The Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Baseer Ahmad Khan today chaired a high level meeting to review preparedness to tackle Coronavirus (COVID-19) threat put in place by line departments across the valley.
The meeting was informed that Isolation wards have been earmarked in SKIMS, Chest Disease hospital and in each district hospitals besides setting up Separate Isolation Hospital at Maternity home, Sanat Nagar, Srinagar, where strict isolation facility has been put in place.
Microbiology department in SKIMS has already started Coronavirus testing facilities for suspected cases.
Five screening desks were established at Airport and Screening camps erected at Lower Munda, Qazigund and Zig morh at Kulgam besides at various Railway stations for round the clock testing and filling of self-declaration forms.
The meeting was informed that 1206 vehicles carrying 13,140 passengers have been screened at zig morh including two foreigners.
Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar, Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary said that quarantine facilities have been set up at several places in the district. These facilities include 615 rooms made available in 11 buildings at different areas.
He said the setting up of these quarantine facilities is in tandem with Standard Operating Procedure advised by the World Health Organization for prevention of spread of Coronavirus.
Dr Shahid said that the two 24×7 control rooms have been set up by district administration and health department have been activated.
For Quarantine purpose 614 beds earmarked in nine districts which include 76 in Budgam, 105 in Baramullah, 45 in Bandipora, 70 in Ganderbal, 74 in Kupwara, 73 in Pulwama, 104 in Anantnag, 41 in Kulgam and 26 beds in Shopian district.
Daily surveillance of Respiratory Tract Infection cases including OPD in ten districts is going on besides, Rapid Response Teams (RRT) are in place in every district, samples are being collected, data analyzed and Cluster cases are investigated.
It was further informed that 24×7 control rooms are functioning in each district and advisory is being circulated in media with Helpline numbers. Besides, two lac pamphlets of Preventive Measures have already been distributed at district levels while daily surveillance teams have been designated at Schools, Highways, Offices, Railway Stations and other public places. The teams report to the concerned district administrations on daily basis.
The Divisional Commissioner directed the concerned to launch intense fumigation at schools, offices, police stations, around hospitals and other crowded places.
For mass awareness, he asked officials to rope in Imams, Panchayats, PRIs, NGOs and Asha Workers so that people are made aware about the preventive measures to be taken to avert Coronovirus infection.
Schools were directed to dedicate five minutes, every day, to disseminate information about preventive measures regarding Cronovirus infection.
Concerned officers were directed to conduct strict screening at Airport, railway stations, Highways and Tourist Places so that nobody can skip the test. Screening should be made expedient with filling of Self declaration form. The Div Com directed the concerned to install more CCTVs cameras at important public places.
He asked the Private Hospitals to cooperate with concerned district administrations for dissemination of real time information of suspected case.
The Divisional Commissioner stressed concerned to adopt coordinated and collective efforts on mission mode to ward off the threat posed by Coronavirus (COVID-19).
Deputy Commissioner Srinagar Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary, Additional Commissioner Kashmir Bilal Ahmad Bhat, Director Health Services, Kashmir, Dr Sameer Mattoo, Director SKIMS, Dr AG Ahanger, Principal GMC, Srinagar, Dr Samia Rashid, Director ULB, GMSRTC, Director Airport and other concerned officials were present in the meeting where as other Deputy Commissioners participated the meeting through video conferencing.

The round-the-clock control room established in Srinagar as part of arrangements put in place to prevent spread of novel coronavirus has made and received some 400 calls since Monday afternoon after it was activated.
While most of these calls were dialled out from the control room a significant number of these calls were those which were made to and received at the control room. Both included both international and domestic connections.
The calls dialled out from the control room included those made to Srinagar citizens based outside India — to those in the most affected countries in particular — noting important details and giving relevant advice.
The control room also handled technical calls thanks to two doctors – working in shifts – made available thereat. The doctor on night shift last night attended tens of calls made to seek relevant medical and technical advice.
Equipped with five helpline numbers including two landlines and three mobiles and two internet-enabled computers the control room is well-equipped to handle multi-tasking as has been witnessed during the last 24 hours.
The administration has encouraged one and all seeking relevant information or assistance based in or outside Jammu & Kashmir to contact the control room and expect the quickest response and action to concerns raised.
Deputy Commissioner Srinagar Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary said the control room can be contacted anytime of the day or night at any of its five helpline numbers which include (+91194)2457552, 2457543, (+91)9419028251, 9419028242 and 9419014723.
In order to ensure smooth and purposeful operation of the control room the administration has designated Registrar Srinagar Masrat Hashim as the nodal officer and CMO Srinagar Dr Talat Jabeen as the supervisor for the control room.

District Development Commissioner (DDC), Budgam, Tariq Hussain Ganai today said that there is no need to panic as all the 41 Budgam residents who arrived from China and Iran have been quarantined and tested negative with no symptoms of infection of Coronavirus.
DDC made these remarks during his visit to various isolation wards established for quarantine facilities for suspected patients at nine different locations in the district. He was accompanied by CMO Budgam, Dr Nazir Ahmad.
The DDC said that most of the 41 quarantined residents have completed 28 days in quarantine while others have completed 14 days. He said all of them are under observation and precautionary measures are being taken in this regard.
He informed that two patients with flu symptoms have been admitted to Srinagar hospital and “there is no need to panic as none of them have any symptoms of Corona virus infection.”
During inspection, the DDC released Rs five lac for procurement of required equipment at isolation wards to ensure improvement in the quarantine facilities.
He said that district administration has put in place all the arrangements and has established 80 bed facilities for quarantine of suspected persons at 9 isolation wards in the district.
The DDC further said that fool- proof arrangements have been put in place at Srinagar International Airport for the screening of all travellers coming from coronavirus affected countries.
In order to ensure there is no risk of spread of infection, the district administration has collected data including residential addresses, phone numbers and travel history of persons who are coming from affected areas and medical teams are in constant touch with their families to ensure all of those returning to the District are screened and quarantined properly.