Srinagar: The four individuals who were admitted to the isolation facility of Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) Soura due to symptoms of coronavirus have been tested negative of the deadly virus, officials said on Friday.
Officials said that five persons having flu-like symptoms and recent travel history to China, Thailand, and Iran were admitted to the isolation facility of SKIMS Soura recently. The test reports of four of them have already come from AIIMS New Delhi while the report of the fifth suspect is still awaited.
“We have already received the test reports of four suspect persons from AIIMS New Delhi. All of them are negative of coronavirus,” Dr Ghulam Hassan Yatoo, in-charge Medical Superintendent of SKIMS, told Kashmir Reader.
“Two of them had a travel history to Wuhan China. They are also clear of the deadly virus,” he said.
Dr Yatoo informed that one of the five suspects has been discharged on Friday evening after receiving treatment for the flu.
Two of the suspects have been tested positive for H1N1 virus but SKIMS has treated them for the virus, said Dr Yatoo.
The MS said that SKIMS Soura was planning to upgrade isolation facilities in SKIMS in wake of the increasing coronavirus suspects and cases of flu.
“We have set up a 25-bed isolation facility and the wards have been set up outside the main hospital building. It will keep other patients and staff safe from infection,” he said.
He claimed that SKIMS had enough isolation wards to cater to a rush of patients who may need isolation.
“We are planning to add more beds to upgrade isolation facilities in the wake of the increasing cases of coronavirus and flu,” Dr Yatoo said.
The Government Medical College (GMC) Srinagar has also created an isolation facility for coronavirus.
No patient suspected of coronavirus is currently admitted to the facility created at SMHS Hospital.
“We have screened at least 28 coronavirus suspects so far. Test reports of only three are awaited, rest of them are negative of the deadly virus,” said Dr Samia Rashid, principal of SMHS.

Manzoor ul-Hassan