From a peak of over 1,600 daily Covid-19 cases in mid-September to just 600-odd daily fresh cases in October, Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed a dramatic decline in coronavirus infection numbers over the last few weeks.
However, according to an official document, the decline in the number of Covid-19 positive cases has occurred due to a sharp decline in sampling and testing during the past one month.
As per the document, a total of 8,335 samples for Covid-19 testing were taken in all the 10 districts of Kashmir division on September 8 and this number increased to 15,367 on September 16. However, thereafter the number started declining and on October 8, a total of 10,256 samples were taken across the Kashmir division.
As far as Jammu division is concerned, a total of 10,419 samples were taken on September 8 and this number increased to 13,135 on September 13. However, on October 8 only 8,492 samples were taken thereby indicating a considerable decline.
The analysis has been made by J&K Chief Secretary BVR Subrahmanyam. In a strong-worded message to deputy commissioners and those at the helm of affairs in the Health and Medical Education department, he has cautioned them against being complacent.
“The daily sampling has fallen after hitting a peak of 28,000 one day to 18000…..this is not acceptable,” Subrahmanyam said, adding “the only way to control the disease is to test to the maximum extent possible.”
The Chief Secretary has issued a slew of directives to all the concerned authorities so that the prevailing situation is prevented from slipping out of the hands. Asking the officials to push testing and sampling to the maximum possible limit, he said, “Showing low Covid-19 positive cases is no great achievement because it will go up again if uncontrolled.”
A senior doctor at Government Medical College (GMC) Srinagar told DH the less number of Covid-19 positive cases due to sudden decline in the sampling has generated the wrong notion among the people about improvement in the situation.
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