Abid Bashir
Srinagar (NVI): The Covid-19 pandemic today claimed five more lives in Jammu and Kashmir including a doctor, taking the total number of people who died of coronavirus in the UT to 473.
Health officials said that of the total 473 deaths, 439 were reported in Kashmir alone and 34 in Jammu region.
A health official said that six patients who died since morning include a 65-year-old woman from Pattan, Baramulla, a 45-old-doctor from Pampore, Pulwama, an 80-year-old woman from Hawal, Srinagar, a 70-year-old man from Magam, Budgam and an 85-year-old-woman from Buchpora, Srinagar.
Another health official at SKIMS, Soura, Srinagar said that the 45-year-old doctor from Konibal, Pampore Pulwama, who was admitted to SKIMS on July 25, died on Sunday.
“He was posted at district hospital Pulwama and was suffering from liver ailments,” he said, adding that the doctor had tested positive for the virus a few days ago.
He further said that the 80-year-old woman from Hawal, Srinagar who was admitted on July 25 died on Sunday.
“The 85-year-old woman from Buchpora, Srinagar who was admitted on 31 July died on Saturday evening,” he said.
An official at SMHS hospital Srinagar said that a 65-year-old woman from Tangmarg, Baramulla, who was admitted on Saturday morning also died today.
With five more deaths taking place in J&K since morning today, the total number of people who died of Covid-19 in the UT so far has reached 473 including 439 from Kashmir division and 34 from Jammu region.
The rising mortality in J&K, according to the leading experts is because of the “casual approach” of people towards Covid. Leading medical expert Dr Muhammad Sultan Khuroo said that since virus is already in the community, people are taking it for granted and no protocol is followed. “Hardly anyone wears a mask and maintains a social distance.”
Temperature has gone up a bit in Kashmir, and people are thronging river and lake banks in Srinagar, without wearing masks let alone social distancing,” he said, adding that if this approach continues, “time is not far when Kashmir will turn into another hotspot.”
-ARK
