Seventy two people have lost their lives due to COVID-19 in the month of June alone while the positive cases neared 7500-mark. While over 100 people have died so far, more than 4600 cases were added during last 30 days. One of the reasons attributed to it is more testing. By the month end, nearly 360000 people have been tested so far in Jammu and Kashmir.
Most of the deaths, not all though, have occurred within day or two of the admission of the victims. This means that patients are getting admitted at too delayed a point, which actually reduces the prospects for recovery. Isolation, particularly home and administrative one, is essential for mild and asymptomatic cases. However the hospital care remains essential for those whose health conditions are deteriorating. The government must remain active to the demands, particularly with regard to the need for augmenting infrastructure including more beds and having more oxygen available. What transpired in New Delhi should be taken as a lesson as the absence of hospital beds there proved wrong and the complications with regard to admission often acted as a disincentive for patients. Ensuring enough beds and other infrastructure remains the key even as dire need has not been felt thus far. Remaining prepared is always better.
Looking at the way the virus is spreading and numbers are growing, there is no room for complacency at this stage of the pandemic. The WHO has warned that the worst was yet to come. There is always need for scientifically-led randomised sample testing for antibodies (IgG titres) to reach a fair estimate of how many were infected and didn’t even know about it because they were asymptomatic and fought off the infection. The governments, both J&K and the one at the centre, should also think on those lines. Also there must be no laxity on testing more and more people for it can identify the infected, help isolate cases, and stop people from spreading the disease, especially at a time when the lockdown is effectively over. Also people must remain guarded and ensure that healthy practices such as hand washing, physical distance is maintained without fail. After all this the fight against covid-19 is ours and not the government’s alone.