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Srinagar, March 27 (KINS): Two children, an eight-month-old and another seven-year-old who have tested positive for coronavirus are stable at JLNM Hospital Rainawari, doctors told KINS.

Both are siblings and grandchildren of a 65-year-old man, having a travel history to Saudi Arabia, who tested positive for COVID-19.

“Both the kids are stable. They did not show any symptoms but only their tests were positive,” a senior official of the hospital administration told Kashmir Indepth News Service. “As both were kids so their mother who is negative is also quarantined here. She is given full protective gear and shifted to isolation ward,” the official said.

The official said one consultant, physician, one staff nurse; one sweeper is posted at isolation ward.
Meanwhile, four more persons were tested positive for deadly coronavirus on Friday, taking the toll of active positive cases to 16, officials said.
Government spokesman, Rohit Kansal in his tweet informed that four more persons have been tested positive in the Valley, adding two among them have travel history of abroad while two more have travel history of outside Jammu and Kashmir as part of religious congregation.

Notably, first death of Coronavirus pandemic was reported in the valley on Thursday while one positive case has recovered. The total number of positive cases across Jammu and Kashmir has mounted to 16.(KINS)

Srinagar, March 27: A day after Kashmir reported its first Covid-19 death case, an investigation carried out by KNS has revealed how protocol required for treating such patients has not been followed in JVC as well as SKIMS Soura.

On 21st March, the deceased 65-year-old Muhammad Ashraf Anim visits JVC at 8:35 am and according to the patient registration card issued by JVC he discloses travel history to Delhi for ten days.

A junior resident doctor checks him initially, he then calls his senior resident doctor and finally, consultant checks up him, the patient report card of JVC reveals.

“Case discussed with consultant chest disease. High suspicion of Covid-19. Needs immediate testing in view of worsening saturation. Refer to SKIMS for further treatment (sic),” writes consultant on the patient report card.
The doctors at JVC added that he was asked to take ambulance for SKIMS but the attendant who is also a doctor preferred to go by their personal vehicle.

JVC administration negligence: They let him go by personal car and did not track him. The SOP for such patients is it coordinator cum liaisoning officer nominated by the hospital should have been informed immediately who would have alerted administration and police, a top health official told KNS. “This was a major breach on part of MS JVC. The official should not have let the patient go in any case. The official should be taken to task,” he said.
On the same day ( 21st March) at around 11: 59 Am he reaches SKIMS Soura and visits COVID Clinic (Emergency) with Suspected Covid written on the initial diagnosis a column of the patient report card.

As per the patient report card, here he reveals whole travel history from Andaman Nicobar to Srinagar.
He has also revealed that he was screened at Srinagar airport. This put a big question on the screening facilities set up by Government at the Srinagar airport for Covid suspected patients.

“No contact with any Covid positive patient. Other co-workers who were travelling with him were having fever and cough; now relieved and doing fine. They were from UP (sic),” reveals the SKIMS report card of the patient.
The report card also reveals that the patient was advised home quarantine, maintaining hygiene, avoid social gatherings.

“They want to talk to consultant Dr Ajaz Koul for further management and advice,” report card reads.
Reportedly, the consultant has seconded the advice of his junior doctor and allowed him to go home.
“Consultant told them that he is not Covid-19 patient or if they still insist he can be admitted in general medicine ward or he can go for home quarantine,” a senior doctor told KNS.
SKIMS Mishandling: SKIMS consultant allowed him to go home despite grave symptoms of Covid19. He should have followed protocol and admitted him in an isolation ward and alerted the administration also, a senior officer in the administration said.
“We are looking into all lapses seriously and heads will roll. No one will be spared, no matter how big he is,” he told KNS.

On the same evening, he again visits JVC after feeling stiffness in the chest.
The doctors there press him to get admitted in the hospital, but again the patient manages to leave hospital.
Reportedly, the MS here has communicated with chest medicine consultant and asked him to admit the patient.

“She should have communicated to liaison officer also and sought the help of police. But it did not happen,” a senior doctor in JVC told KNS
Next morning, the patient along with doctor attendant visited CD hospital Dalgate and doctors there admitted him in hospital.

Meanwhile, the Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, ordered an inquiry yesterday after reports of mishandling of the case at the JVC Hospital in Srinagar.
“A report further reveals that the patient, who was later tested positive for COVID-19, has not been handled as per the protocol required for treating such patients,” the order reads.
The investigation reveals how the patient was allowed enough time to spread the virus by intermingling with the public and relatives. “The negligence at the hands of the hospital administration has resulted in a lot of confusion and vulnerability among masses,” an official said. (KNS)

Srinagar, Mar 27 (KNO): Four more persons were on Friday tested positive for deadly coronavirus, taking the toll of active positive cases to 16, officials said.

According to wire service—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), Government spokesman, Rohit Kansal in his tweet informed that four more persons have been tested positive in the Valley, adding that two among them have travel history of abroad while two more have travel history of outside Jammu and Kashmir as part of religious congregation.

Notably, first death of Coronavirus pandemic was reported in the valley on Thursday while one positive case has recovered. The total number of positive cases across Jammu and Kashmir has mounted to 16

– (KNO)

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Srinagar: Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) senior leader Er Nazir Amad Yatoo on Friday appealed heads of all political parties not to go with begging bowl to central government for restoration of 4G Internet services in Jammu and Kashmir.

In a statement issued here, senior PDP leader, Er Nazir Yatoo said, “2G in not enough, it is a good joke with the people of Jammu and Kashmir. Centre government wants to deceive the rest of world by saying we have restored internet in Jammu and Kashmir, but the truth is, common people can’t even download basic files,” he said.

