COVID19: With over 6 cases per million, Kashmir among high-risk places in India

Srinagar, Apr 1: Kashmir valley has one of the highest number of coronavirus positive cases per million residents across India, data shows.

On Tuesday, seven more cases were detected in Kashmir taking the number of positive cases to 44 and across J&K to 56.

So far in Kashmir, around 6 persons (6.28) per million have contracted the virus. The valley’s population is roughly 7 million (70 lakh).

J&K, overall, figures at the third spot after Delhi and Kerala when it comes to worst state (UT)-wise figures per million cases.

The erstwhile state with a population of 12.5 million has 4.46 positive cases per 10 lakh people.

Kerala has the highest ratio among states where 241 persons have been tested positive as per the latest reports. The state has a population of 34.8 million and almost 7 persons per million have been tested positive the virus.

Delhi is next to it showing huge spike in daily cases, more so because of the Tableeghi Jamaat congregation at Nizamuddin that is fast turning into a hotspot of virus transmission.

Till Wednesday afternoon, Delhi reported 120 cases and has 6.3 persons infected per million. The capital has a population of 19 million.

Similarly, at the time of writing this report, Maharashtra had the highest number of positive cases in India so far. With 320 positive cases in 114 million population, around 2.80 persons per million in Maharashtra have contracted the infection.

Kashmir, with its poor health infrastructure and cold weather, becomes one of the high-risk zones for coronavirus pandemic.

The region is also facing a challenge as scores of its residents, earlier this month, participated in the Nizamuddin Markaz congregation, which is proving to be a hotspot of the virus transmission.

A list of 855 J&K residents, who had allegedly been in or around Nizamuddin area in mid-march, has been prepared by the authorities.

As per reports, 330 of them are from Srinagar.

Given the threat of community transmission, the J&K government is searching for these people who attended the Delhi gathering.

With most corona cases in Kashmir having history of direct or indirect contact with members from religious gathering, nothing is left to chances.

The district Commissioners in Kashmir have appealed to the members who were a part of the gathering to identify themselves for putting them under surveillance isolation and quarantine.

“We are taking the matter very seriously and have appealed to all those who attended the Nizamuddin congregation to come up for screening,” said Divisional Commissioner of Kashmir, P.K Pole.

He said initially there was some reluctance shown by the people to reveal their travel histories but now more and more people are coming forward.

“Four cases which were found positive in south Kashmir had contracted it through the members of religious gathering,” he said. “The process of tracing the men who attended the congregation is being seriously pursued.”

He said there are 87 people from Kashmir who were currently in Nizamuddin and have been put in quarantine in Delhi itself.

“They have been put under quarantine, we are in touch with Delhi police on this issue,” he said.

Notably on March 24, a 65-year-old died in Kashmir. He was a part of the religious gathering at Nizamuddin and had returned to Kashmir on March 16.