The threat getting scary
Thursday morning proved yet another reminder about how fast the coronavirus can spread and create panic among the people. The latest addition to the group of infected people turned out to be a group of 23 Italian tourists (16 of them and their Indian driver have now tested positive for coronavirus). This group had visited Rajasthan and came into contact with at least 215 people across six districts of the state.
Since Jammu and Kashmir too is a tourist place and the tourist arrivals are likely to pick up in the coming days, the scare is getting even worse. What will make the situation more fearful is that most of the Kashmiris who venture out of the state for jobs and businesses during winters tend to arrive back in this very season as the temperature in these outside states and countries has started to soar.
The coronavirus scare has already reached Jammu and Kashmir as two people have already been quarantined in Jammu and hundreds of new arrivals being witnessed in the UT during the coming weeks.
This takes us to the preparations that the administration is making to tackle any emerging situation. What we are being told is that amid these mounting concerns with regard to increase in number of confirmed cases of Coronavirus in the country a new administrative reporting structure has been created in Jammu and Kashmir.
The new structure has been mandated to monitor the Coronavirus situation and the set up has been put under the charge of Director, National Health Mission. Further at the Divisional Level, respective Divisional Commissioners shall be assisted by respective Director of Health Services while as at the District Level, Deputy Commissioner shall be in-charge to be assisted by respective Chief Medical Officers.
Since the government has woken up to the need of putting in place a system that may be required in case of an exigency, serious efforts should be made to ensure creation of adequate quarantine, isolation and other requisite facilities besides undertaking adequate measures for surveillance of home quarantine persons.
Since Jammu and Kashmir is frequented by tourists other additional measures like cent percent passenger self declaration at both Srinagar and Jammu Airports should be ensured.
All the incoming passengers need to be checked for symptoms and if found positive they should be diverted to the help desk as per the mandated protocol to address the infection. Similarly, all those people who travel by road and are coming to Jammu and Kashmir need also to be screened for any infection.
Strict entry point manned by the requisite staff need to be put in place so as to check people having history of travel, if any, to severely affected countries or having had any contact with a person from such countries.
In addition to taking these measures the admin should also issue instructions to all officials to avoid large gatherings as a precautionary measure against the spread of the infection. Besides, a vigorous awareness campaign should also be initiated, especially among school children so that they too are kept safe.
KV Network