Yatoo said, every Kashmiri politician begged centre government to restore high speed internet services in Jammu and Kashmir, but unfortunately the centre didn’t showed interest in favor of people of J&K.

Er Nazir Yatoo said, businesses in the valley have suffered losses worth crores since August 5, thousands of salesmen were pushed to stay at home. Sectors like tourism, horticulture and agriculture have been the worst hit. “First the internet shutdown and now the internet speed added to losses due to disruption in online sector after August 5th,” Yatoo said.

Er Nazir Yatoo said economy of J&K is in the throes of calamitous crisis and that small and marginal entrepreneurs, students, medical fraternity and traders are the worst hit.
“The government is no more sincere with the people as well as politicians of Jammu and Kashmir, he said .

He said, at a time when online business has taken a severe blow in Kashmir, centre government is talking about giving new 50,000 jobs, one fails to understand the policy of centre government. When they are in no mood to restore evem high speed internet services, how can they provide new jobs to kashmiri youth?, Yatoo questioned.

Yatoo said, in this time, when the world is fighting to stop the spread of deadly virus, International bodies like “Amnesty International” are repeatedly urging centre to restore high-speed 4G internet services in Jammu and Kashmir to help people in preparing against the spread of coronavirus.

Yatoo observed that restoration of 4G mobile internet services across Kashmir would have enable people to remain engaged inside their homes in this tough time, but the centre government is in no mood to restore the service, despite repeated calls from the various heads of political parties.

Doctors, nurses, and other health care workers are gearing up to work round-the-clock when this pandemic kicks in with full force across the world. Every moment will deal a frantic life or death situation of urgency, but slow internet services in such a time is highly unacceptable, PDP leader said.

The medical fraternity in this time has taken a big hit in absence of high speed mobile internet services while netizens of Kashmir have also suffered hugely,”
he said, while urging the heads of local political parts, not to beg infront of centre government.

“It has been more than seven months for students to stay home after the central government locked down the region to prevent protests against abrogation of Article 370 in August last year. “The loss could have been now compensated by online classes. One fail to find a logic in restricting high speed internet in this time”, he said.

Meanwhile, senior PDP leader appealed all political parties of Jammu and Kashmir, not to go with begging bowl before centre government for restoration of high speed internet service and it is enough now.

Sharing experiences with friends

Dr. Amit Wanchoo

Many friends nationally and internationally are asking how we Kashmiris have spent time during multiple lockdowns in last three decades. They want to learn and gain experience in the times of COVID 19. Well we have seen lockdowns and many times it was with one major difference having restricted or no access to Internet. We had social distancing during lockdowns in Kashmir but at the moment it is more physical distancing. But as they say adversities come with opportunities and I think many of us in Kashmir adapted positivity and that is why we are still surviving. So let me go step by step what actually matters in lockdowns and how we should take care.

Lockdowns always have immediate, short term and long term effects and we have to deal with them accordingly. The first things that come to our mind are always the essential things. My immediate checklist for the lockdown goes as:

Make a list of doctors/ paramedics who will be available during any emergency (day or night) in your locality.
Keep handy cash at home because you may need it anytime
Electricity backups like inverter and generators wherever it is possible.
Candles / torch in case of severe breakdowns
Stock eatables, gas and other fuels to a limited extent.
For cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy you need to have constant follow up with the concerned medico.
Oxygen concentrators / cylinders for those who need them 24×7 should be stocked.
Frequent chats within family and friends can be video/ audio etc
Stock up emergency medicines, recharging mobile phones and if required request for special curfew pass from administration.
Have a good Sleep. Your body needs rest
Then comes the short and long term phase. For short term phase the major challenge is to manage fake news, anxiety disorders, panic and other associated factors. The short term effects of lockdowns vary but I am focussing on major ones depending on my experience in Kashmir for last three decades.

1. In short term lock downs you have to first care for people having mental health issues like OCD, Anxiety or any mental disorder.
2. Anxiety disorders even in general population are a lot and this time it is about hand washing. For anyone with generalised anxiety it exposes him or her to excessive worrying and irrational behaviour. Considering the present crisis of Corona Virus hand washing at times becomes a major challenge in OCD patients.
3. General public should avoid temptation to learn everything about COVID 19 from social media. Have information that is required. More social media information adds to panic and mostly it is the fake news.
4. Have verified trusted news source and twice a day update is enough about Corona Virus
5. Managing anxiety and panic during such crisis requires us to focus on facts and not random emotional bulletins.
6. As a community you have to come together and feed those who can’t afford a living. This has been done in Kashmir by people through mohalla committees, various social and civil organisations.
7. If you have issues with anyone business, professional, personal. This is the best time to reach out, chat, talk and resolve your differences
8. Spend quality time with your family and friends. In present corona crisis you can do it with audio calls, video calls and whatsapp groups.
9. For children it is the best time to encourage traditional storytelling, introduce them more to your local regional language, culture, art and local heroes who are fighting the crisis.
10. Eat less, try to avoid weight gain and have mental relaxation.

In long term lockdowns the whole strategy changes and we have to get loads of sectors together and major challenge is to sustain economy. In case COVID 19 goes off soon and I pray for that than we may not need that strategy. But in case it sticks for longer time I will share with all of you those experiences in next article.

Dr Amit Wanchoo is a medical doctor, entrepreneur and social activist. He is Chairman H.N.Wanchoo Trust.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed within this article are the personal opinions of the author. The facts and opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of Kashmir Today and Kashmir Today does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.

(This story has not been edited by Kashmir Today staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)