Ishtiyaq Ahmad
Early Times Report
Srinagar, May 17: In view of the growing number of the corona virus disease (Covid-19) cases and a steady inflow of migrants, the Lieutenant Governor G C Murmu has directed authorities to ramp up the testing to ensure that the infection does not spread.
The union territory administration has received 30,000 viral transport media (VTM) kits. Indian Air Force (IAF) plane brought VTM kits to Kashmir on Friday. Government sources told early times that the LG has directed health department and other authorities to increase the testing capacity per day amid the arrival of migrants, which would grow further in the coming days. “The LG directed officials to take necessary steps to ramp up testing” sources said. The 30,000 VTM kits were imported in bulk to ramp up the testing of people who are stranded in various parts of the country due to the corona virus-induced lockdown. Sources said that several travelers, who returned to Kashmir recently, have tested positive for COVID-19.
Foreseeing this possibility, additional kits were procured to ensure that authorities test more and more people so that the infection does not spread.
Sources said that the LG has also lauded efforts of the officials in helping migrant people to reach here from other states. The total number of J&K residents evacuated through Lakhanpur by the government, so far till May 17, has reached the figure 54866. Besides, 11,456 stranded passengers have reached through COVID special trains at Jammu and Udhampur railway stations.
Sources said that the LG has also laid emphasis on ensuring that “personal protection of health workforce is of prime importance and sufficient stock of PPEs/N95 masks etc. to be made available in the districts” in accordance with the guidance on rational use of personal protective equipment (PPE).
Meanwhile as per the official data, of 54866 returnees evacuated through Lakhanpur till May 17, 2020 included 11975 from Punjab; 19002 from Himachal Pardesh, 5148 from Dehli, 1064 from Gujrat, 1916 from Rajasthan, 3189 from Haryana, 106 from Chattisgarh, 2883 from Uttarakhand, 388 from Maharashtra, 3399 from Uttar Pradesh, 42 from Odhisa, 35 from Assam and 832 from Madhya Pradesh, 88 from Dehradun, 847 from Chandigarh, 500 from Telengana, 7 from Karnatka, 32 from Chennai, 225 from Bihar, 14 from West Bengal, 26 from Jharkhand and 3148 from other states and UTs.
|
