Need to get alarmed
Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed a vast surge in terms of Covid deaths over the past few weeks now. The past two weeks have been pointing out that the number of covid deaths is increasing at a rapid pace and even a minor kid also became a victim of the deadly virus on Friday.
Researches across the globe in the past three months have consistently shown that the infection affects people differently based on their age and pre-existing health conditions, but what is being witnessed here and especially in Kashmir valley is that most of the deaths taking place are being attributed to coronavirus infections.
During the past two weeks several patients who had history of either road mishaps or some other trauma were also counted as covid-19 causalities after their death. This phenomenon has led to a scary situation here with people believing that hospitals here are now proving to be a major cause for the spread of the disease.
Though observing the data collected by medical students experts have suggested that most of the deaths among the 73 Covid-19 causalities in J&K were aged above 60 years and had been suffering from co-morbidities.
The data also points out that the infection fatality rate for Covid-19 patients aged 60 and above, based on the same parameters, could be as high as 12 percent. This is an alarming sign as most of the affected patients in the region have been reported in the higher age groups.
Therefore, one has to take extra precautions and offer more shield to the elderly people so that they could be saved from the pandemic hitting them hard.
We as a society need to inform and advise the elderly to stay at home and venture out in case of severe emergencies only. This way we can not only prevent them from falling prey to the infection but also help in easing out the already stresses healthcare system in the valley.
Besides, the elders should be informed to avoid visitors, maintain one-meter distance if necessary and remain active and do some light exercise and meditation. The other vulnerable section of the population that also needs our care and concern are the children.
While children make up fewer than two percent of reported Covid-19 cases globally, in Kashmir valley it is proving to be a reverse. Kashmir has witnessed an increased number of covid-19 cases among the children.
Records have suggested that 17.29 percent of Covid cases are in the age group of 0-19 years here and this is a cause for alarm.
Going by the number of positive cases surfacing in Kashmir on daily basis the younger population still has not shown a dramatic surge. This can be supposed due to the closure of schools and a comparatively lower rate of testing for the novel virus among children.
But still this section of the population needs extra care and concern from our end.
KV Network
