Abid Bashir
Srinagar (NVI): Jammu and Kashmir government today announced complete lockdown across Kashmir barring north Kashmir’s Bandipora district till July 27 in the wake of spurt in Covid-19 cases and deaths.
Officials said that from today onwards till July 27, strict lockdown will remain in place to prevent the further spread of the pandemic. “Further decisions about continuation or announcing relaxation will be taken depending on the,” they said.
Directorate of Information and Public Relations (J&K) wrote on its official Twitter handle: “Complete lockdown in all red districts of Kashmir excluding Bandipora from today evening till 6 am on July 27. DCs to issue orders today. Agriculture, Horticulture and construction activities to continue as per guidelines. Move of goods carriers/LPG and Oil tankers to continue unhindered.”
Interestingly, since Unlock-2, Covid positive cases have shown a huge spurt as so far, over 15,000 cases have tested positive and 260 people have died due to the pandemic. Many doctors and civil society members had urged the government to re-impose the lockdown to prevent the mass spread of the virus. Leading medicos have already stated that the deadly virus was already in the community and it was time to take precautions that include wearing of masks and maintaining social distancing.
Associate Professor at Government Medical College (GMC) Srinagar Dr Nisar-ul Hassan had urged the government to impose strict lockdown to contain the pandemic spread. Talking to NVI, Dr Nisar said that the government has taken the right step at the right time.
“Covid behavior in Kashmir has changed abruptly since Unlock-2 was announced by the government on July 1. Earlier, it behaved very mildly but at present, it is behaving very aggressively. People came out of their houses, joined offices, opened shops and the results didn’t follow the guidelines as the majority of people even didn’t wear a mask. Result is before us. We have crossed 15000 case mark and over 260 people have died,” the senior doctor said, adding that most of the deaths took place in the last fortnight and positive cases doubled as well.
“Government had no option other than to impose lockdown. We see people arriving to the hospitals with symptoms and that too bilateral pneumonia which is where a person needs immediate ventilator and oxygen support. This wasn’t the case earlier,” he said, adding that people must stay indoors to save themselves and others from the deadly virus which is already in the community.
-ARK
