Anantnag: The Covid death toll in ten districts of Kashmir valley in November so far –16 – is the highest for a month since July, when 18 deaths were recorded, and just four short of the cumulative death toll of the last three months, as infections have been on a rise again.
Kashmir division has witnessed 16 deaths in November so far, in the first fourteen days only. A cursory comparison with the previous months reveals how grave the situation has turned again, at least in Kashmir valley.
In the month of October, there were only seven Covid related deaths, in the ten districts of Kashmir valley. “In September there were only seven deaths as well, and the month of August was even better with only six deaths through the month,” an official, privy to the data on Covid-19, told Kashmir Reader.
In the last four months, the highest Covid related death toll was witnessed in the month of July, wherein 18 people lost their lives to this infection. November’s death toll is just two short of July and we are still in the first half of the month.
“If the death rate persists like this, we might witness a really high death toll by the end of the month,” the official said.
Kashmir valley has recorded 1650 fresh infections in the month of November so far, which essentially means that the death rate this month is close to 1 percent, or 0.96 percent to be precise.
Comparatively, we have had way lower death rates in the previous months, including July wherein the death toll was higher than other months. “The death rates of 0.30 percent in October, 0.20 percent in September, 0.22 percent in August, and 0.48 percent in July have all been surpassed this month,” the official said.
Infection wise as well, the official said, we were set to surpass the previous months and with a huge margin, “If things continue to remain this way,” the official said.
Also, the recovery rate has come down a few basis points. The recovery rate at the start of this month was 98.5 percent and has come down to 98.2 percent now.
The drop in recovery rate has also pushed the number of active positive cases to 1300, which is the highest in the last few months now.
Srinagar, meanwhile, continues to be the epicenter of the Covid-19 in Kashmir valley. Ten of the sixteen deaths in November have been reported from Central Kashmir’s Srinagar district, the most populous district in Kashmir valley.
“More than 50 percent of the fresh infections have been reported from Srinagar, as well. The total infections in the district stand at 830,” the official said, “Around 50 percent of the active positive cases (646 in number) also belong to Srinagar district.”
In south Kashmir, though, Shopian district has become Covid free yet again.

Suhail A Shah