Panic Grips Kashmir As 5 Test Positive for Omicron, No Testing Facility Available.

Panic has set in the valley after the resurgence of COVID positive cases in Kashmir, while first Omicron cases were also recorded on Tuesday, 11 January.

According to the official data, a total of five people have tested positive for the variant in Kashmir.

“It includes a male from Shopian district who has recovered and tested negative for the virus. Second is a female from Uri in Baramulla, who is recovering. The remaining three cases are non-locals who have gone back,” Dr. Mir Mushtaq Spokesperson Directorate of Health Services Kashmir (DHSK) said.

In view of increasing Covid cases, Jammu and Kashmir administration had already started upgrading health infrastructure both at the division and district levels. From ventilators to oxygen-supported beds and isolation beds, the healthcare institutions across the union territory were being kept ready to deal with the situation.

Lack of Testing Facility

However, a lack of Omicron testing facility is a worrying news and a cause of concern for the divisional administration.

DHSK spokesperson Dr. Mir Mushtaq said, “The report in Omicron cases come after 20-25 days as the samples have to be sent outside the Valley for testing. We don’t have such facilities in the valley yet,” Mushtaq said.

The Omicron virus is detected by genome sequencing and is conducted by the Institute of Genomic and Integrative Biology (IGIB) in New Delhi.

When asked why the UT lacks such facilities when the virus is spreading rapidly, the health department spokesperson said that it is the government that takes such decisions.

“Also such things can’t be pre-empted. Omicron testing takes time. However, if the facility comes to Kashmir it will take less time then sending the samples to New Delhi,” he said.