COVID-19: Healthcare officials increase sample testing in Srinagar as toll rises to 125

Healthcare professionals have increased scientific sampling and testing of coronavirus suspects across the Kashmir region which has seen a surge in cases of the virus. Five new cases of COVID-19 positive were detected in Kashmir on Tuesday, raising the total number of positive cases in the union territory to 114. While two patients have died, four have recovered while another seven have tested negative after undergoing treatment.

11 dedicated COVID hospitals in J&K

These patients will undergo another test before they are discharged from the hospital. Health authorities in Srinagar said the Jammu and Kashmir Government has established COVID-19 hospitals which are working round-the-clock and performing sample testing swiftly. Director, Health Services Kashmir, Dr Samir Mattoo said the Government has established eight hospitals in Kashmir and three in Jammu exclusively for COVID-19 cases.

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“All our eight COVID-19 hospitals are performing well and we have been able to reach out to the people with some sort of relief amid this healthcare crisis,” Dr Mattoo said, adding “we have also directed our staff to remain on 24X7 shifts for any exigency”. He said the Government has taken a slew of measures in terms of screening of people particularly inbound travellers, surveillance and quarantine, isolation of suspects and is continuously monitoring the situation on a minute-to-minute basis. He said the healthcare professionals have been able to increase the scientific sampling and testing of suspects across the Kashmir region.

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“Earlier, we were able to collect 70 samples, now we go for up to 150 a day. We are also waiting for some equipment and important reagents from ICMR. We have so far got seven sophisticated machines for testing and we will be again procuring few more,” he said. Meanwhile, strict restrictions on the movement of people in Kashmir to contain the spread of coronavirus remained in force on Tuesday. Shops and business establishments remained closed while the streets were deserted. While the Prime Minister had announced a country-wide lockdown on March 24 evening, the J&K administration announced a lockdown almost a week ago as part of its efforts to curb the spread of Coronavirus.

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