SRINAGAR: Though not a single test has turned positive is either of the two facilities in Srinagar, the medical authorities have designed three hospitals as the Covid-19 special hospitals. The orders are in the pipeline and the patients from these three facilities would be shifted to other hospitals, only in case of emergency, informed sources said.
The three designated hospital are being made fully operational exclusively for the Coronavirus cases between next seven to 10 days. These are Chest Disease Hospital, Dalgate the JLN Memorial Hospital Rainawari and the SKIMS Medical College Hospital (JVC) in Bemina. Chest Disease Hospital is already tackling the Coronavirus cases.
Hospital Admissions
“We made five new admissions and now we have 18 individuals with us. They are suspects,” Dr M Salim Khan, the spokesman of the GMC run Association Hospital said. “So far we have carried out 51 tests, all turned negative though we still are waiting for almost 10 new tests.” Dr Khan said they have only 18 patients admitted as all others have been discharged and asked to stay in home quarantine.
Dr Farooq Ahmad Jan, the medical superintendent of the SKIMS said they also have no positive test in hand as all the tests carried out are negative. “Some individuals reported to our Covid-19 clinic but they did not require any test,” Dr Jan said. “The swabs that we had taken from the individuals who had flown from off shore destinations came negative.”
At the same time, however, SKIMS has 20 individuals admitted in isolation as well as quarantine wards. “The positive case is doing fine,” Dr Jan said. “All her relations have proved negative in the tests.”
However, SKIMS is getting into top gear to get ready for any eventuality. “We had already closed the surgeries and today now we are stopping admissions,” Dr Jan said. “This is aimed at creating capacity for any crisis. However, the emergency will continue working the way it is.”
SKIMS in Soura is a 800-bed hospital and it can take up to 900, if required. Dr Jan said the infrastructure is also being taken care of. “We have made operational an oxygen concentrator and another will be operational within a few days,” he said. “Within the availability, we will see what is required to be done and what will be done.”
Medical Gear
Deputy Commissioner Srinagar, Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary in a series of tweets said the administration is working overtime to manage the basic requirements for the medical staff.
“Safety of Medicos and field officials/teams is paramount. In view of some reports just want to assure that Rs 1Cr already pressed by #Srinagar Adm for 60K N95 Masks, 4000 PPE Kits, 1Lakh triple layer masks, VTMs, Nebulizers, Inhalers and Infusion sets,” Choudhary said in one tweet. “This is in addition to already initiated procured by H&ME deptt for 1 Lakh PPE kits, 2.5 Lakh N95 Masks, 10 Lakh triple layer, 40K VTM, Senitizers etc out of which #Srinagar gets due share.”
He added: “Srinagar Adm in collaboration with Govt Medical College and NRLM has roped in local NGOs and Units for production of these items. Supply starts in next 2 days. Very little we can actually do for the Saviours.”
Borders Sealed
With the inter-state borders and movement already banned, Srinagar airport will get the last batch of flights on Tuesday. Monday witnessed the routine landing at the airport with a number of people flying from Malaysia, Dubai and Bangladesh being driven to quarantine facilities. Authorities last night had to put in extra efforts to trace as many as 29 individuals who had skipped mandatory screening after coming from the United Kingdom, Dubai, Bangladesh, Kazakhstan and a few other countries.
Dr Choudhary asked people to respect the orders so that it helps break the chain that the deadly scourge is creating to impact the people. “In view of border-sealing and closure of air operations request everyone to stay safe wherever they are and avoid last minute travel plans.”
Dr Khan said the people need to be told that the restrictions are aimed at preventing them to maintain social distance. “People are moving around in evening after stay at home during the day,” Dr Khan said. “This is making the whole effort useless.”
Quarantine
Almost 300 individuals were sent to the quarantine facilities on Monday. With this there are more tan 2000 quarantined in the facilities set up by the government even as 1200 have been sent to home quarantine in the last few days. “We will be getting the last batch of travels on Tuesday and with that it will stop,” one middle rung officer said. “Since the people from Baramulla and Anantnag were sent to Pahalgam and Gulmarg it has eased a lot of load.” The government sources said they have prepared almost 8000 beds for quarantine facilities to break the virus chain.
One middle rung officer told Kashmir Life that some of the brats who were quarantined were mistaking the quarantine as a picnic. “They are unable to understand that it is a disaster and not picnic, they cannot make unreasonable demands,” he said. “Under the SDRF act, we have limitation in spending and it is not possible as well. If the toilet is unclean, why cannot the individual living in the room clean it? Is it the way Kashmir will counter the disaster?” The officer said that the young men must understand the situation and contribute to the crisis management rather than adding to the problems. “They will complete 15 days and leave, they are not required beyond that,” he said.
