Anantnag: Good news comes from south Kashmir’s Shopian and Kulgam districts where only one and three persons, respectively, have died this month of Covid-19.
The total death toll in the ten districts of Kashmir during these fifteen days has been 126. Srinagar leads by far in this list, with 45 deaths.
“25 percent of all deaths related to Covid-19 have taken place in the last 15 days in Kashmir,” an official privy to the records told Kashmir Reader.
He said that the Shopian story was important in perspective of the overall trend.
“By August 1 this south Kashmir district had seen 23 Covid-19 related deaths. By August 15 the number of deaths was 24,” the official said, adding that the analysis for such a decline in fatality rate was a matter that experts will look into in due time.
Another south Kashmir district that seems to be fighting well in the last fifteen days is Kulgam, where the number of fatalities on August 1 stood at 28 and it is 31 now.
“The cause of concern in the south Kashmir region seems to be Pulwama and Anantnag districts, with 40 percent and 35 percent of their total death toll, respectively, recorded in the last 15 days,” the official said.
“It is way more than the overall average of 25 percent in Kashmir,” he added.
Pulwama district has emerged as a new hotspot in the last month or so, with a total of 2,029 positive cases of the virus. The death toll in this district is at 35, out of which 14 deaths have occurred in the last 15 days.
“While Anantnag district is considerably behind Pulwama in total number of cases, at 1,748, it has recorded 2 more deaths. The death toll stands at 37 and 13 of them have taken place in the last 15 days,” the official said.
Srinagar district, meanwhile, continues to be in a scary situation. The district has recorded 45 deaths since August 1 and contributes to around 35 percent of the total deaths that have taken place in the last fifteen days in Kashmir division.
Overall as well, Srinagar has the highest fatalities among the ten Kashmir districts — 171 people have died of the virus, so far.
“Srinagar district has been in consistent trouble,” the official said.

Suhail A Shah