Srinagar: Amid surge in COVID-19 cases in different parts of the world, Kashmir-based experts Wednesday asked people not to panic as Jammu and Kashmir had not seen any surge in daily infections so far.
Health experts said that the rising COVID-19 cases had become a concern for the entire world including India.
However, J&K is so far in a safe zone as there are no new admissions of COVID-19 cases.
Head of the Department at Chest Disease Hospital Srinagar, Dr Naveed Nazir Shah told Greater Kashmir that during the winter the cases of pneumonia, Chronic Obstructive pulmonary Disease (COPD), and other respiratory infections increase.
So far, the situation is under control and people need not panic.
About following Covid Appropriate Behaviour (CAB), he said that it was important to maintain hygiene and wear masks in huge gatherings, especially during this winter as people were already suffering from other respiratory infections.
So, taking all COVID-19 precautions is still necessary. People should maintain hand hygiene and social distancing. Maintaining proper hygiene will protect them from other infections too,” he said.
Directorate of Health Services Kashmir, Srinagar, Dr Mir Mushtaq told Greater Kashmir that COVID-19 situation in other countries was not good and the cases were increasing but Kashmir was stable as of now.
He said that people should not panic but maintaining hygiene, wearing masks, and maintaining social distance was still important.
“All the COVID-related activities had been stopped and there were no testing facilities at the airports. But now, we have to remain cautious and monitor the situation,” he said. “We have a good bed capacity including oxygen facilities at our hospitals.”
Meanwhile, the Administrative Secretary, Health and Medical Education Department reviewed the COVID-19 situation and preparedness in view of a sudden spurt in cases in some parts of the world, and directed officials to strengthen surveillance.
In view of the rise in cases in Japan, the United States of America, Republic of Korea, Brazil and China, the Union Health Ministry on December 20 urged all states and union territories to ramp up the entire genome sequencing of positive samples of COVID-19 to keep track of emerging variants.
In a letter to states and union territories, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan had said such an exercise would enable timely detection of newer variants, if any, circulating in the country and would facilitate undertaking of requisite public health measures.
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