Irfan Tramboo
SRINAGAR, Feb 16: As the vaccination continues, the Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Soura today said that while the COVID-19 pandemic is still on, a considerable dip in the incidence of the COVID-19 cases has been observed off late.
In this regard, Director SKIMS Dr A.G. Ahangar said that the response to the pandemic was robust and early preparations were made to deal with the pandemic that was staring right at us which in turn made it possible that the pandemic does not leave its effects as it did in the western countries.
“The data that we have analysed indicates that the incidence of COVID-19 cases has seen a decrease lately and also the spread of infection has also been somehow minimized, and with the result, we see an improved situation in the Union Territory of J&K while the pandemic is still on,” he said.
Notably, SKIMS was the first institution which started testing for the COVID-19 when the pandemic started in March last year, and as per the official figures, around 3 lakh 54 thousand samples have been tested at SKIMS, out of which around 18900 samples tested positive for COVID-19.
So far, around 2176 patients have been admitted to SKIMS for treatment of the COVID-19 out of which 400 patients died and around 20 patients are currently undergoing treatment at the hospital.
Commenting over the measures that were taken as the pandemic raged on, Dr Ahangar said that in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the testing, contact tracing and then the admission to the hospitals has been robust, with the result, there has been a large percentage of the patients who have recovered.
Further, he said that the seroprevalence has remained what has been seen typically around the world and that the mortality rate has also remained well within the predicted figures put forth by the experts.
“Apart from recovery which is 97 per cent in the country, the seroprevalence has remained well within 20-30 per cent. Recovery rate in the country is 97; even the mortality rate has remained well within 2.5 per cent as predicted,” he said.
Meanwhile, about the vaccination, the State Immunization Officer, Dr Qazi Haroon told Excelsior that so far 1 lakh 60 thousand inoculations have been carried out across J&K, while around 14000 vaccination doses were given today.
At several places administering the second doses of the vaccine has also been started from February 13. In this regard, Dr Haroon said that so far, around 4000 healthcare workers have been given second doses of the vaccine.
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