20 doctors and 25 pregnant women test positive for COVID-19 in Kashmir

Srinagar: With over 247 cases and five deaths reported in past five days in Kashmir, fresh phase of lockdown throws more challenges in wake of the soaring number of positive cases and upcoming festival of Eid, marking the end of holy month of Ramazan.

What makes things worst to handle in Kashmir is that around 20 doctors have tested positive till now in Kashmir and scores of health workers have been put into isolation, which poses a threat of crippling the health infrastructure and posing danger to frontline workers.

The officials also revealed that at least 25 pregnant women across Valley have tested positive till now and many of them have made visits to hospitals making them prone to contamination and subsequent spread of virus.

J&K has reported around 1289 cases of COVID-19 since the first case was reported on March 9, which includes, 1129 cases in Kashmir and 160 cases in Jammu, till May 18. As of now, two COVID-19 patients died in Jammu and 15 died in Kashmir, which includes a 29-year-old woman from Srinagar, two men in 70’s from Budgam and Anantnag, a 65 year old woman from Kulgam and a 55 year old man from Baramullah who passed away in past five days

On Monday, among 106 fresh cases tested positive for corona virus which included 94 in Kashmir and 12 in Jammu. Five doctors working in three hospitals in Srinagar and 55 policemen from armed police force in Anantnag of southern Kashmir were among those tested positive in Kashmir today. In last four days 247 cases were reported from Kashmir including 46 cases on May 15, followed by 86 cases on May 16 and 21 cases on May 17 and 94 cases on May 18.

“At least 20 doctors have tested positive till now. Out of 1800 pregnant women tested for corona virus, 25 have tested positive,” Divisional Commissioner of Kashmir P K Pole told ET.

The officials have now conducted tests of several doctors, paramedical staff and other health care workers and patients at SMHS hospital, SKIMS hospital, Dental College hospital in Srinagar and Maternity and Childcare hospital in Anantnag, who had possibly come in contact with or treated COVID-19 patients tested positive recently. The contact tracing of these cases is going on aggressively as well. Earlier this month, several doctors and healthcare workers at Super Specialty Hospital had to be quarantined after a patient treated here was tested positive.

“Doctors were taking all precautionary measures and were wearing PPEs, while operating the patient (29 year old woman). However, getting infected despite that is a professional hazard and we couldn’t have postponed the surgery as well,” Principal of Government Medical College and Associated hospitals, Dr Samia Rashid told ET.