Health Ministry, Financial Commissioner review COVID-19 control measures in Jammu

Amid a spike in positive COVID-19 cases in Jammu, Financial Commissioner for Health and Medical Education Department Atal Dullo and the central health team held a meeting on Sunday to review control measures in six districts of the Union Territory.

The virtual review meeting was attended by the district administration and health teams of six districts including Samba, Ramban, Kishtwar, Kathua, Rajouri, and Doda. The meeting was focused on testing, surveillance of containment zones by way of door-to-door surveys.

The four-member central team headed by Director National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Dr SK Singh discussed the steps to be taken for containment and control of Coronavirus spread. The other members of the central team include NCDC Joint Director Kinnzin, Associate Prof Medicine (Pulmonologist) AIIMS Vijay Handa and Mahesh Waghmare, IDSP, New Delhi.

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The team stressed on the need to focus on influenza-like Illness (ILI) or Severe Acute Respiratory infection (SARI) cases, 100% house to house survey, contact tracing, and ramping up COVID-19 testing especially with Rapid Antigen Test. They directed the officials to focus on the data analysis, rapid testing, contact tracing and surveillance of areas where a cluster of cases are detected so that chain can be broken.

"The team suggested the measures to be implemented in the containment zones and asked to involve ASHA and field health staff to identify influenza-like illness (ILI) cases so that testing of all can be done. A door-to-door survey was suggested for identifying high-risk persons like pregnant women/ elderly persons and those with co-morbidity," the statement said.

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COVID-19 cases rise in Jammu

The Jammu region has been witnessing a steady rise in coronavirus cases and deaths, with over 5,500 people testing positive and 72 dying of the infection in just past one week, official data reveals.

As per the statistics, 72 persons have died due to Covid-19 from September 12 till date. As many as 5,580 COVID-19 cases have been reported in the past one week, the data stated.

The highest 875 cases were reported on September 13, followed by 838 on September 12, 837 on September 14, 832 on September 16 and 772 on September 18, as per the data. In comparison, the Kashmir Valley reported 40 deaths and 3,749 cases during this time.

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(With inputs from agency)