Khanyar sealed, train services suspended
Friday prayers put on hold
Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, Mar 19: A day after a woman with travel history of Saudi Arabia tested positive for coronavirus in Srinagar, authorities today put Kashmir under virtual lockdown to contain the spread of coronavirus in the Valley.
Public transport in Srinagar city was taken off the roads while markets were shut on orders of the authorities.
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The steps were taken hours after a 67-year-old woman from Khanyar, who had returned on March 16 from Saudi Arabia after performing Umrah, tested positive for COVID-19.
As the infected person was not placed under any quarantine or isolation upon her return, the authorities had to seal off the entire neighbourhood of Khanyar falling within 300 metres radius of the affected woman’s residence.
Several relatives of the infected woman who had primary contact with her have been advised to undergo tests while others, who might have had secondary contact with the patient were asked to undergo self-isolation for two weeks.
Imtiaz Ismail Parray, an IPS officer whose mother-in-law from Srinagar city, became the first positive case of coronavirus in the Valley yesterday, said although he had no direct contact with her after her return from Saudi Arabia, he was still going into isolation and urged people to leave nothing to chance.
“Updating all well wishers…Mother in law doing well at SKIMS. Rest of my family also following necessary protocol..Although no direct contact was made yet I am also going into isolation…Urge all to leave nothing to chance and follow Govt directives strictly,” the SSP posted on Twitter.
Other family members of the woman including a lady doctor posted in Gynaecology Department in SKIMS Soura have also been quarantined.
Around 21 medical teams comprising three professionals including a doctor in a fully protective gear visited locality that was sealed by the Police this morning.
The teams after reaching the area collected the information from the neighbourhood and went door to door in order to check for themselves if the person testing positive was in their contact. “We will be checking and recording the possible contacts of the person who was tested positive; it has to be done as a part of the measures taken to prevent the spread of the infection in the locality,” an official said.
Another official in the Health Department said that the entire process of recording the number of people who came in contact with the person who tested positive is going to take time. He added that 25 people have been identified so far and they are being quarantined.
The district Administration has also appealed to the people who came in contact with the person who was tested positive to self-report themselves to a nearest health-facility immediately.
The area from where the case has been reported falls in between Khayam and Barbarshah, which is congested locality.
The officials said that there are all the possibilities the woman must have come in contact with the family as well as the extended family and the neighbours which are over 100 people.
Revenue and Srinagar Municipal Corporation officials assisted the medical teams during the exercise and Magistrates were also part of the efforts to ensure its smooth conduct.
The administration also conducted thorough sanitisation of the entire area. Well-equipped teams of Srinagar Municipal Corporation went in and around disinfecting the entire area.
Deputy Commissioner Srinagar Shahid Iqbal Chaudhary said the exercise in the area was being conducted based on the global Standard Operating Procedure in this matter and the aim was to contain spread of the infection.
Chaudhary urged all the people, who might have come in contact with the patient after her return from Saudi Arabia on Monday, to report at the nearest health facility or contact the control room.
“It’s important that people who come in contact with coronavirus positive case(s) should immediately report to nearest health facility or our 24×7 control room,” he said.
Another woman with travel history of Saudi Arabia is symptomatic to coronavirus and she has been shifted to Chest Diseases Hospital, Srinagar.
The 67-year-old woman who had a travel history of Saudi Arabia where she had gone to perform Umrah developed some symptoms related to COVID-19 and was immediately referred to Chest Disease Hospital Srinagar. She had also returned to Srinagar on March 16.
And Regional Transport Officer Kashmir has imposed a ban on all forms of public transport within Srinagar city while also banning entry of any public transport vehicle from adjoining districts.
An order issued said: “To mitigate the transmission of COVID-19 in Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, it is hereby ordered that no bus-service/ mini bus service/ maxi cab service/ auto passenger service shall ply in district Srinagar with immediate effect till further orders.”
The order also added that no public transport shall enter district Srinagar from the North, South or Central districts of Kashmir division.
The district administration Ganderbal, Anantnag, and Pulwama has also issued an order in this regard, directing that no public transport shall ply on the roads in the district along with other measures.
Police and para-military forces closed several roads in Kashmir to prevent people from moving around. These roads were blocked with concertina wires and iron barricades and people were not allowed to go ahead. This led to huge traffic jams in and around city and other major towns in Kashmir.
This was followed after Deputy Commissioner, Chaudhary said the restrictions on the movement and assembly of people was to prevent spread of the virus. “The restrictions on public gatherings, assembly and movement in many areas are aimed at avoiding spread of any likely cases,” he tweeted and urged people to cooperate.
The Deputy Commissioner warned against any rumour mongering about coronavirus. “Rumours and unverified information shared on social media will certainly attract strict action. Let’s act like responsible citizens. Every information and advisory will be shared officially,” he said.
Authorities suspended the train services on the Banihal-Srinagar-Baramulla axis after reports of overcrowding of trains which was making screening of the passengers difficult.
Inspector General of Police Kashmir, Vijay Kumar, told EXCELSIOR that train services were suspended to avoid contact which leads to spread of the coronavirus. He said that restrictions will continue for next two weeks and advised people not to venture out as it can prevent spread of the virus.
In several areas of Kashmir Police forced shopkeepers to shut down the shops as part of lockdown. However, pharmacies and provision stores were allowed to operate.
The Mayor of Srinagar, Juniad Mattoo today issued an advisory for Srinagar City in which he has asked for closure of shops and other business establishments from March 20, 2020 till further instructions.
“All the Pharmacies, essential commodities and groceries shall remain open with the condition that they will keep facility of sanitization and washing of hands to the visitors before entering and leaving the shops”, the advisory read.
“The Fruit Mandi Parimpora and other Vegetable Mandis shall remain open till 11 am in the morning with all pre-cautionary measures by the traders”, it further said.
“In case of non-co-operation from any firm/trader, action under relevant provisions of Municipal Corporation shall be initiated against the person/firm”.
And Srinagar Airport witnessed ruckus after the arrival of students from Bangladesh and passengers from Ladakh at Srinagar Airport.
Police at Airport charged agitated parents with canes after they raised hue and cry as the administration was clueless how to handle those who are quarantined.
An official said that parents created law and order problem while screening of the people who had landed was going on. He said that anyone arriving in Srinagar from any foreign country and Ladakh region is bound to be quarantined. He said 79 people who arrived from Ladakh and over 150 students from Bangladesh today were taken to a place and quarantined. “Proper medical teams have been deputed at the place where these have been quarantined,” he said.
They were put at Haj House, Youth Hostel and Dilshan Hotel. Their parents had assembled outside these places where they are to be quarantined for 14 days. Government has created such 20 facilities where people with foreign travel history will be quarantined.
While educational institutions across Kashmir have already been closed, the authorities in the city have shut down almost all public places including gymnasiums, clubs and restaurants.
Most of the 10 districts in the Valley have restrictions in place on assembly of four or more persons under Section 144 CrPC.
In the meantime, the religious organization, Jamiat-ul-Ahlihadees today decided to hold mandatory Friday prayers across Jammu and Kashmir in wake of the deadly coronavirus.
A meeting of Jamiat leaders were held today under the chairmanship of amalgam president Ghulam Mohammad Al-Madni during which it was decided that the Friday prayers will be put on hold in Jammu and Kashmir till March 31 in wake of the virus that has created panic among the masses.
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