Admn clueless about shortage of face masks

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, March 9

As coronavirus cases have been reported from the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, the administration is still clueless about the shortage of face masks and hand sanitisers in the markets of Kashmir.

People have panicked as four cases of deadly coronavirus — two testing positive and two suspected with ‘high viral load’ — were reported on Saturday in the newly created Union Territories of J&K and Ladakh.

As the authorities responded by shutting down all primary schools, both government and private, in six districts of Jammu and Kashmir and in Leh district of Ladakh till March 31, the people in the region rushed to the medical shops and grocery stores to buy hand sanitisers and face masks. However, most of the people complained that the markets were running short of supplies.

Asked what measures they had taken to ensure the supply of masks and santisers in Kashmir, Director, Health, Kashmir, Dr Sameer Mattoo said, “Even if there are no masks in the markets, but we do have them.”

When asked how would the people, who are in need of the masks and sanitisers, know that there were enough supplies with the health authorities, he said: “This is not our job. This is the job of the consumer department.”

Nodal Officer, coronavirus control, Jammu and Kashmir, Shafqat Khan said why do people need face masks in the first place. “There is no need for the people to wear the mask. It is also a scare,” he said.

The health authorities in Kashmir have also mobilised trained staff and an isolation ward has been established at the maternity centre and general out-patients department at Sanatnagar, Srinagar.

The health and medical education department on Monday tweeted: “One case of patient admitted in isolation at GMC tested positive for coronavirus. Patient had travel history to Iran. Second patient’s sample being sent for retest.”

Government spokesman Rohit Kansal on Monday wrote on Twitter, “Situation under watch; 400 under surveillance in Satwari and Sarwal areas of Jammu. Anganwadi centres in these areas closed till March 31.”