Amid the worsening COVID situation in Jammu and Kashmir, health experts on Tuesday evening called for imposing of strict lockdown to check the spread of the virus.
President Doctors Association of Kashmir and Flu expert Dr. Nisar Ul Hassan asked the government to re-impose lockdown across Union Territory (UT) to prevent further spread and deaths due to the novel Coronavirus.
Pointing towards a surge in positive cases, experts asked the government to act now to prevent the situation from further worsening.
"For the last few days, people in large numbers are coming to hospitals with severe bilateral pneumonia requiring oxygen and many needing intensive-care setting. Our beds are full, oxygen points are occupied and we don't have any space left in ICUs as well," Dr. Hassan said.
A prominent doctor treating COVID patients in Jammu opined that containing the spread of the virus was not possible without imposing lockdown-like restrictions.
First time J&K records single-day highest positive cases, deaths
First time since the outbreak of the pandemic, J&K recorded 3,164 positive cases and 25 persons succumbed to the virus in the Union Territory as per the government's latest daily figure. According to the data, 15 deaths were reported from the Jammu division and 10 from Kashmir Valley. A 20-year-old girl and two women aged between 47 to 55 years were among 25 more people who succumbed to COVID-19 overnight. A 20-year-old was a resident of Tral Pulwama and died a week after she was admitted to SKIMS Soura.
Previously, the highest daily count was recorded on April 25 when 2,381 people had tested positive for the virus. Among the 3,164 new cases, official sources said that 1,030 were reported from the Jammu division and 2134 from Kashmir Valley, taking the total caseload to 1,66,054.
Delay in hospitalization increasing COVID deaths in J&K
Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) on Tuesday said the delay in reporting to hospitals is the main reason for an increase in the number of deaths due to the virus.
"Patients arrive at hospitals only when their condition worsens," said Dr. Hassan. He said the early medical intervention was the key to reduce COVID deaths. However, he said patients come to hospitals when their lungs were largely affected, which decreases their chances of survival.
Dr. Hassan said many patients have bought oxygen cylinders and oxygen concentrators and use them at home to ease symptoms and report to hospitals only when their condition deteriorates.
