Mubashir Bukhari
Srinagar (NVI): Jammu and Kashmir government today informed that a total number of 2,478 travellers and persons in contact with the suspected Coronavirus cases have been put under surveillance in the Union Territory.
Yesterday, 2,157 persons were put under surveillance in the UT and the number increased today with 321 more people taken under the process.
According to the daily Media Bulletin on novel coronavirus (COVID-19), 2,095 persons are under home quarantine and 29 persons are in hospital quarantine while 178 persons are under home surveillance.
NHM director, Bhupinder Kumar said that 176 persons have completed their 28 days surveillance period.
“So for 106 samples have been sent for testing, of which 98 tested as negative and only two cases have tested positive, so far,” he said.
Kumar said that yesterday, a test was carried on one suspected patient and which had reported high viral load. “Test had been sent to Pune,” he said.
He said reports of 6 news cases are awaited.
Home quarantined persons and their family members are requested to cooperate with the local surveillance teams/health authorities and strictly follow the guidelines for home quarantine issued by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, GoI.
Public, in general, has been requested to strengthen surveillance mechanism by making self-declaration about their foreign travel history to local health authorities. “Moreover all social, religious and political organizations are urged to avoid large gatherings,” reads the advisory.
Medical masks, according to the advisory should not be used by healthy persons who are not having any symptoms because it creates a false sense of security that can lead to neglecting other essential measures such as washing of hands. “In fact, erroneous use of masks or continuous use of a disposable mask for longer than 6 hours or repeated use of same mask may actually increase risk of getting infection.”
