Rise in positive percentage in Srinagar indicates to onset of third wave of Covid-19: Experts

With a central expert panel predicting the third wave of Covid-19 hitting the country anytime between September and October, the positive percentage of the Srinagar district indicates the onset of the third wave.

According to Dr Rouf Hussain Rather, a Social and Preventive Medicine expert, the positive percentage has increased from 0.2% in the previous weeks to 0.44% in the week gone by.

Dr Rather, who works in the Divisional Covid Control Room in Kashmir, said the rise is significant and “possibly signalling the onset of the third wave in Kashmir.”

“One thing is certain, the infection is spreading at a faster rate, especially in Srinagar and it might now show in other districts as well,” he said.

On July 30, there were 1171 active positive Covid cases in J&K which has slightly increased to 1264 on August 30. Among the active positive cases currently, 448 are in Srinagar, accounting for over 35% of all cases in the UT.

Last week a committee of experts constituted by the National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM) had suggested significantly ramping up vaccination pace before the onset of the third wave of Covid-19.

The Committee had said that children will have a similar risk as adults since pediatric facilities, doctors and equipment like ventilators, ambulances, etc. are nowhere close to what may be required in case a large number of children become infected.

On the vaccination front, only 15% of the adult population in the Union Territory has received both doses till now.  And if children are also included, the number decreases to mere 10%.

According to a recent study done by professors and alumni from Pandit Deendayal Energy University (PDEU) in collaboration with Nirma University, the vaccination rate of India is currently 3.2% and if it does not improve, India can witness six lakh cases per day in the third wave.