SRINAGAR: Kashmir is passing through Covid19’s fourth wave, doctors said. However, even though the transmission is huge, the virus is less virulent.
“We are passing through a new wave in which people do not know that they are impacted by Covd19,” Dr M Salim Khan, who heads the GMC, Srinagar’s Community Medicine Departrknety said. “It is a sub-variant of Omicron and it spreads fast but recovery is phenomenally fast and better.”
Dr Khan said even though it has amass spread, the hospital system is not impacted at all. “People recover within a few days and only in serious cases, do the patients require hospitalisation,” Dr Khan said. “That, however, does not mean that people should not take precautions. The masks need to be used.”
Technically, Dr Khan said, it is the fourth wave and this is solely triggered by Omicron sub-variants. He said that Kashmir will continue watching such peaks every five-six months. But the infections will be less virulent and the recovery will be faster, he said.
Right now, a huge population in Kashmir is impacted by an influeza-like situation. They are taking OTC medicines and managing their lives. However, in certain cases especially with people having co-morbidities, patients do require oxygen support.
SRO Kashmir, a Kashmir charity that is at the forefront of the Covid19 management said they have witnessed a 30 per cent increase in demand for Oxygen Support Equipment at SRO in comparison to the previous week. “Present strain of COVID is harsh on elderly COPD patients,” it said.
Right now, Jammu and Kashmir has more than 5000 active covid19 cases but this figure is primarily based on the test carried out, a facility was withdrawn at most places. Officials said 4776 people were killed by the pandemic including 2430 in Kashmir as the contagion infected more than 459009 people ever since it entered Jammu and Kashmir.
