Jammu: Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba Saturday asked the States and Union Territories to closely monitor the trajectory of COVID infections to prevent surge in cases and expedite vaccination of priority groups in accordance to the guidelines in this regard.
In the high-level meeting to review the public health response to COVID-19, J&K Chief Secretary BVR Subrahmanyam informed that the Government of Jammu and Kashmir is conducting mandatory universal tests on all incoming travellers coming via roadways, railways, and airways.
He informed that J&K saw a 40 percent surge in weekly cases with travellers contributing to two-third of all the positive cases, adding that in Srinagar district alone 50 percent of recorded positive cases were travellers.
He said that through concerted efforts the government is consistently monitoring the COVID trajectory among its local population with a special focus on districts with an increased tourist footfall.
Regarding vaccination drives, it was informed that in J&K, 67 percent of healthcare workers and 59 percent of frontline workers have been vaccinated during the initial stages of the vaccine roll-out and arrangements are in place to incorporate the third prioritized group in the coming days.
Currently, the bed occupancy in the designated COVID hospitals is less than 4 percent with approximately 100 patients admitted to healthcare institutes that have been prepped to accommodate 3000 patients.
“In the given scenario, the situation in Jammu and Kashmir is by and large comfortable and under control,” the Chief Secretary maintained.
