Anantnag: One of the worst-hit districts in terms of the number of Covid-19 positive cases, Anantnag in south Kashmir has also witnessed a recovery rate of around 55 percent, second only to Bandipora district in north Kashmir that has a recovery rate of 60 percent.
Bandipora district, however, has less than half the number of cases (225) than Anantnag district has (462). Besides, Bandipora was one of the first districts to be hit by the novel coronavirus in Kashmir valley.
Anantnag district witnessed its first case around mid-April, following which the rise in the number of cases has been steep. The district remained at the top of the list for most part of May, and has only slipped after some other districts, Kulgam in particular, have had a fresh surge in the number of positive cases.
“The good news however is that we have had quite a few recoveries as well. Among the 462 cases, 255 have already recovered and have been sent home,” a senior official in the district administration told Kashmir Reader.
He said that the active cases in the district remain at only 207. The district has also witnessed 5 deaths so far due to the coronavirus.
The neighbouring Kulgam and Shopian districts have a recovery rate of 28 percent and 33 percent, in that order.
Deputy Commissioner (DC) Kulgam, Showkat Aijaz Bhat, maintained that they were well on track as far as recoveries were concerned.
“Our recovery numbers have crossed well beyond a hundred and fifty. The late surge in number of cases means recoveries are also being reported at a slower rate than other districts,” Bhat told Kashmir Reader.
Kulgam district is presently at the top of the list with 538 positive cases of Covid-19.
Pulwama district has the lowest recovery rate of around 8 percent. The district remained the least affected in south Kashmir for a while but there has been a surge in the number of cases, which now stand at 189, with only 17 recoveries so far.
The district also witnessed its first Covid-19 related death on Tuesday.
Officials in the district administration that Kashmir Reader talked to said that most of the cases in Pulwama district were reported in the last week of May or in June.
“So, the recoveries are expected to increase in the coming days,” an official said, requesting not to be named.
Other districts with a high recovery rate are Kupwara with 55 percent, and Ganderbal with 44 percent. Srinagar has a recovery rate of only around 30 percent so far.
The cumulative recovery rate in Jammu and Kashmir stands at 34 percent, while the national recovery rate is 48 percent.

Suhail A Shah