Central team rushed to Jammu to strengthen Covid-19 containment measures

With Jammu reporting a rise in Covid-19 cases, the health ministry has decided to depute a Central team to the district to assist in strengthening containment, surveillance, testing and management

With Jammu reporting a rise in COVID-19 cases, the health ministry has decided to depute a high-level Central team to the district to assist in strengthening containment, surveillance, testing and efficient clinical management of positive cases.

Jammu has so far reported9,428 infections and has6,115 active cases of coronavirus infection, the ministry said, adding the total cases one week ago were 6,878.

Jammu has been reporting doubling time of 15.4 days, recovery rate of 33.9 percent and case fatality rate of 1.24 per cent.

The team comprises DrS K Singh, Director, National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and Dr Vijay Hadda, Professor, Department of Pulmonary Critical Care, AIIMS, New Delhi, the ministry said.

A special team had visited the Srinagar valley recently. The two-member high-level team was led by Dr V K Paul, Member (Health), NITI Aayog and Dr S K Singh, Director, NCDC was its member.

The team had reviewed the status of preparedness for COVID management with district collectors of the valley.

"The current Central team shall interact with district collectors and health officers of Jammu. It shall also visit hospitals in Bakshinagar and Gandhinagar," the ministry said.

The team will support efforts towards strengthening containment, surveillance, testing and efficient clinical management of positive cases.

The Central team shall also guide in effectively managing challenges related to timely diagnosis and follow up, the ministry said.

The total number of confirmed COVID cases in Jammu is 9,428. Of these, 3,196 have recovered. COVID deaths are reported to be 117.

As an ongoing effort to strengthen efforts of various State/UT Governments for COVID management, the Central Government has been deputing Central teams from time to time to visit various States/UTs.

These teams interact with State/UT authorities and get a first hand understanding of the challenges and issues being faced by them so as to strengthen their ongoing activities and remove bottlenecks, if any.