SMC squad carrying out sanitization drive amid coronavirus scare in Srinagar -KO Photo Abid Bhat
Srinagar: Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh recorded two fresh cases of deadly coronavirus, while the number of people under surveillance reached 2478 on Monday, even as 2095 others remain under home quarantine.
“One more patient tested positive in Jammu and his report was received on Monday evening,” a doctor said. With this, the number of positive cases in the winter capital reached three today.
In the newly carved out union territory of Ladakh, another case of COVID-19 infection surfaced today, taking the number of people infected to four. The infected person, officials said has been put under quarantine.
Here in Srinagar, two persons with a travel history to Saudi Arabia and Pakistan were admitted to the isolation ward of the SKIMS hospital after being recognised as potential coronavirus (Covid-19) patients, officials said.
Nodal officer for coronavirus control at SKIMS, Dr G H Yatoo,said that two persons were admitted to the hospital and their samples were sent for the laboratory test.
“One among them, a resident of Baramulla, has history of travel to Saudi Arabia while another, who is from Budgam, had returned from Pakistan,” he said.
Meanwhile, the government in the daily media bulletin issued today said that 176 persons have completed their 28-day surveillance period and, so far, only two cases have been tested positive in Jammu and Kashmir.
According to the government spokesperson, 2478 travellers and persons in contact with suspected cases have been put under surveillance while as 2095 persons are under home quarantine.
“Persons who are in hospital quarantine stand at 29 and 178 persons are under home surveillance,” the spokesperson said.
“106 samples have been sent for testing, of which 98 tested as negative and only two cases have tested positive, so far while as reports of six cases are awaited till March 16, 2020,” he added.
The government urged the people who have returned from Covid-19 affected countries or have been in contact with a person suspected, confirmed with the disease, to stay at home and isolate self from family members for 14 days.
According to the media bulletin, people should wash hands frequently with soap and water or hand sanitizer after sneezing, coughing, touching surfaces, before meals and after using toilets. Furthermore, people should cover their mouth with handkerchief/tissue paper while coughing and sneezing, and throw tissue in the dustbin after using it, the Bulletin reads.
The media bulletin has advised people to avoid touching ones eyes, nose and mouth, use surgical mask if one develop cough, fever or breathing difficulty and immediately contact the doctor. People have been advised not to attend large public gatherings.
Media bulletin has advised people not to panic and take care of their health and protect others. It has advised to maintain social distancing, avoid un-necessary travel & use of public transport; avoid crowded places and large gatherings, not to spit in public.
People have been urged to rely only on the information released by the government in this regard through the daily media bulletin to print & electronic media.
Parks, Gardens Closed In Srinagar
Authorities announced closure of all parks and gardens in Srinagar till further orders.
“All parks and gardens in #Srinagar will remain closed till further notice. Cooperation of people in implementing precautionary measures is appreciated,” Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar, Shahid Iqbal Chaudhary said in a tweet.
The authorities have already shut down schools and other educational institutions in the union territory. Clubs and public gymnasiums have also been shut as precautionary measures.
J&K HC Only To Hear Urgent Matters
The Jammu and Kashmir High Court on Monday issued a circular restricting the functioning in both of its Jammu and Srinagar wings to urgent matters only in view of the coronavirus threat.
According to the circular, functioning in both the wings of the High Court from March 16, 2020 to March 31, 2020 shall be restricted to urgent matters.
The Advocates, litigants and parties in person shall mention their matter(s) by providing number and stage of the matter(s) on daily board, showing the urgency before the concerned Registrar Judicial through e-mail (Registrar Judicial Jammu: soniagupta265@gmail.com, Registrar Judicial Srinagar: massarat.shaheen@gmail.com) by 3 pm of the previous day and upon satisfaction about the urgency, the Court may hear such matter(s), the circular reads.
In all other listed matters dates would be given by the Bench Secretaries and dates in such matters shall be communicated through e-Courts platform.
“The Bar Associations and the Advocates shall make sure that entry of the litigants in the Court shall be restricted to the cases where the presence is unavoidable and in such cases only one person may be called,” an official handout said.
“The Bar Associations of both the wings of the High Court shall ensure that there shall be no crowding in the Court complex including the lawyers’ chambers. They shall also defer all their public functions involving gathering,” it added
The statement further says that the Advocates shall advise their clients not to visit the Court unless their presence is directed by the Court or is unavoidable.
