For the first time in the last three weeks a silver lining emerged on the horizon as the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir reported less than 50 deaths due to Covid 19 on Friday. A total number of 43 patients succumbed to the virus, 27 in Jammu division and 16 in Kashmir division.
Meanwhile, J&K reported first death due to black fungus after a 40-year-old Covid-19 recovered patient died of mucormycosis at Government Medical College (GMC) hospital. Since May 1, a total number of 1,135 patients succumbed to the deadly virus across J&k. Out of these 720 deaths were reported across Jammu division and 415 patients died across Kashmir division.
The patient care services were badly affected across Jammu region due to lack of facilities and poor management of the available resources and manpower. Significantly, the positivity rate across Jammu district, which reported 423 deaths since May 1, dropped below 7 percent while the overall positivity rate of J&K stood at 8.15 percent on Friday. According to the media bulletin, “4,466 more Covid-19 patients were recovered and discharged from various hospitals including 1.730 from Jammu Division and 2.736 from Kashmir Division”.
According to the Principal of GMC, Jammu Dr Shashi Sudan Sharma, the patient, who died due to 'black fungus' suffered from a high degree of diabetes of 900 level and was immunocompromised when he was shifted to the hospital. He must have taken a lot of steroids resulting in the uncontrollable diabetes level resulting in diabetic ketoacidosis syndrome, she said.
The patient had tested negative of Covid-19 before he was admitted to hospital for the fungal infection. Deputy Commissioner Jammu, Anshul Garg, Friday said the overall positivity rate which was above 10 percent in the first week of May has dropped to below 7 percent in the last few days.
He said despite the decreasing trend in positive cases, the District Administration has not lowered its guard and it is taking all measures to combat Covid-19 pandemic.
“Equivalent emphasis has been given on testing in urban as well as rural areas. Around 7 thousand to 8 thousand tests are being conducted on a daily basis out of which 50% have been conducted in rural areas”, he informed.
