IGP tours Srinagar to ensure strict lockdown
Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, May 21: Shiv Sena Kashmir president was among 16 people who died of COVID-19 in Kashmir while a National Conference (NC) leader was among 2406 people who tested positive for the virus today taking Jammu and Kashmir death toll to 3465.
Shiv Sena party’s Kashmir president and Councillor Municipality Budgam, Abdul Khaliq Bhat died of COVID-19 at SMHS hospital in Srinagar this morning.
Bhat, resident of Doyan Budgam, was hospitalised this week after he tested positive for the infection. He was Shiv Sena party’s Kashmir president and a councillor from Ward No. 6 Alipora area of Chadoora. He was residing at hotel Dolphin for the last seven years due to security reasons.
Among others who died today include a 70-year-old man from Habak Zakoora Srinagar, a 50-year-old woman from Sopore Baramulla, a 33-year-old man from Bhagalpur Bihar, presently at Sonawar Srinagar, a 59-year-old woman from Tral Pulwama and an 86-year-old woman from Nawabazar Srinagar.
Those who tested positive include 598 rom Srinagar, 320 Baramulla, 344 Budgam, 224 Pulwama, 204 Kupwara, 303 Anantnag, 105 Bandipora, 125 Ganderbal, 121 Kulgam and 62 from Shopian. NC leader Dr Bashir Veeri also tested positive today and is in home quarantine in Anantnag.
As per officials figures, 61,138 positive cases including 722 deaths and 53,532 recoveries are from Srinagar, 19,376 including 234 deaths and 16,192 recoveries are from Baramulla, 18,000 including 13,430 recoveries and 161 deaths are from Budgam, 11,596 including 9,064 recoveries and 149 deaths are from Pulwama, 10,216 including 132 deaths and 8,246 recoveries are from Kupwara, 12,800 including 8,154 recoveries and 143 deaths are from Anantnag, 7,657 cases including 6,429 and 82 deaths are from Bandipora, 7,526 including 6,339 recoveries and 65 deaths are from Ganderbal, 8,590 including 5,495 recoveries and 89 deaths are from Kulgam and 4,854 including 3,754 recoveries and 49 deaths are from Shopian.
The number of positive cases in Kashmir division has reached 161,753 including 130,635 recoveries and 1,826 deaths.
The number of active cases in Jammu and Kashmir are 49,893 including 29,292 from Kashmir division.
With 4,466 more recoveries, the tally of total recoveries in Jammu and Kashmir has reached 210,547, which is 79.78 percent of the total cases.
Meanwhile, today tightened Corona curfew in Srinagar and other districts of Kashmir on the eve of anniversaries of Mirwaiz Molvi Mohammad Farooq and Abdul Ghani Lone.
Authorities tightened the curbs in order to restrict the movement of the public and thwart any gatherings. The strict curbs were put in place and public movement towards downtown Srinagar was restricted as nobody was being allowed to move towards the area.
Police and paramilitary troops were deployed in large numbers to enforce the lockdown restrictions. The barricades and concertina wires were erected at many places to stop the public movement.
Police arrested 248 persons, lodged 96 FIRs and also realized a fine to the tune of Rs 1,38,240 from 1055 people for violating the guidelines and rules throughout Kashmir.
“Besides, five shopkeepers were also booked by police in Budgam for violating Covid-19 norms,” police said, adding that the special drive against the violators of COVID-19 guidelines and rules continued throughout all the districts of Kashmir Valley to ensure that people adhere to SOPs and guidelines envisaged by government to curb COVID-19 pandemic.
Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir Zone, Vijay Kumar today stated that the aim to enforce strict lockdown is to protect lives of people and also stop spread of COVID-19.
Kumar, who was accompanied by IG CRPF Srinagar, DIG CKR, SSP Srinagar and other police and security force officers visited several places of Srinagar City and reviewed lockdown arrangements.
During the comprehensive tour of Srinagar City, the IGP Kashmir visited Nishat, Fore Shore road, Habbak, Lalbazar, Zadibal, Nowhatta, Bhorikadal, Rajourikal, Sakidafar, Qamarwari, Parimpora, Hyderpora, Baghat, Sanatnagar and Panthachowk areas.
During the visit, both the IGs interacted with officers and forces personnel deployed on the ground and instructed them to strictly implement and enforce the guidelines and other lockdown orders on ground.
The IGP Kashmir said that the aim of the lockdown is to protect lives of people and to stop the spread of COVID-19 infection. He appreciated the role of police & security forces working on the ground and applauded them for working tirelessly 24×7 amid pandemic without caring for their own lives as like other humans & frontline workers they are more susceptible of contracting infection.
He also advised the men on ground to be firm against violators but at the same time depending on the circumstances be compassionate and facilitators for the most needy people, frontline workers and essential service providers.
The IGP Kashmir also appreciated the jurisdictional Police officers and cops for showing high sense of responsibility and professionalism in dealing with the current unprecedented situation.
Kashmir runs out of ventilator beds
The COVID-19 patients in Kashmir hospitals are dying due to shortage of ventilator beds with several patients recommended by doctors to be put on ventilator died while waiting.
Dozens of patients in Srinagar died during the last one week as there were no ventilator beds available for them despite doctors recommending for the same as their oxygen saturation was dipping.
A patient admitted in SKIMS Medical College Bemina, Srinagar with COVID-19 infection has been recommended ventilator support thrice by the doctors for the last three days as her oxygen level dipped to 45. But she has not been provided the ventilator for all these days.
“We had arranged a ventilator bed at SKIMS Soura for her but the big question is her shifting to that facility. The hospital has no oxygen support available that is needed for her shifting”, her daughter told Excelsior.
Several patients died in the facility during the last few days as they failed to get ventilator support. The hospital ventilators are occupied and the administration fails to shift patients to other facilities where it is available.
A COVID-19 patient in his early 60s from Beerwah area of Budgam was also admitted to the same facility and was recommended to be put on ventilator on May 17 but he too failed to get one.
“We were getting a ventilator bed in JLNM hospital in the Rainawari area of Srinagar but doctors said that he can’t make it to that facility as his oxygen level was low. He died on May 19 while waiting for the ventilator support”, his younger brother Habibullah Mir said.
A senior doctor at the hospital said that the hospital has one critical care ambulance fitted with a ventilator and high flow oxygen and shifting of the patients to other facilities for the ventilator should not have been an issue. “I fail to understand why they are letting patients die by not shifting them to other facilities where the ventilators are available”, he asked.
Engineer Abdul Khaliq Mir of Wadwan Budgam who died in SKIMS Bemina three days ago was also recommended by doctors to be put on ventilator support.
“Despite all efforts on May 17 and 18, he could not get a ventilator and passed away on May 19 while waiting for it. We were also asked to get the medicine from outside when they were available at the facility”, said one of his relatives.
Medical Superintendent of the hospital, Dr Shifa Deva, refused to speak on the issue saying that there are clear directions not to speak to the media. When asked about the claim of the relatives of the patients about non-availability of the ventilators, she said the hospital has six ventilators and they are occupied.
The other hospitals are also running out of ventilator beds that lead to death of patients. A senior doctor at another tertiary care hospital on condition of anonymity said that they are also short of ventilators and patients are dying due to lack of the same.
He, however, said that COVID-19 patients put on ventilators have very little chances of survival. Hardly any COVID-19 patients who have been put on a ventilator survive as their lungs are already damaged when they are put on the ventilator. “Need is to increase oxygen supported beds so that the patients receive high flow oxygen on time”, he added.
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