Covid-19 scare: Over 80 doctors, paramedics, MBBS students test positive in a day in Srinagar

New Delhi: Over 80 doctors, paramedics and MBBS students have tested positive in a single day at the Government Medical College in Srinagar on Tuesday. 

The total number of infected persons in the tertiary care institution has now risen to 546 in Kashmir. 

"46 doctors, 22 MBBS students, 15 paramedics tested Covid-19 positive in one day in GMC Srinagar and associated Hospitals. The total count goes up to 546," Dr Salim Khan, Head of department community medicine, said.

Meanwhile, the health officials have urged the people to follow Covid-appropriate behaviour and other SOPs religiously. They have asked citizens to avoid gatherings and wear facemasks. Maintain 

On Tuesday, 4,651 new coronavirus cases were reported in Jammu and Kashmir with 1,546 from the Jammu Division and 3,105 from the Kashmir Division. 

Currently, the UT has 21,677 active infections, of which, 8,180 are in the Jammu Division and 13,497 in the Kashmir Division.

Three deaths were also reported in Jammu and Kashmir. 

Seeing the sudden spike in positive cases, the health department has designated two hospitals exclusively for Covid-19 patients. The SKIMS Medical College Hospital Bemina Srinagar and Sub District Hospital Sopore District Baramulla are now dedicated hospitals for Covid-19 treatment in the Kashmir Valley.

Beside these two, the Chest Disease Hospital and Kashmir Nursing Home are already catering the positive patients. 

"Of late, we have seen that there is an exponential rise in the Covid-19 cases in the Union Territory, the numbers used to be less than 200 a week back and they grew exponentially to reach around 5,000 cases a day. We are seeing a huge surge in cases and Omicron has been detected as well," Dr Naveed Nazir Shah, HOD, Chest Disease Hospital, said.

He added that the Omicron variant must already be in the community which is leading to such a huge surge in the number of cases. 

"But we are not witnessing too many hospital admissions, which is a good sign," Dr Shah stated.

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