Central team rushed to Jammu amid surge in COVID cases

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, September 18

The Centre on Friday decided to depute a high-level medical team to Jammu after the district reported a rise in the number of new COVID cases in recent days.

The team comprises SK Singh, director, National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), and Dr Vijay Hadda, Professor, Department of Pulmonary Critical Care, AIIMS, New Delhi.

It may be recalled that a special team had visited the Srinagar valley recently. The two-member high-level team was led by Dr VK Paul, member (Health), NITI Aayog, and Dr SK Singh, director, NCDC.

The team had reviewed the status of the preparedness for COVID management with the District Collectors of the valley.

The current central team shall interact with the District Collectors and Health Officers of Jammu. It will also visit hospitals in Bakshinagar and Gandhinagar.

The team will support the state efforts towards strengthening containment, surveillance, testing and efficient clinical management of the positive cases.

The Central team shall also guide in effectively managing the challenges related to timely diagnosis and follow up.

The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Jammu is 9,428.

Of these, 3,196 have recovered while 117 deaths are reported.

There are 6,115 active cases in the district. The total cases one week ago were 6,878.

Jammu has been reporting doubling time of 15.4 days and recovery rate of 33.9 per cent, which is much less than the national average of 78 per cent and a case fatality rate 1.24 per cent.