Malik Sameed
Srinagar 19 Apr 18: Around 12000 kits for rapid testing of Covid-19 have been flown in Jammu and Kashmir. Out of 12000 kits, 9000 have been dispatched to Kashmir Valley while 3000 to Jammu.
According to reports, “Every 1000 kits will be sent to red zone areas of Kashmir division and Jammu division.”
Talking to Kashmir News Bureau Director SKIMS Dr A.G Ahangar said, “We receive kits on a daily basis through ICMR, and at present our testing capacity is more than 400 hundred per day, However, we are trying to speed up the testing.”
When asked about the arrival of 12000 kits, Dr Ahangar said, “It will make a big difference.”
However, 17 positive cases which later turned negative discharged, while 18 positive cases are under observation in SKIMS Soura hospital.
“We have received 9600 rapid testing kits so far and sent in 83 red zone areas in Kashmir valley – It will take only 15 to 30 mins for testing.” said Director Health Kashmir, Dr Samir Mattoo.
“The rapid testing kits is less time consuming and can bring the time frame down to 20 minutes to 2 hours, while as the current test took more time, may be days depending upon the facilities- it is designed to find the genetic materials from the virus by testing person's nose and throat samples,” said a doctor.
“This will strengthen government's efforts to ramp up its coronavirus testing facilities, initially the kits will be used in red zone areas to test people with fever, cough, and shortness of breath and where number of covid 19 cases are high like in Bandipora, Srinagar and Baramulla,” said the official who asked not to be named
Pertinently, Jammu and Kashmir has reported 341 positive cases for covid 19, 05 deaths and around 40 recovered. Out of 350, Kashmir division reported 295 and Jammu is on 55.(KNB)
- 14 more test positive as J&K tally mounts to 354
Northlines Correspondent
Jammu Tawi, Apr 19: Jammu and Kashmir today recorded thirteen more positive cases of Covid-19 taking the total tally in the Union Territory (UT) to 354 J&K government spokesman Rohit Kansal tweeted: “Some respite but no reason for complacency; 14 new cases – 13 from Kashmir Division, 1 from Jammu Total cases now 354. Jammu Division-55 and Kashmir Division 299.”
The bulletin released by the government stated that total number of people who are under observation in the J&K UT are 61331. “Total number of people who are under home quarantine are 5939 while as people who are in hospital quarantine are 289,” the bulletin read.
It states that surveillance of 30966 people has been completed. “Total number of people tested so far are 7895 of which 7545 have tested negative,” the bulletin said.
It said that so far 354 people have tested positive of which active cases are 293. “In Jammu 41 positive cases have been recorded so far while as in Kashmir total number of positive cases is 252.
In Jammu, 13 people have recovered and 43 people have recovered in Valley,” the official figures reveal.
It said that Jammu has 26 positive cases, 20 in Udhampur, four each in Samba and Rajouri and one in Kishtwar
Five deaths have so far been reported in J&K—four in Kashmir and one in Jammu region. The figures further state that Bandipora district of north Kashmir tops the list of covid-19 positive cases at 84 followed by Srinagar district where 79 positive cases have been recorded so far.
“In Baramulla district of Kashmir, there are 44 cases, 31 in Kupwara, 22 in Shopian, 14 in Ganderbal, 13 in Budgam, six in Kulgam, three in Pulwama and Kulgam each,” the bulletin said.
