Health Min takes feedback from J&K, Ladakh LGs
Cinema Halls, Anganwadi Centres closed in Jammu distt
Fayaz Bukhari/
Govind Sharma
SRINAGAR/JAMMU, Mar 10: As one more person was today found positive for COVID-19 in Jammu and Kashmir, Government has ordered closure of all Cinema Halls and Anganwadi Centres in district Jammu and postponed Academic Council meeting of University of Jammu (JU), besides all seminars/conferences/workshops of the Varsity, as precautionary measures.
A Government spokesperson today said that Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan spoke today to LGs of J&K and Ladakh to get feedback about the condition of COVID-19 affected patients kept in isolation wards in hospitals and problems being faced, if any, by the two Governments in availability of required supplies of personal protective equipment (PPE), masks, etc.
While Government spokesperson said that as many as 706 people are under surveillance in J&K and out of 56 suspected samples tested for COVID-19, one was declared as positive, 26 negative and 29 reports are awaited, official sources told Excelsior that one more person has been tested positive for Coronavirus in Jammu.
He said Corona-Virus lab testing facilities were yesterday started in Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, Soura, Srinagar and Government Medical College Jammu and five samples (including one already declared positive, one high viral load case and three others who came in contact of these two) were tested in VRDL lab of GMC Jammu.
“While the woman, who was already declared positive by NIV Pune, has been further reported positive, a 75-year-old old man, who came in contact with the woman, has also been tested positive as per the report of testing facility of GMC Jammu while a 25-year-old youth who was earlier reported as high viral load case, has been again found having high viral load,” sources said, adding, reports of two others were found negative.
Sources further informed that the sample of the old man found positive, will be further sent to NIV Pune for cross-examination as he has no symptoms of COVID-19.
Meanwhile, a spokesman of J&K Government said that 491 people are in Home Quarantine (19 at Yatri Bhawan, Jammu), nine in Hospital Quarantine, 53 in home surveillance while 150 have completed their 28 days surveillance period.
He said the reports of 29 are awaited out of which 28 are from Jammu and one from Srinagar. The GMC Jammu today sent 22 samples to SKIMS Soura for testing. Out of 23 tested including one from Kashmir, 22 tested negative and a girl from Jammu has shown high load of virus. Her sample is being sent to Pune for further testing to ascertain whether she is positive or negative for coronavirus.
One more symptomatic person with travel history from an affected country was admitted to the SKIMS hospital in Srinagar where now six persons are admitted for quarantine, he said, adding, two persons each in Vijaypur and Swankha areas and three in Samba area of the Samba district have been put under home isolation setup and Health Department teams visit them twice a day to monitor their health.
“While the three people in Samba were put under surveillance because a guest from Italy had stayed at their house, the others have travel history to Corona Virus-hit countries,” the spokesperson said, adding, they all are healthy and so far have not exhibited any signs of the infection.
He further informed that over 1000 people mostly pilgrims and students from Jammu and Kashmir, who are waiting evacuation from Iran, will be first quarantined for two weeks in Delhi and then they will be sent to J&K for another two weeks quarantine. He said Chief Secretary of Jammu and Kashmir, BVR Subrahmanyam, today spoke to Cabinet Secretary Government of India, Rajiv Gauba, in this connection.
The spokesman said that a group of parents whose children are stranded in Iran yesterday met External Affairs Minister Jaishankar at KICC in Srinagar. He assured these parents that their children will be evacuated from Iran soon.
He said 58 Indians, including 25 men, 31 women and two children, most of them from Ladakh with few from J&K, were brought back home from Coronavirus-hit Iran in a military transport aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) today.
All the evacuees have been quarantined at Hindon airbase near Ghaziabad and IAF has activated necessary medical protocols and has put required facilities in place to provide them adequate care and support.
The spokespersons informed that all 41 residents of Budgam district of J&K, who recently returned from China and Iran, have tested negative for Coronavirus. “There is no need to panic as all 41 Budgam residents who arrived from China and Iran have been quarantined and tested negative with no symptoms of Corona Virus infection. He said most of these 41 persons have completed 28 days in quarantine, while others have completed 14 days.
In the meantime, he said J&K Government has strengthened the surveillance and control measures against the disease and helpline numbers +91-0191-2549676 (UT level Cell for J&K), +91-0191-2520982 (for Jammu Division), +91-0194-2440283 (for Kashmir Division) have already been made functional.
“Yesterday on the directions of Financial Commissioner, Health and Medical Education, J&K, Atal Dulloo, the Nodal Officer for coronavirus Control in J&K, Dr Shafqat Hussain visited Isolation Ward of GMC Jammu and interacted with the 2 quarantined persons (one positive and other high viral load case).
He said the Nodal Officer enquired their health and also facilities being provided by the authorities and assured them that they will be discharged soon after they recover fully.
Meanwhile, to the much relief of Health Department and people of UT Ladakh the suspected Coronavirus patient who died on 7th March was found negative for Coronavirus. Giving information, UT Ladakh Commissioner Secretary Health & Medical Education Rigzin Sampheal said as per the medical report, Mohd Ali found to be negative Coronavirus and he died of prosthetic complication.
Sampheal said that two positive Coronavirus patients are doing well and expected to discharge only after performing required test. He said that Chushot Gongma village has been sealed as per Government policy of Quarantine and Divisional Commissioner Saugat Biswas accompanied by Deputy Commissioner Leh Sachin Kumar Vaishya visited the people to know their well being.
He said so far 135 pilgrims reached from Iran and 37 suspected samples sent for lab test including 3 from Kargil, only two were found positive out of 11 samples tested so far. He also added that stranded Iran pilgrimage will be retained in Delhi for 14 days for Quarantine and after proper medical check they will be in Leh.
Sampheal also informed that a team from Chandigarh conducted a day-long training for SNM doctors and paramedical staff on how to handle Coronavirus affected patients in Leh.
Meanwhile, in a circular issued today, University of Jammu (JU) postponed the meeting of the Academic Council, which was scheduled for March 12 (Thursday) in the Committee Room, Administration Block II of the Varsity, till further orders.
Issuing another order, the JU postponed all seminars/conferences/workshops involving large gathering or having international and national guests scheduled to be held in March, till further orders.
“All Heads of the Department/Rectors/Directors of Centres/Schools/Offsite Campuses , where students are undertaking field trips/ study tours/ picnics/ excursions, etc are requested to defer such programme till further orders,” the University of Jammu (JU) said in an order issued today.
It further said that any student/staff with travel history to any COVID 19 affected country or in contact with such persons in last 28 days should report to the Medical Officer of the University Dr Bharat Bhushan.
Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner Jammu, has ordered closure of all cinema halls in the district till March 31 with immediate effect. Further, Additional District Magistrate (LO), Jammu has directed all the Sub Divisional Magistrates and Tehsildars of the district to personally check and verify the implementation of the order of District Magistrate dated 07-03-2020 regarding closure of all the schools in the district up to Primary level, in their respective jurisdiction and in case of violation, lodge an FIR against the concerned head/management of the school.
The Administration of Union Territory of Ladakh has also ordered closure of all colleges in Ladakh and the University of Ladakh till March 31. “In view of the prevailing circumstances and as a precautionary measure for containment of COVID-19, all the colleges and University of Ladakh shall remain closed till 31st March,” said an order issued by Commissioner/Secretary Higher Education Ladakh, Rigzian Sampheal.
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