Srinagar, April 29: Amid surge in COVID-19 cases, less than three percent patients needed the ventilator support in Jammu and Kashmir and the recovery percentage of the Union Territory is better than national average.
Over 580 people have been tested positive for coronavirus in Jammu and Kashmir. However, only around three percent patients needed ventilator support.
“People should not worry Kashmir over shortage of ventilators. Only critical care patients need the ventilator support,” an official of Health Department told news agency KINS.
Ventilators are required for COVID-19 patients who develop acute respiratory distress syndrome when the lungs are filled with fluids that make it difficult to breath.
“But we needed ventilator for very less patients which are a good sign for J&K. A ventilator is used when lungs are filled with fluid. Such patients find it very difficult to be oxygenated in a normal way,” the official said.
There are apprehensions among people as there are around 230 ventilators in Jammu and Kashmir.
Government has said they have ordered 400 more ventilators.
“Most of the ventilators are occupied by patients suffering from other ailments. But very less people needed ventilator support so far,” a doctor at SKIMS Sours said.
Till Tuesday evening, over 566 people were infected by coronavirus in Jammu and Kashmir with eight deaths which makes around 1.41% death rate.
Around 170 people have recovered. J&K recovery percentage is 30 percent more than the national average which stands at 23%.
Medical Superintendent SKIMS Soura Dr Farooq Ahmad Jan said people should not panic and patients get recover.
“Very less percentage of people needs ventilator support. Even people with mild symptoms are recovering on their own,” he added.
Director, SKIMS Dr. A G Ahanger Tuesday said that there are 24 Covid positive cases undergoing treatment at the hospital while 238 such patients have been discharged, so far.
“SKIMS has an efficient and dedicated team of medicos, para medicos and other staff for effective handling of COVID-19 cases besides it has dedicated four levels of isolation facility for treatment of Corona patients,” he informed while elaborating on measures being taken up by the Institute to deal with patients of this dreaded virus.
“Since the outbreak of pandemic, we have dedicated six ventilators for such patients besides keeping ready around 30 bedded facilities for various levels of isolation 1, 2, 3, and 4 depending upon the severity of the disease,” the Director said.
He said that the Institute has 36 ventilators apart from the ventilators exclusively dedicated for covid cases.
He said that they have purchased around 20 more transport ventilators and are getting three more from a voluntary organisation who are donating as a matter of charity to do their bit of contribution at the society level. (KINS)