All asymptomatic, under quarantine; 3 test -ve
Irfan Tramboo
Srinagar, Mar 23: All the 92 contacts of the woman who tested positive for the COVID-19 from Srinagar have been traced and are currently under quarantine at different facilities in Kashmir.
The Medical teams sent by the Directorate of Health Services, Kashmir, after a long toil were able to trace down all their contacts—who are now reported to be asymptomatic but under observation.
The contacts include those who travelled with the woman on a flight while returning from Umrah, the immediate as well as the extended family members and the neighbours.
Giving details about the contacts that were traced, the Nodal Officer of the Health Services, Kashmir Dr S M Qadri told Excelsior that all the contacts were tracked down by the teams that were tasked for the same and visited the spot next day.
He also said that there was no single case where the people—who came in contact with the COVID-19 positive woman—self-reported to the authorities, despite appeals made by the district administration for the same.
“The details of those who had travelled on the flight were obtained from a travel agent who had booked the tickets of the group,” the official said.
As per the numbers, a total of 41 people had travelled with the person on a flight were traced immediately. These travellers belonged mostly to Shopian and Bandipora districts.
Further, 21 family members including 30 persons from the neighborhood have also been tracked down by the medical teams and are also currently under observation.
All the 92 contacts that have been traced are, as per the official, undergoing quarantine at different healthcare facilities in Srinagar as well as in other districts.
Furthermore, only three people out of 92—all close contacts—have been tested so far for the COVID-19 and have resulted negative.
“Those traced from the flight and in the neighborhood are asymptomatic except for few who were tested,” he said.
Asked if the search in order to trace the contacts of the person had ended, the official said that it seems that the search has ended. “But we are still looking and will be doing whatever is required as per the protocol,” he said.
Pertinent to mention here, the case had surfaced from Khanyar in Srinagar’s old city, after a person who had gone for Umrah returned and later developed symptoms. The person was tested at SKIMS where she tested positive making her first case of the deadly infection in Kashmir. The patient is currently under isolation and is said to be recuperating well.
The Nodal officer for COVID-19 at SKIMS Dr G H Yatoo told Excelsior that three contacts of the person were brought to SKIMS—all were tested and resulted negative. “We had just those persons at the hospital and no one else; the one who tested positive is recuperating well,” he said.
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