Srinagar: COVID19 claimed three lives in J&K today while the UT recorded its highest single-day case tally since mid-June 2020 with 687 people testing positive.
Even though many experts have said the wave of infections currently ensuing in J&K and across India is “milder” in terms of its disease severity, they have warned of a surge in hospitalization. As the number of active cases shoot up in J&K, doctors fear it will add to the number of people requiring hospitalisation.
The number of active cases in J&K has increased by at least 2000 in the past one week. The increase in active cases is more rapid in the Jammu division where the government has issued directions for ‘rationalising’ admissions at DRDO Hospital Jammu in order to reduce the pressure on the healthcare system. The mild cases are being sent for home isolation, a health official said.
At Kashmir’s DRDO Hospital too, the number of patients has started increasing steadily, a healthcare official said. The official said that while there still were a very low number of patients admitted at the 500 bedded facility, in comparison to the previous week, there “sure is an increase”.
Today, three people infected with SARS-CoV2 lost life in J&K, all the three residents of various districts in Jammu division. Since June 15, 2020, today’s was the largest addition in a single day to the COVID19 tally in J&K. Of the 687 cases, 437 were confirmed from Jammu division and 250 from Kashmir division.
District Jammu had the highest number of cases today, 292 taking its number of active cases to 1230. District Srinagar also recorded a spike with 131 cases today. Many districts in J&K have already started showing a higher positivity rate than before and a higher number of cases than usual were detected in Budgam, Baramulla, Kathua, Reasi and Ramban. The districts that had a minimal number of cases in the past months, a health official said, are showing signs of infection spread.
As per the bulletin issued by J&K Government, 52018 tests were carried out in the past 24 hours, thus putting the positivity rate for the day at 1.32 per cent. However, the positive percentage of samples of districts Jammu and Srinagar has shot above 2 per cent as per the recent analysis by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Today, 52543 doses of COVID19 vaccine were administered in J&K, Government said.