Srinagar, Dec 29: Jammu and Kashmir’s Health Department officials are closely monitoring the COVID-19 situation following the detection of new positive cases in the Union Territory. Director Health Services Jammu, Dr. Rajeev Kumar Sharma, assured that all necessary measures are being taken in accordance with the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India.
“A day after a positive case was detected in Jammu, we are conducting the contact tracing including his family members. He is a doctor by profession and is asymptomatic. The case is not severe. We are following all the given SOPs,” he said.
Dr. Sharma emphasized that there is no need to panic, revealing that contact tracing is underway for a doctor, asymptomatic and not in severe condition, who tested positive in Jammu. The Health Department encourages testing of suspected individuals and adherence to precautionary measures.
The latest Covid-19 media bulletin reports four active cases in J&K, with one detected in Jammu city. All four cases are under isolation. The bulletin, while not specifying when the three cases from Kashmir were detected, highlights that 485 tests were conducted in the past 24 hours across testing labs.
The director said officials have been asked to focus on testing of suspected individuals and follow precautionary measures that have been issued by the government from time to time. Following the new detection, the J & K Government on Friday again issued the Covid-19 media bulletin which mentioned that there are four active cases in J&K including the one reported from Jammu city on Thursday and three from Kashmir valley.
It added that all the four cases have been put under isolation. However, the bulletin does not mention when the three Covid-19 cases from Kashmir were detected. It also said in the past 24 hours, 485 tests were conducted across the testing labs in hospitals until 5 p.m..
Given the recent advisory issued by the Union Health Ministry concerning the emergence of a new variant, JN.1 and rise in Covid-19 cases in some parts of the country, the Health Department is ready to face any kind of case rise asking people to follow precautionary measures.
Spokesperson Directorate of Health Services Kashmir, Dr Mir Mushtaq said people should follow the general precautionary measures and there is no need to panic. “We are ready to face any kind of situation. Precautionary measures are being taken in hospitals and people also need to follow SOPs,” he said.
Mir stated that the government remains vigilant, asserting, “We have effectively managed Covid-19 in the past, and we are well-prepared for any situation.”
On Thursday the UT of Jammu and Kashmir recorded the first Covid-19 case and the affected person has been kept under home isolation and surveillance. Doctors say although JN.1 is a mild variant that can cause throat infection, sneezing, etc. They also suggested that people need to take usual precautionary measures which were followed during Covid-19 waves in the past.
On Dec 18 the Union Health Ministry asked the Union Health Ministry states and Union Territories to remain vigilant in light of a rise in COVID-19 cases and the identification of the first case of the new JN.1 variant in the country.
Following the advisory, Secretary Health and Medical Education (HME), Bhupinder Kumar took a review of the COVID-19 situation and preparedness of the public health system across J&K.
