Anantnag: Covid infections in Kashmir valley are rising thick and fast, with the first ten days of January witnessing more than 55 percent of the infections recorded in the month of December.
Between the first day of the year and January 10, the number of daily infections has gone up over 200 percent in the ten districts of Kashmir Division. “If the fresh infections keep rising at the present rate, we might witness more than five-thousand cases in January, way above the past more than three months,” an official privy to the data on Covid-19 told Kashmir Reader.
In the first ten days of January, Kashmir has witnessed 1,799 fresh infections. The numbers have been steadily rising, from 100 on the first day of the month to 360 on January 10.
Comparing the numbers with the earlier months gives a perspective of how bad things are right now. In the month of December, a total of 3,246 cases were recorded across the ten districts of Kashmir Division.
“The infections in January are more than 55 percent of what we witnessed in December, 46 percent of November’s tally (3,884), and a whopping 78 percent of the number of cases recorded in October (2,290),” the official said.
The active cases in Kashmir valley have also gone up from only 915 on January 1 to 1,741 on January 10. Continuing with the pattern through the pandemic, Srinagar district is reporting the maximum cases.
The district has reported 913 fresh infections of Covid this month, thus far. “Which is over 50 percent of the whole tally in Kashmir valley,” the official pointed out.
Other districts severely affected include Baramulla and Budgam, with 279 and 236 fresh infections, in that order. Shopian district in south Kashmir continues to remain the least affected one, with only three fresh cases registered this month this far.
The bright part, however, is that the number of deaths caused by the virus has come down drastically, compared to the last couple of months. Six people have so far died in Kashmir valley due to the infection in January.
“In December we recorded as many as 38 deaths, while as 35 people died in November. In comparison, we seem to be doing well even as hospitalisation rates are also coming down despite a high rise in the number of infections,” the official said.
He said that people need to be extra cautious in the coming days, as new variants are on the prowl and little is known about these new variants, including Omicron.
“People need to mask up and use double masks preferably. The other Covid guidelines are already in place and every individual needs to adhere to those for his/her personal well-being and the well-being of the society,” the official said.

Suhail A Shah