Coronavirus: Jammu and Kashmir gears up to tackle its spread

Follow us on

The Srinagar administration has stepped up efforts to tackle the threat of coronavirus. Apart from screening all arriving passengers at the airport, the health department has set up diagnosis and isolation facilities across the district. With an aim to prevent and get timely assistance with regard to the spread of the deadly coronavirus in Baramulla district, Deputy Commissioner G.N. Itoo on Saturday formulated a team of medical experts to provide medical assistance to the people in case of any exigency.

Isolation wards for suspected cases have been set up at hospitals, including at SMHS and SKIMS hospitals, and ventilator facilities have also been kept ready.

These facilities, also set in Chanpora, Sanatnagar and Noorbagh areas in both uptown and downtown, will be operational 24X7.

The administration has designated nodal officers and set up dedicated helpline numbers to report suspected cases or to seek diagnosis requests. They are District Epidemiologist Dr Tasaduq (9906666077), ZMO SR Gunj Dr Mumtaza (9419062633), ZMO Khanyar Dr Tariq (9596007400), ZMO Batamaloo Dr Sameena (9906721302), ZMO Zadibal 9419078467, Dr Fozia (9419078467) and BMO Hazratbal Dr Hashmat (9419018715).

The helpline numbers are 9419028251, 9419028242, 9419014723 and 9419010363.

Accordingly, the team will be headed by medical superintendent, district hospital, Baramulla, Syed Masood (contact number 7006231150) and other senior doctors as its members. The other members are Waseem (contact number 7006024498), Maqbool (7006341667) and Zulfikar (9419038139).

People have been asked to contact these numbers in order to know about the symptoms and the necessary preventive measures that needs to be followed.

Meanwhile, a sensitisation meeting of officials was held here on Saturday under the chairmanship of Srinagar Deputy Commissioner Shahid Iqbal Choudhary.

Regional Director Health & Family Welfare Dr Shazia Wafai and Srinagar Chief Medical Officer Talat Jabeen also briefed the meeting.

Choudhary appealed for public cooperation, emphasising the importance of self-reporting and quarantining to prevent the spread of disease.

The preparedness follows the World Health Organisation's declaration of coronavirus as a global health emergency.

Rapid response teams have been activated, one in each health zone of the district. These teams will be monitoring the situation 24X7.