Early Times Report
Srinagar, Feb 5: Threat is looming large in Jammu and Kashmir, even as no specialised 'negative-pressure' isolation wards (airborne infection isolation wards) and medical kits have been made available in the valley, despite the World Health Organisation (WHO) declaring China's Coronavirus outbreak as an international emergency.
The Divisional Administration has asked the district authorities to press surveillance teams for a close 24x7 watch on Coronavirus disease. Divisional Commissioner of Kashmir, Baseer Ahmad Khan on February 2 said that a multi-pronged strategy, including deployment of screening teams with doctors at block level, besides roping in ASHA workers, should be adopted.
The death toll from the Coronavirus outbreak has risen to 490 in China, while new cases are surging by double-digit percentages in the past 11 days, with no sign of a slowdown. So far, 24,324 people are known to have been infected by the virus in China.
However, experts told that no specialised training has been given to doctors or paramedical staff to handle the patients or take samples, if the virus manages to sneak into the recently-created Union Territory (UT).
They said the initial symptom in the patients was fever, followed by cough, however, running nose and sour throat were missing.
''Upper respiratory symptoms were missing in them. In severe cases, they have difficulty in breathing and complication is pneumonia and Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS)? they die because of that,'' the experts added.
As many as 11 Kashmiris, mostly students, who have a travel history of China, have so far not shown any signs of Coronavirus infection, though they have been placed under observation at their respective residences in the valley.
However, experts claim that keeping suspected people under observation at their residences was putting other family members and people, who come in their contact, at risk.
They further said that there were reports of asymptomatic carriers of the virus, who show no symptoms, but can infect other vulnerable people.
''Suspected case is anyone who comes from the affected area, be it China or other countries, which have reported Coronavirus cases. If someone comes from these countries, he or she is also a suspected case. ''Suspected person is anyone, who has been around a confirmed case or a suspected case. Now, if people have come from China and we are around them, we are also suspected cases, even if they are not symptomatic,'' added the experts.
''It is a droplet infection, it transmits by coughing and sneezing. So, virus will be in the air. Human to human transmission is happening through droplets and it is spreading to other countries, so it will be pandemic. We can't stop it, but we can prepare for it.
The Government Medical College (GMC), Srinagar has set up 26 beds, while the SK Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) has set up 25 beds in Srinagar district.
The Directorate of Health Services Kashmir (DHSK) has kept 52 beds available across Kashmir Division with Isolation wards and ventilators in each hospital and Public Health Centres (PHCs).
Besides, VTM kits, personal protection gears and dedicated staff of Microbiologists have also been kept in ready mode. The GMC has stored 11,500 triple layer, 7000 N-95 masks, while SKIMS has stored 10,000 N-95 masks. Moreover, two lakh triple layer masks will reach valley within a day.
Mr Khan asked the concerned to maintain a travel inventory of students, businessmen and traders in each district, from December 1, 2019, who have been travelling to China and other reportedly infected countries.
He said printing pamphlets regarding do's and don'ts of Corona Virus disease in Urdu, Kashmiri and English languages should be distributed in these areas, at Airport, Railway Stations, different locations on National Highway and other congested places.
He asked the concerned to ply announcement vehicles on highways on daily basis.
"Bio-medical and other wastes related to patients, if any, kept in isolation wards be lifted separately and disposed-off by incinerating as per the advisory of Health & Medical Education department, besides setting up adequate beds at PCR hospital and other district police hospitals with all facilities,'' he added. |
