Anantnag: Srinagar, the most populous of the ten districts in Kashmir valley, continues to be the epicenter of the Covid-19 pandemic with a growing share in the number of Covid-19 cases as well as deaths reported in the past month.
The four districts in south Kashmir region, meanwhile, continue to do well in their fight against CoronaVirus.
As per official records, the ten districts of Kashmir valley have seen an increase of 10,576 Covid-19 positive cases since October 15 while 146 people have lost their lives to the virus.
“Srinagar continues to be the worst affected district with a total of 4,337 of these new cases and 72 of the deaths reported between October 15 and November 16. This amounts to a share of 41 percent and 49 percent, in that order,” an official in the administration who is privy to the records on Covid-19 told Kashmir Reader.
He said that the increase in Srinagar’s share — from 32 percent of the cases and 33 percent of the deaths between August 16 and September 16 — has been considerable and worrying. “It is all the more worrying if we take a look at south Kashmir districts where the trend has been steadily down,” the official said.
Anantnag district, which has more or less the same population as Srinagar district, has reported only 575 new cases since October 15, which is only around 5 percent of the total cases across Kashmir valley.
“Also, only 5 people have died in Anantnag district during this time due to Covid-19,” the official said. “Something is not being done right in Srinagar and needs to be corrected.”
Doing even better than Anantnag are the twin districts of Shopian and Kulgam, with only 170 and 191 fresh cases of the virus reported in the same time frame.
The twin districts are also doing well on the mortality front. “Only 3 people have lost their lives to the virus in Shopian district since October 15, while 5 have succumbed in Kulgam district,” the official said.
Pulwama district is also faring well with only 575 cases reported in the past one month. The district, however, has a slightly higher mortality rate, with ten people dying of the virus in the past one month.
“Yes, the death rate is slightly higher in Pulwama, though not as worrying as in Srinagar or Baramulla, which seems to be the next worst-affected district after Srinagar,” the official said.
Baramulla district has witnessed a total of 1903 new cases of coronavirus positive patients, while 24 people have died in the district since October 15. Budgam district in central Kashmir has recorded 923 new cases and 7 deaths, Kupwara in north Kashmir has 835 fresh cases and 8 deaths, Bandipora with a downward trend has only 472 cases and 6 deaths, while Ganderbal in central Kashmir has 700 cases and 6 deaths since October 15.

Suhail A Shah