The authorities have come up with standard operatingprocedures (SOPs) for pregnant women in the COVID-19 red zone areas acrossKashmir, even as restrictions to combat the coronavirus threat continued in theValley on Wednesday.
As per the laid down procedures, the pregnant women in redzones will be enlisted and their check-up will be managed at the recently establishedhealth centres in red and buffer zones, officials said.
The proper birth plan will be executed by ANM and ASHAworkers under the supervision of concerned block medical officers as per theUnion Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), they said.
The pregnant ladies have been strictly advised to attendanti-natal check-ups at the recently established health centres by ASHAs andtheir cadres both in red and buffer zones, they added.
The officials said according to such SOPs, all theasymptomatic pregnant women will be tested one week before the expected date ofdelivery (EDD) using rapid antibody tests.
If any pregnant women is found having symptoms of Influenzalike Illness (ILI) or Severe Acute Respiratory Illness (SARI), she will betested using RT-PCR, they said.
Depending upon the test results, such pregnant ladies willbe taken to a designated COVI9-19 hospital or non-COVID-19 hospital where theirdeliveries will be conducted, they added.
Besides, the round the clock ambulance services will beavailable for pregnant women at phone numbers 102 or 108, the officials said.
Meanwhile, the restrictions on the movement and assembly ofpeople in Kashmir continued for the 35th day on Wednesday.
The officials said the security forces have sealed off mainroads in most places in the valley and erected barriers at several other placesto check the unwanted movement of the people and to enforce the lockdown.
Only persons with valid movement passes were allowedpassage, they added.
The declared containment or red zones across the valley havebeen sealed off to ensure strict adherence to the standard operating procedure.
The markets across the valley were shut and public transportwas off the roads with only pharmacies and groceries allowed to open, theofficials said.
Educational institutions across Kashmir are closed, whileall public places including gymnasiums, parks, clubs and restaurants were shutdown more than a week before the nationwide lockdown announced by PrimeMinister Narendra Modi.
While the Prime Minister announced the country-wide lockdownon the evening of March 24, the union territory administration here had onMarch 22 announced a total shutdown across Jammu and Kashmir till 31 March aspart of its efforts to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
The administration said the essential services includinghealthcare personnel have been exempted from the restrictions.
Restrictions were first imposed in many parts of the valleyon March 19 to contain the spread of the virus. The measures were taken afterthe detection of the first positive case of coronavirus in the valley.
The officials said the total number of positive cases inJammu and Kashmir has now risen to 380. Five patients have died and 81 haverecovered.
More than 62,000 people have been kept under surveillanceincluding those who are either in government established quarantine facilitiesor in home isolation.
“Till date 62,493 travellers and persons in contactwith suspected cases have been enlisted for surveillance which include 6,032persons in home quarantine including facilities operated by government, 248 inhospital quarantine, 294 in hospital isolation and 17,421 under homesurveillance. Besides, 38,493 persons have completed their surveillanceperiod,” the officials said.