700% rise in Covid-19 cases, 199 deaths in Jammu and Kashmir in April

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir has recorded around 700 percent increase in Covid-19 active cases in four weeks of April from 2874 cases on April 1 to around 22283 active cases on Tuesday.

In the same period 199 deaths related to Covid19 were reported out of the total 2197 deaths, recorded during the pandemic, which is over nine percent deaths in just 27 days.

The rapid increase in active positive cases along with the steep rise in bed occupancy in top dedicated Covid19 hospitals and soaring positivity rate recorded in April poses a major challenge for the administration and people in the weeks ahead.

On Tuesday alone, J&K recorded 3164 new Covid19 positive cases and 25 deaths including 2134 cases and 10 deaths in Kashmir and 1030 cases and 15 deaths in Jammu. This is the highest single day spike in the positive cases since the pandemic hit the Union Territory in March 2020.

The highest number of cases on April 27 were reported from Srinagar district –1144 followed by Jammu district where 489 cases were recorded.

As per the officials, the isolation-bed occupancy in Category-I dedicated Covid19 hospitals in Kashmir has increased at a fast pace recently, from 42 percent occupancy in second week of April to around 80 percent on April 26.

The positivity rate as per the official data has also increased from 1.2 percent in the first week of April to around 5.2 percent in the last week.

As of now the administration claims to be prepared for any challenge with enough bed capacity, oxygen, drugs and manpower to tackle any emerging situation.

However, doctors on duty inform that at this pace of positive cases reported, bed occupancy and positivity rate, things would be difficult to handle in coming weeks.

“Cases are increasing at a faster pace and the percentage of patients who need hospitalization is also increasing, which poses a great challenge for the infrastructure and preparedness,” said Dr Salim Khan, who heads the department of community medicine at SMHS hospital in Srinagar.

He suggested a phased and regulated lockdown could blunt the curve and provide a breather to health infrastructure as well.

“At current pace even if five percent of the cases reported every day need oxygen, we are looking at a very scary picture in May,” he cautioned.

The administration claims to have created more bed capacity across the UT, however, doctors on duty say that mere addition of beds won’t help.

“We need beds with oxygen supply and supervision of doctors and health care workers. We are handling it right now, but are we prepared for the coming weeks,” asked a doctor on duty at a leading hospital in Srinagar.

He also questioned the infrastructure at district levels.

“People are directly coming to Srinagar or going to Jammu district, while as many patients should be taken care of at district level as well.” (ET)