Peoples should follow SoPs in spirit: Div Com, says testing facilities being increased, seeks cooperation of people to avoid lockdowns
JAMMU, Apr 07: Jammu administration Wednesday termed the resurgence of COVID-19 cases as alarming saying that there is a huge spike in regular cases and that the authorities are increasing the testing facilities while people need to follow the SoPs in spirit.
Divisional Commissioner Jammu, Raghav Lahnger while addressing a news conference as per news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), said that in the past three weeks, there has been a spike in the number of COVID-19 cases in the Jammu division particularly in the Jammu district and few other districts. “The daily number of 10-15 cases has gone up to around 350 of which the highest figures are from Jammu district only which is an alarming situation,” he said.
He said the people must follow the behavioral change that includes wearing a mask, maintaining physical and other precautionary measures.
The Divisional Commissioner Jammu said many of the Union Territories and other places have gone for restrictions and night curfews in the wake of the spike in COVID-19 cases. “Nothing of that sort will happen in Jammu provided if everyone extends cooperation and adhere to precautionary measures,” he said. “We must adhere to all the precautionary measures and not fall to the trend of COVID-19 that is emerging besides acting sensitively and get vaccinated.”
He informed that 5.7 lakh people including the Health Care workers and people over the age of 45-years have been vaccinated and efforts are underway to cover the rest of the population.
He also said that with the rise in COVID-19 cases, the testing rate has also been increased at the same time with twenty thousand tests daily in the Jammu division besides the RTPCR testing rate has gone over 6,000 now. “As compared to the past, we are better equipped and experienced now as to how to deal with the pandemic while the precautions are must,” he maintained.
Stating that the situation is alarming in the Jammu division, the District Magistrate, Anshul Garg said that people must adhere to the precautions.
“Combined teams have been constituted to ensure action against the violators and testing is being done to all the visitors at Airport and Railway stations besides four thousand tests are done within the city for which 25 mobile teams have been constituted,” he said.
Speaking on the occasion, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Jammu on the occasion said that “we are making people aware on the ground and violators are penalized while the police in Jammu have received the first dose of vaccine jab.”
Chaudhary Yasin Ahmad, Director National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), in his address said that J&K UT is still among the very few places that are testing the visitors, and around 24,000 tests are done daily.
The positive rate so far observed at entry points and within the districts include .6 to .8 per cent for the RAT test and 1.6 and above in the RTPCR test, the director said.
He said that Jammu district has the highest number of positive cases followed by Kathua and Rajouri while the Doda has the highest death rate at 1. 84 percent followed by Kathua at 1.55 and Jammu at 1.45 percent however the Ramban has a 97.88 percent recovery rate
He said that Kishtwar has the highest positivity rate at 5.43 percent. The other officials on the occasion maintained that the people must adhere to the precautionary measures and visitors must get tested while the people eligible for the vaccine should get the jab early.
They also assured that all the departments including the health department are ready for any challenge since almost everyone at the helm of affairs is well aware of the infection and how to deal with it besides the higher authorities are responding well to all the requirements—(KNO)
