Srinagar: The government has decided to setup isolation wards in every district hospital and medical college of Jammu and Kashmir in view of the possible threat of coronavirus.
According to official sources, the Lieutenant Governor G C Murmu has directed health department to set up isolation wards in every district hospital of Jammu and Kashmir as per the WHO guidelines to deal with any exigency.
He issued the order in a high-level meeting with health officials as passengers including students and businessmen travelling from China started arriving in the region.
“The government doesn’t want to take any chance on coronavirus. Fresh cases have been detected in India recently so it’s a time for having an extra cautious on this that is why the fresh directions have been issued on isolation wards,” said a senior doctor privy to the meeting.
He said the wards will be manned by a special team of trained professionals.
Director Health Services Kashmir, Dr Samir Matoo told Kashmir Reader that the district hospitals and health centres in the valley have dedicated 134 beds to the isolation facility for Coronavirus.
“We have deputed extra manpower and logistic support to these hospitals so that they can handle the potential risk,” he said.
According to him, the health department has screened 11 persons out of 18 travellers for coronavirus so far and all of them are ‘asymptomatic’ for the infection.
“We have still taken their samples and sent them to National Institute of Virology, Pune for examination for final confirmation. We have received one test result and it was negative for the virus. We are hopeful all of them are clear for virus,” Dr Matoo said.
He said the department has set up five isolation wards in the close vicinity of Srinagar Airport so that suspected travellers can be sent there immediately.
“Presently, the isolation wards near Srinagar airport are working at Mini-Maternity Centre (MMC) Sanatnagar, Primary Health Centre (PHC) Ompora, PHC Chanapora, MMC Noorbagh and JLNM Hospital. We send persons with travel history of China to these wards for detailed screening and further management,” Dr Matoo said.
The control room in the State Surveillance Office in is also working round the clock, he said.
Isolation wards have also been opened at the Government Medical Colleges in Srinagar and at the Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Soura.

Manzoor ul-Hassan