Registrar Judicial of both the wings of the High Court shall ensure sanitization of the complexes and availability of sanitizers in Court rooms and all other Sections of the Registry for the staff, and at some conspicuous places in the complexes for the Advocates and visitors.
“Besides thermal screening of the visitors to the Court complexes shall be ensured through the officials of the Health Department posted in the respective Wings of the High Court,” the statement added.
While as all official functions involving gathering shall stand deferred and Canteens and the Bar rooms will not remain operational till further orders.
Considering the importance of the safety measures for health, all concerned shall cooperate with the instructions of the staff on duty, in the interest of all, the circular adds.
Admin Warns Travel Operators, Transporters
The district administration on Monday also issued specific guidelines to the travel and transport operators in this capital city and warned strict action against overcrowding in the public transport
In a meeting with transporters today, Deputy Commissioner Srinagar Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary said that specific and clearcut instructions were issued to all transporters including operators of mini buses and those of smaller-size passenger vehicles to ensure no overloading is allowed.
Choudhary urged the representatives to support the administration in its efforts adding that non-compliance with guidelines and instructions in this regard would force the administration to go for blanket ban on operation of public transport while the health situation remains as it is.
He said the administration wants to avoid having to do the latter adding however that that would be possible if transporters and the general public support the administration in these efforts.
In a separate meeting with tour operators, Choudhary informed them about the measures government taken in order to prevent spread of the infection in J&K. He impressed upon the operators their important role in these efforts and urged them to come forward and disclose information about travellers coming in through their agencies.
“He warned of the most strict action under the law against operators hiding information about travellers coming in or assisting them sneak in to Srinagar,” an official spokesperson said.
“He said these tactics help no one and put the people at risk adding that it can also impact the efforts of the administration making it tougher than it should,” the spokesperson added.
Meanwhile the Tourism department has been asked to share details of all tour and travel agencies operating in the district with the administration.
Section 144 Imposed In Ganderbal
The administration also imposed Section 144 in Ganderbal district on Monday to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus pandemic.
District Magistrate Shafqat Iqbal imposed the ban on the assembly of four or more people in any public place and it will remain in place till March-end, according to an order.
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the country rose to 114 on Monday, with Odisha reporting its first COVID-19 patient and a new case each in Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir, and Kerala, according to the Union Health Ministry.
The Maharashtra government also reported four more patients of the infection, which the Union Health Ministry did not immediately add to its national count.
Quarantine Facility To Come Up At Sonmarg
The Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory administration on Monday decided to restrict public entry inside the Civil Secretariat, and establishment of quarantine facility at Baltal Base Camp in Sonmarg to screen people entering the UT from Ladakh.
The decision in this regard was taken in a meeting chaired by Chief Secretary, B. V. R. Subrahmanyam to review the Cluster Containment Plan for COVID-19, an official spokesperson said.
In view of detection of two confirmed, (possibly three) Coronavirus cases in Jammu and measures put in place by the Health Department to tackle the threat of its local transmission, it was decided that public entry in Civil Secretariat and all HoD level offices in Jammu Division will remain ceased till March 31, 2020 as a precautionary measure.
Chief Secretary directed the Divisional Commissioner, Jammu to ensure that passengers of all incoming flights from Ladakh be 100 % quarantined, besides setting up of quarantine facility at Baltal Base Camp in Sonmarg in Kashmir to quarantine people entering into JK from Ladakh.
“It was also decided that all foreigners visiting the Union Territory shall be quarantined as per the set protocol,” the statement said.
All Administrative Secretaries, Divisional Commissioner Jammu, Mission Director, National Health Mission (NHM), Deputy Commissioner, Jammu and Commissioner JMC participated in the meeting.
Expecting people to gather in large numbers during upcoming religious festivals, Chief Secretary directed Divisional Commissioner, Jammu to call a meeting of all prominent religious leaders, advising them to convince people to reduce/avoid gatherings during such times so as to keep the transmission in check.
Chief Secretary directed the Commissioner, JMC, to start a massive fumigation drive at Hospitals, Airports, Railway Stations, Bus stand, Civil Secretariat, High Court, as well as public offices.
As another preventive measure to contain the virus, it was decided that all inter-state buses entering Jammu & Kashmir shall be checked and sanitized at an entry point in Kathua.
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