Srinagar, July 5:(KNS) While expressing serious concern over alarming rise in COVID19 cases in Jammu and Kashmir in the recent days, CPI (M) leader Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami Sunday appealed the people to follow the guidelines to prevent the deadly pandemic in letter and spirit.

In the past two weeks, more than 2400 new COVID-19 cases have been recorded in J&K which must be a cause of concern for all of us. The COVID-19 positive cases are steadily rising in the region and even deaths due to COVID-19 are on rise. The region has quite inadequate woeful health facilities. The growth of infections is outpacing growth in testing. If the infection rate continues to grow, things are going to get pretty grim in a few weeks time. Authorities also need to significantly ramp up the number of tests done across the region to trace COVID-19 infection cases and should be conducted more rigorously if the pandemic is to be contained in time.

There is a need to do effective contact tracing and test them so that those people in turn do not infect others. The more number of people are screened there are greater chances of winning this fight against COVID-19.Priority must be given to admitted patients, new patients being brought in and the front-line workers.

Also, people should practice social distancing norms and other health advisories which are important elements in this fight. We should not become complacent and wear face masks and follow other norms as prescribed by the experts at any cost. Use of masks by general public will cut the transmission to a large extent. Administration must ensure availability of masks in the market with price check so that all can afford wearing masks.

The lockdown period should have been used by the government to increase the health care infrastructure which was not done to the extent it is required. Testing is still limited to 4-5 thousands per day only. No of ventilators is still very negligible. Government should ensure availability of more ventilators to save patients who are critical due to COVID-19.Hospitals and beds dedicated for COVID cases will fall short if the surge of cases remains unchecked.

All frontline workers including doctors/paramedics /ASHAs/police personnel’s /safai karamcharis/PHE and PDD employees working tirelessly round the clock in these tough circumstances should be considered for additional incentives.

The CPI(M) leader urged the government to provide Rs 7,500 per month for three months to all the families outside the income tax paying bracket and those who lost livelihood in lockdown including the people associated with business, tourism, transport, handicrafts sectors and casual labourers.(KNS)