Div Com Pole expresses displeasure over low COVID-19 testing in Kashmir

Srinagar: A top official of Jammu & Kashmir administration has expressed displeasure over a meagre number of symptomatic cases being tested for COVID-19 in Kashmir Valley.

Official documents in possession of news agency KNO reveal that Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, P.K. Pole has expressed displeasure over a meagre number of symptomatic cases being tested for COVID-19 by the districts during the last four weeks. “The divisional commissioner Kashmir took a serious note of rapid decline in Rapid Antigen Testing in districts and directed the CMOs to enhance testing as per revised targets besides keeping ratio of RAT and RT-PCR in proportion as per government guidelines,” reads record note of a meeting held on 9th of this month to review COVID-19 mitigation measures in Kashmir Valley.

In the meeting, according to the record note, divisional commissioner Kashmir directed all the chief medical officers (CMOs) to increase the testing of symptomatic patients visiting hospitals.

The Divisional Commissioner has also directed the authorities to make contact tracing of positive cases more effective.

“In view of the recent rise in number of corona virus cases in some states and spike in positivity rate among travellers, raising apprehensions, it has been directed that district contract tracing teams shall more pro-actively and trace at least 15 contacts for each positive person to make contact tracing more effective besides breaking the chain of infection,” the record note further states.

The Divisional Commissioner also directed the authorities to carry internal audit of COVID-19 related logistics like testing kits, oxygen cylinders, oxygen concentrators etc.

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