Thirty persons have tested positive for COVID19 during mass screening in municipal wards of the summer capital which begun on Thursday.
The special drive started by the authorities is aimed at early detection of cases and timely measures for isolation to contain further spread of the infection.
On Thursday, the mass screening was carried out in municipal wards including Harwan, Nishat, Brein and Dalgate. Today, the testing was conducted at Pantha Chowk, Lal Chowk, Rajbagh, and Ikrajpora.
“On day first, 30 persons were reported positive during mass screening. The data of second day is yet to come,” said an official from district administration.
The official said under the phase-II of mass screening, around 60,000 people were expected to be covered in municipal wards.
The first phase of mass testing with focus on markets and government offices culminated, with 32,000 tests conducted in 12 days.
“On day 1 of phase-II of the drive, just 300 persons came for testing. People should not fear and come forward. This is being done in the interest of people,” he said.
Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) is facilitating the testing. “Our target is to cover four wards each day with 1,000 tests in each ward,” said the SMC Commissioner Gazanfar Ali.
He said the Corporation has put all necessary arrangements in place for smooth conduct of the programme.
The Commissioner said the entire programme was being held under the supervision of Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Srinagar. “Professional, doctors and technicians are part of the teams,” he said.
The Commissioner said all ward officers have been enjoined upon to inform people through Masjid committees, Mohalla committees and other mediums well in advance about the mass testing.
The ward officers are responsible for conveying date and timing of mass screening in their respective wards to the local population.
The process to cover all municipal wards would be completed by or before October 9.
The district administration has already covered 139 locations including markets, work places and offices and more than 32,000 Rapid Antigen tests were conducted during which 2,116 persons tested positive for COVID19, including more than 310 people at work places and offices, under phase-I of the special drive.