Exclusive: Only critical COVID-19 patients admitted; Five docs test positive in DH Pulwama
South Kashmir’s District Hospital Pulwama attains significant importance, given the second wave of the pandemic in the Valley.
SRINAGAR (J&K) —
The novel Coronavirus is still raging across India with all States and Union Territories, except Andaman and Nicobar Islands, reporting more fresh cases of COVID-19 than recoveries on Monday.
In Kashmir, the cases have also seen a surge with 2000 odd cases being reported every 24 hours. South Kashmir’s District Hospital Pulwama attains significant importance, given the second wave of the pandemic in the Valley.
In this connection, we talked to Dr Mir Mushtaq, Deputy Superintendent at District Hospital Pulwama, who said that the hospital has a dedicated ward for COVID-19 patients on the directions of Director Health Services Kashmir with a bed capacity of 45 patients.
“Yesterday, we had 30 COVID-19 positive patients in that ward but six of those patients have recovered. Now, we have 24 patients admitted. Also, one patient died so far,” Dr Mushtaq told Digpu News.
Asked about the management of new wave of the pandemic, the senior doctor said that they are admitting only critically ill patients this time unlike the last wave. “Previously all COVID-19 infected patients were admitted which was putting a lot of load on the healthcare and the staff was overburdened,” he said.
He added that the pandemic is affecting people from all age groups this time. “We have seen patients as young as 3 to 4 years old getting infected while older people like a 90-year-old has also taken the infection,” he further revealed.
About the new symptoms that are witnessed in the patients, the doctor pointed out gastrointestinal symptoms like Diarrhea. Meanwhile, the doctor said that the hospital has no shortage of oxygen. “But it all depends on how the Covid would behave,” Dr Mushtaq was quick to add.
The hospital has a total bed capacity of 200. “If there is persistent increase in cases, then we will have to shift the services for non-Covid to some other hospital for it to become a Covid-dedicated hospital,” he informed.
The J&K Government on Saturday designated 23 hospitals as COVID-19 dedicated hospitals that include 15 in the Kashmir division and eight in the Jammu division. However, there are reports that more hospitals, including District Hospital Pulwama, will be added to the list if the surge in cases continues.
While confirming the positive cases among the staff, Dr Mushtaq said that five of its doctors have tested positive during the last few days. The doctors are now in isolation at their respective homes.
While asking people to follow Covid-appropriate behaviour, the doctor appealed for following the related SOPs religiously. “If we do not follow the appropriate behaviour, it will be very catastrophic as we will lose lot of lives,” the doctor warned.
It is pertinent to mention here that J&K UT reported a record 3164 fresh positive cases of novel Coronavirus with 25 persons succumbing to the virus in last 24 hours on Tuesday, as per the government’s latest daily figure. Previously, the highest daily count was recorded on April 25 when 2381 people had tested positive for the virus.
Among the 3164 new cases, official sources said that 1030 were from Jammu Division and 2134 from Kashmir Valley (333 from south Kashmir), taking the total case tally to 16,6054. Moreover, they said, 1457 more COVID-19 patients have recovered—656 from Jammu Division and 801 from Kashmir Valley.
Regarding the fresh deaths, authorities said, 15 were from Jammu Division and 10 from Kashmir Valley. There are 22283 active positive cases in J&K, 8847 in Jammu and 13436 in the Valley.
