Srinagar, Mar 10: Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Baseer Ahmad Khan Tuesday chaired a high-level meeting to review preparedness put in place by line departments across the Valley to tackle coronavirus (COVID-19) threat.
The meeting was informed that Isolation wards have been earmarked in SKIMS, Chest Diseases Hospital and in district hospitals besides setting up Separate Isolation Hospital at Maternity Home, Sanatnagar, Srinagar, where strict isolation facility has been put in place.
Microbiology department in SKIMS has already started coronavirus testing facilities for suspected cases, an official press release informed.
It said five screening desks were established at airport and screening camps erected at Lower Munda, Qazigund and Zig morh at Kulgam besides at various railway stations for round-the-clock testing and filling of self-declaration forms.
The meeting was informed that 1206 vehicles carrying 13,140 passengers have been screened at Zig morh including two foreigners.
Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar, Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary said that quarantine facilities have been set up at several places in the district. These facilities include 615 rooms made available in 11 buildings at different areas.
He said the setting up of these quarantine facilities is in tandem with Standard Operating Procedure advised by the World Health Organization for prevention of spread of coronavirus.
For quarantine purpose, 614 beds have been earmarked in nine districts which include 76 in Budgam, 105 in Baramulla, 45 in Bandipora, 70 in Ganderbal, 74 in Kupwara, 73 in Pulwama, 104 in Anantnag, 41 in Kulgam and 26 beds in Shopian district, the press release said.
Daily surveillance of respiratory tract infection cases including OPD in 10 districts is going on besides, Rapid Response Teams (RRT) are in place in every district, samples are being collected, data analyzed and cluster cases are investigated, it said.
It was further informed that 24×7 control rooms are functioning in each district and advisory is being circulated in media with helpline numbers. Besides, two lakh pamphlets of preventive measures have already been distributed at district levels while daily surveillance teams have been designated at schools, highways, offices, railway stations and other public places. The teams report to the concerned district administrations on daily basis.
The Divisional Commissioner directed the concerned to launch intense fumigation at schools, offices, police stations, around hospitals and other crowded places.
For mass awareness, he asked officials to rope in Imams, Panchayats, PRIs, NGOs and Asha workers so that people are made aware about the preventive measures to be taken to avert coronovirus infection.
Schools were directed to dedicate five minutes, every day, to disseminate information about preventive measures regarding cronovirus infection.
Concerned officers were directed to conduct strict screening at the airport, railway stations, highways and tourist places so that nobody can skip the test. Screening should be made expedient with filling of self-declaration forms. The Div Com directed the concerned to install more CCTVs cameras at important public places.
He asked the private hospitals to cooperate with concerned district administrations for dissemination of real-time information of suspected case.
The Divisional Commissioner stressed concerned to adopt coordinated and collective efforts on mission mode to ward off the threat posed by coronavirus (COVID-19).
Deputy Commissioner Srinagar Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary, Additional Commissioner Kashmir Bilal Ahmad Bhat, Director Health Services, Kashmir, Dr Sameer Mattoo, Director SKIMS, Dr AG Ahanger, Principal GMC, Srinagar, Dr Samia Rashid, Director ULB, GMSRTC, Director Airport and other concerned officials were present in the meeting where as other Deputy Commissioners participated the meeting through video conferencing.
