Anantnag: The month of August has been a mixed bag thus far vis-à-vis the Covid-19 pandemic in Kashmir, with 35 percent of the total infections, 34 percent of the total deaths caused by the infection, and 47 percent of the total recoveries so far recorded in the first 21 days of this month.
It has been over five months now since Kashmir valley recorded its first case of the novel coronavirus on March 18, in Srinagar city. Since then, a total of 24,495 cases, 18,453 recoveries and 552 deaths have been recorded in the ten districts of Kashmir valley as on August 21.
The infection has seen an unprecedented surge during the month of August, with a total of 8,701 positive cases being recorded.
“This is huge when compared to the overall cases. It means that in four months we have had 65 percent of the cases and in only 21 days we have the rest 35 percent cases recorded,” an official privy to the records on Covid-19 told Kashmir Reader.
He said that the highest single-day spike in August so far has been on August 19 when 606 new cases were detected. “If we keep witnessing positive cases at this rate, we are in some serious trouble,” the official said.
Another troubling factor has been the mortality rate which has been shooting upwards since August 1. So far, 192 deaths have been reported in Kashmir valley in these 21 days.
“On August 1, the death toll was 360, which means that 34 percent of all fatalities due to Covid-19 have been recorded in these 21 days,” the official said.
Among the valley’s ten districts, Srinagar at a death toll of 189 is nearing the 200 mark while Baramulla with fatalities at 93 is nearing the hundred mark.
“The rest of the districts, barring Budgam with 50 deaths, thankfully have their toll below fifty so far,” the official said.
The good news has been the recoveries, which have been coming thick and fast – faster than the infections. In the first 21 days of August, 8,739 people have recovered from the infection.
“The cumulative recoveries in Kashmir valley stand at 18,453 which means that 47 percent of the recoveries have taken place in these twenty-one days,” the official said.
The best day in August in terms of recoveries has been August 3 when 745 people were declared free of coronavirus.
The official, however, maintained that the recoveries and the infections should have a wider gap. “The number of infections reported should come down and the recoveries should shoot up further. Let us hope that happens sooner than later,” he said.

Suhail A Shah