Five people in Kashmir with a history of travel to coronavirus-hit countries have been kept in the isolation ward at Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) in Srinagar.
“We have five people in the isolation ward in SKIMS,” said Dr A.G. Ahangar, director, SKIMS. “Their samples have been sent for testing to the National Institute of Virology in Pune.”
The five were isolated after they displayed possible symptoms of COVID-19.
According to Dr Shafqat Khan, who has been designated as nodal officer, the five persons were isolated after 230 people in Jammu and Kashmir, including 162 from Kashmir, were screened.
“Four of the five have tested negative for COVID-19 while the fifth’s report is awaited,’’ he told THE WEEK.
also read
- 335 fresh Covid cases in India
- From polio to Covid-19: What we can learn from polio eradication for pandemic response
- Sudha Murty praises Vivek Agnihotri's 'The Vaccine War'
- China won't require COVID-19 testing for incoming travellers starting Wednesday
- North Korea to allow its citizens abroad to return home, a sign of further easing of pandemic curbs
He said they were screened based on their history of travel to China and other affected countries.
One of the five had travelled to Thailand and two to Iran. The remaining two have travel history to the epicentre of COVID-19—Wuhan in China.
The J&K government has said it sounded an alert regarding COVID-19 and mobilised trained medical staff and readied facilities to deal with possible cases.
According to a government order, Bhupinder Kumar (IAS), mission director, National Health Mission (NHM), has been made in-charge of for COVID-19 control.
In Kashmir, the isolation wards and trained staff have been kept ready at SKIMS and Maternity Center and General OPD at Sanat Nagar in Srinagar.
The health department has also placed staff at entry points, including airports and railway stations to screen people for COIVD-19.
Meanwhile, the COVID-19 scare has led people to stock masks and sanitisers at home. Many parents THE WEEK spoke to said they were considering not sending their children to school as a precautionary measure.
