh reached 100 as two more people died to the novel coronavirus in Leh district.
According to the government, a total of 73 persons tested positive for COVID19 in Ladakh on Monday of which 69 positive samples were received by CMO Leh and four by CMO Kargil.
Of the 100 deaths in Ladakh, 59 deaths are from Leh district and 41 from Kargil district.
With this, the total number of COVID19 active cases in Ladakh has gone to 928 including 820 in Leh district and 108 in Kargil district.
Urging people to help contain the spread of the deadly coronavirus, especially during the annual celebration of Losar, Sampheal asked them to observe Losar celebrations at home with only family members and avoid visiting relatives.