Spike in deaths, 4 including CRPF man dies
Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, June 8: After spike in COVID-19 positive cases, there has been spike in deaths as four persons including a CRPF man posted in South Kashmir’s Anantnag district died in Kashmir today taking the number of Coronavirus deaths in Jammu and Kashmir to 46 while 325 tested positive in Kashmir taking the positive tally in J&K to 4445.
A CRPF man of 90th Battalion posted in Anantnag with underlying illness was admitted in the CD Hospital on June 4 and he tested positive for the Coronavirus. His condition deteriorated and this morning he died.
The CRPF has decided to perform the last rites of its first COVID-19 casualty in Kashmir only and not to send the body of deceased to his native village. “We are going to follow Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) guidelines in spirit while dealing with the body of deceased CRPF man,” a CRPF spokesman said.
A man from Khanyar area of Srinagar, who had met with an accident and was first admitted to SMHS, wherefrom he was shifted to CD Hospital Srinagar after testing positive, died this morning. The 35-year-old man was critically injured in a road mishap and tested COVID positive after which he was shifted to CD Hospital where he died this morning.
A 65-year-old man from Handwara area of Kupwara, who was very sick and had many underlying issues, died at SKIMS Hospital today.
And this evening, a 70-year old COVID-19 positive woman from Kreeri area of Baramulla district died at SMHS Hospital Srinagar. She was admitted at SMHS Hospital on June 6 as a case of multiple ailments and died today due to cardiac arrest.
And 325 people including 3 cops today tested positive for COVID-19 in Kashmir, taking the number of patients to 4445 in Jammu and Kashmir.
Medical Superintendent SKIMS Soura, Dr Farooq Jan, told Excelsior that 1360 samples were processed at the SKIMS virology diagnostic lab today and 43 tested positive with 17 from Anantnag, nine from Bandipora, eight from Srinagar, four from Kupwara, two each from Kulgam and Pulwama and one from Ganderbal.
Those tested positive at SKIMS today include a 35-year-old cop from District Police Ganderbal besides a 37-year-old CRPF man from 79th Bn.
Principal SKIMS Bemina, Dr Riyaz Untoo, told Excelsior that out of the 587 samples processed at the hospital’s diagnostic laboratory, 70 tested positive for the virus and include 32 from Shopian and 38 from Budgam. They include a 25 year cop from Police Station Magam in district Budgam.
Dr Riyaz said that 11 people including two boys, one girl, three men and four women from village Warihama in Beeru area tested positive. The village is already in Red Zone and they are all contacts of already positive cases.
An official said that 935 samples were processed at CD Virology Department lab today and 212 tested positive. He said that 137 are from Kulgam only and one is from Shopian, four from Anantnag, 29 from Baramulla, 10 from Srinagar, two from Budgam, 27 from Pulwama and two from Kupwara.
Officials said that till date 214595 travellers and persons in contact with suspected cases have been enlisted for surveillance which included 42381 persons in home quarantine including facilities operated by Government, 51 in Hospital Quarantine, 2916 in hospital isolation and 55577 under home surveillance. Besides, 113625 persons have completed their surveillance period.
They said that 96 COVID-19 patients recovered today and were discharged from various hospitals of Kashmir.
+ve at CD, -ve at Skims
Something which has raised serious questions over the accuracy of COVID-19 testing in Kashmir, scores of people including a senior journalist has tested COVID-19 negative after testing positive for the same few days ago.
It has been learnt that the COVID-19 tests of these individuals turned negative at SKIMS, Soura Lab, the same were resulted as positive earlier carried out at Microbiology lab of Chest Diseases Hospital.
As per reports, after testing positive, the journalist went to the SKIMS lab in order to get his test reconfirmed. What followed was surprising.
All of them including the senior journalist tested negative for the virus. The journalist went to SKIMS to be doubly sure whether he was a COVID positive or not.
Notably, officials at SKIMS, Soura confirmed to Excelsior that the journalist has tested negative for COVID-19. However, they impressed on the fact that he “did not disclose” to them that he had already taken a test at CD Lab in which he was tested positive for COVID-19.
Another person from Srinagar, who was tested positive at CD Hospital laboratory, also said that his second test done at SKIMS Soura, has come as negative.
Scores of people have reportedly complained about faulty COVID tests done at CD laboratory.
It is pertinent to mention here that the Head of the Department CD Hospital, Dr Naveed Nazir was also declared as positive COVID-19 recently.
As per reports, the LG’s Advisor, Baseer Ahmad Khan has said that many people have brought the issue of faulty testing at CD Hospital laboratory to his notice.
Meanwhile, after the news reports, former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah also questioned the authenticity of the reports from CD Lab.
“As if things weren’t bad enough, we can’t even trust the authenticity of test results. Chest Diseases Hospital gives a COVID positive result. A day later SKIMS, Soura gives the same person a negative report. What happens to those who can’t get tested twice or from different places?,” he tweeted.
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