JAMMU, JANUARY 5: The UT administration on Wednesday cancelled the leave of all its health staff in Jammu division following sudden surge in COVID-19 cases.
Of the total 418 new cases of Coronavirus reported on Wednesday, Jammu division had 311 and Kashmir 107, according to the official health bulletin issued here. However, there were only 199 COVID-19 cases across the UT (109 in Kashmir and 90 in Jammu) on Tuesday evening.
The maximum number of 156 new positive cases were reported from Reasi district including 155 from Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University campus near Katra, followed by Jammu 108.
On January 1, the UT had reported 169 new cases, January 2 (165) and January 3 (178).
Following surge in COVID-19 cases, the UT administration has cancelled the leave of all its health staff including doctors, paramedics and other officials in Jammu division. According to an order issued by Director Health Services, Jammu, all the Chief Medical Officers and Medical Superintendents have been directed not to grant leave, except for medical and emergency conditions, to health care workers with immediate effect.
Meanwhile, Chief Secretary Dr. Arun Kumar Mehta chaired a meeting to review the public health response to COVID-19 in Jammu and Kashmir and asked the Health and Medical Education Department to scale up testing to reach a target of 2 lakh tests per day with a proportional increase in RtPCR tests.
Administrative Secretaries of Health & Medical Education, Director SKIMS, MD, National Health Mission, Director General, Family Welfare, Director Health Kashmir, Principals of Government Medical Colleges, and other concerned officers participated in the meeting.
Reviewing the quality of health services being provided to COVID patients in the Union territory, the Chief Secretary impressed upon the Health Department to explore the avenues of implementing the ‘Treating Physician’ concept in the public sector health facilities.
The Department was further asked to ramp up medical facilities and prepare for catering to any surge in reported cases of infections, as also stock up on medical supplies and keep all equipment, machinery, and infrastructure in a state of readiness.
The Chief Secretary reiterated the need of promoting COVID Appropriate Behaviour- masking, social distancing, and crowd management; COVID SoPs and protocols among the general masses and directed the enforcement agencies to ensure adherence to the laid down guidelines. He also asked the Departmental HoDs to establish direct communication channels with the medical teams /professionals and undertake an on-ground assessment of the situation and mitigation measures, besides raising awareness through interactive sessions and programmes on electronic and social media.
To closely monitor the rapidly evolving COVID- 19 situation in the Union territory, a Crisis Management Group under the chairmanship of the Chief Secretary has been meeting regularly and taking appropriate preventing and mitigating measures for preventing infection surges in Jammu and Kashmir, an official statement here said.
