J&K, Ladakh intensify measures to combat spread after PM’s meet

After Prime Minister Narendra Modi cautioned that the pandemic is not over in a COVID review meeting across the country, the Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh have intensified measures to combat the spread of new variant of the infection as omicron reported in both the Union Territories.

“The Jammu and Kashmir government has made Rapid Antigen Tests (RAT) mandatory for incoming road travellers at Lakhanpur while the Union Territory of Ladakh has halted several tourism activities for this year,” an official told.

Moreover, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the fight against the pandemic is not over and directed officials to send teams to states with low vaccination, rising cases, and insufficient health infrastructure, to assist them in improving the situation.

“The new precautionary measures in J&K and Ladakh were put in place after the omicron cases were detected in the both Union Territories,” he added.

“Rate of sampling for COVID-19 tests has to be increased in a phased manner and in the first instance all the passengers travelling through Buses, Cabs, Taxis and Tempo Travellers shall have to undergo Rapid Antigen Test for COVID-19 compulsorily at Lakhanpur irrespective of their vaccination status,” reads the order issued by DC Kathua Rahul Yadav in the backdrop of omicron threat as well as increased influx of travellers.

The further directed, Nodal Officer, Lakhanpur to ensure atleast 30% RTPCR sampling of such incoming passengers.

Similarly, Chairman, District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) Leh has ordered suspension of Chadar Trek 2022, Snow leopard sighting expeditions & other winter tourism activities in the district till further orders, in view of upsurge in Covid cases & detection of Omicron variant.

In this regard, Prime Minister Narendra Modi stressed on Covid-appropriate behaviour, saying the fight against the pandemic is not over and directed officials to send teams to states with low vaccination, rising cases, and insufficient health infrastructure, to assist them in improving the situation.

Modi gave directions to officials during a high-level meeting to review the status of COVID-19 and Omicron, the new variant of concern (VOC), and said “we should be ‘satark’ (vigilant) and ‘saavdhan’ (cautious)”.

The fight against the pandemic is not over, he said, and asserted that the need for continued adherence to Covid safe behaviour is of paramount importance even today.

After the presentation by officials, Modi directed the officials to maintain a high level of vigil and alertness at all levels.

He directed central officials to work in close coordination with the states to support their efforts of public health measures of containment and management under the ‘whole of government’ approach.

“The strategy of the Centre for proactive, focussed, collaborative and cooperative fight against the pandemic should guide all our future actions,” Modi told the officials.

He directed the officials to ensure that the health systems in the states, beginning from the district level, are strengthened to meet any challenge posed by the new variant.

It is important for states to ensure that the Oxygen supply equipment are installed and fully functional, Modi instructed the officials at the meeting.

He also directed the officials to work with the states on a regular basis and review the status of preparedness of various components of health infrastructure including training and capacity building of human resources, timely availability of ambulances, readiness of states to operationalize COVID facilities for institutional quarantining, and effective and supervised monitoring of those in home isolation.

He further asked officials to make effective use of IT tools for tele-medicine and tele-consultation.

Moreover, the J&K recorded 132 fresh cases of coronavirus, taking the infected number of persons to 3,40,293 while three new deaths due to the virus were reported from the union territory in the past 24 hours.

Among 132 new cases, 105 belong to Kashmir division while as 27 are from Jammu division, adding that the total number of positive cases in Kashmir division have reached to 214,345 including 211,048 recoveries and 2,322 deaths while as total number of positive cases in Jammu division have reached to 125,948 including 123,408 recoveries and 2,196 deaths.

The officials said that the total number of active cases in Jammu and Kashmir are 1,319 including 975 from Kashmir division and 344 from Jammu division.

With 118 more recoveries, the tally of total recoveries in Jammu and Kashmir has reached 334,456 which is 98.28 percent of the total cases.

“Cases tested positive in J&K include 40 from Srinagar, 34 from Baramulla, 04 from Budgam, 07 from Pulwama, 05 from Kupwara, 02 from Anantnag, 08 from Bandipora, 05 from Ganderbal, 00 from Kulgam and 00 from Shopian in Kashmir division while as 27 from Jammu division include 23 from Jammu, 00 from Udhampur, 00 from Rajouri, 01 from Doda, 00 from Kathua, 00 from Samba, 01 from Kishtwar, 02 from Poonch, 00 from Ramban and 00 from Reasi,” officials disclosed.

Meanwhile, authorities said that no fresh cases of Mucormycosis popularly known as black fungus was reported in the UT and the tally stands at 50.

As per officials figures, 78,450 positive cases including 880 deaths and 77,102 recoveries are from Srinagar, 25,879 including 290 deaths and 25,409 recoveries are from Baramulla, 24,437 including 24,174 recoveries and 215 deaths are from Budgam, 15,691 including 15,466 recoveries and 195 deaths are from Pulwama, 14,930 including 167 deaths and 14,690 recoveries are from Kupwara, 16,721 including 16,497 recoveries and 208 deaths are from Anantnag, 10,145 cases including 9,979 and 110 deaths are from Bandipora, 10,934 including 10,765 recoveries and 81 deaths are from Ganderbal, 11,542 including 11,410 recoveries and 117 deaths are from Kulgam and 5,616 including 5,556 recoveries and 59 deaths are from Shopian.

In Jammu division, 54,048 including 52,673 recoveries and 1,156 deaths are from Jammu district, 11,465 including 11,316 recoveries and 138 deaths are from Udhampur, 11,370 including 11,115 recoveries and 239 deaths are from Rajouri, 8,015 including 7,846 recoveries and 136 deaths are from Doda, 9,379 including 9,219 recoveries and 153 deaths are from Kathua, 7,174 including 7,051 recoveries and 120 deaths are from Samba, 4,848 including 4,798 recoveries and 44 deaths are from Kishtwar, 6,584 including 6,462 recoveries and 100 deaths are from Poonch, 6,068 including 5,996 recoveries and 67 deaths are from Ramban and 6,997 including 6,932 recoveries and 43 deaths are from Reasi.

As per the daily information bulletin 5,068,038 persons in Jammu and Kashmir are under observation while 8,159 persons have been kept under home quarantine besides that 1,319 persons are in isolation.

According to the bulletin, 4,622,430 persons have completed the surveillance period and 431,612 persons are under home surveillance besides that so far results of 18,859,176 samples are available. Out of 18,859,176 the number of samples tested negative stands at 18,518,883 while as 340,293 have tested positive, among them 1,319 persons are active, 334,456 persons have recovered and 4,518 persons have died.