Figures of people succumbing to COVID virus show a trend of constant rapid rise despite comparatively better medical treatment available at hospitals and nonstop over two weeks corona curfew hindering human movement and business establishments fully shut. While the emerging scenario is definitely a cause of great concern, at the same time, pointedly knowing the reasons of such a surge and how to bring it under control is cardinal and paramount. At the outset, if the incubation period of the virus in its more lethal variant, in its victim is on the average said to be four days, 15 days corona curfew and most of the people confining themselves to a cloistered protection, the rate of fresh infections and the resultant deaths should have been declining. Since the mystery of such a colossal loss of human lives can precisely be unravelled by medical experts only, however, Apex Level Advisory Committee has maintained that majority of the variants of the disease and the Indian Double Mutant are present in Jammu only as compared to Kashmir region in the UT of Jammu and Kashmir. That a three member central team comprising Joint Director Epidemiology and two top medical specialists is scheduled to visit Jammu to specifically know the causes of high mortality among the COVID patients – reflecting the administrative urge at the levels of the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to unravel the mystery – must surely come out with a solution too so as to prevent loss of lives despite getting treatment for the disease. It will, however, precisely be known only after they visit the designated COVID hospitals and come out with their opinion. Solution of any hue hovers round strict enforcement of COVID appropriate behaviour followed by mass vaccination. These are the top suggestions of the Apex Committee too. Not going into nitty – gritty of technicalities of virus mutants and their origin , the immediate fight on war footing should be to strictly discourage crowds as the rate of infection spread is many times more than what we saw last year. Just an example of the huge crowds at Narwal vegetable and fruit mandi in Jammu during morning hours sends one in shivers thinking about how many contacts, transmissions and spreads on day to day basis would be taking place due to this factor alone. Second instance about which, we, many a time, have put forth a word of caution is about the gateway to UT of Jammu and Kashmir – Lakhanpur where the need is strictest form of vigilance to prevent entry of an infected person into the UT. Again, at Lakhanpur, Railway Station and Airport, the administration has to prevent entry of those who were found infected. Whether to send them back, put under quarantine or employ other preventive measures could be thought of taking into consideration all aspects but involvement of medical experts and administrative authorities in such exercise was paramount. Agreed, it involved resources and complicated processes as also proper implementation but it was worth it rather than watching lives lost on daily basis. Spread to rural areas must be stopped employing all means. Jammu and Kashmir is a tourist destination and Jammu is the first spot usually touched by traveller tourists / pilgrim tourists, hence most vulnerable and needed to be properly insulated. It is intriguing and a riddle for the medical experts to solve as to why samples taken for tests had mutations of different sequence, either they were single mutations, two or multiple. Have such variants entered Jammu from other states by travellers and how to stop such spread must be the top priority of the administration. However, vaccination though absolutely necessary, must receive the focussed attention of the UT administration, some variants evading the created antibodies as a result of vaccination to fight the virus notwithstanding. The worrisome surge can effectively be knocked down only if a blend of vaccination and discouraging crowds like in Sabzi Mandis, bazars etc take place and wearing masks properly was strictly enforced.
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