Jammu and Kashmir checks Covid preparedness with mock drills

Mock drills were carried out in Jammu and Kashmir to assess the readiness at various health facilities in the union territory to handle any coronavirus-related situations amid a recent surge in Covid-19 cases in several countries.

The exercise was launched after Prime Minister Narendra Modi advised caution and asked the country to prepare to deal with any eventuality related to the pandaemic.

Mock drills were conducted in various hospitals across the country in view of rising Covid-19 cases in some countries including China.

Dr. Muzaffar, SMHS Hospital, Srinagar said, "We have six oxygen plants with a capacity of 5,600 litres per minute & 1,700 oxygen cylinders. We have enough drug supplies. During the mock drill, we checked the pressure & purity of the oxygen plant here in the hospital."

The mock drills were conducted on Tuesday in Srinagar, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and few other states, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said.

This comes after four international travellers from Myanmar tested positive for the Coronavirus infection at the Delhi airport.

"To make sure there isn't a Covid surge in the country, PM Modi has asked us to be careful. The government is also preparing in case Covid cases increase. Today mock drills were conducted across covid hospitals in the country to make sure people get proper treatment," Mansukh Mandaviya said.

Mandaviya visited Safdarjung Hospital to review Covid Mock drill while Tamil Nadu Health Minister Ma Subramanian visited Rajiv Gandhi Government Hospital in Chennai to review Covid Mock drill on Tuesday.

Four international travellers from Myanmar tested positive for the Coronavirus infection at the Delhi airport on Monday. The Genome sequencing of their samples is being done, the sources said.

"Four of the 690 Covid-19 sample tests of the International travellers from Myanmar at Delhi Airport have tested positive for the infection. The infected persons have been admitted at the Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital (RML) hospital in Delhi and their samples have been taken for genome sequencing," people aware of the matter said.

Following the advisory 'Guidelines for International Arrivals', issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the Ministry of Civil Aviation has commenced random post-arrival testing for International arrivals at Delhi Airport, said Dr Gauri Agarwal, Founder of Genestrings Diagnostic Center on Sunday.

On Tuesday too, four foreign nationals who came to attend the religious preaching of Tibetan Spiritual Leader Dalai Lama at Bihar's Gaya were found to be Covid positive raising fears of a surge in the number of Covid cases at the religious place. The foreigners have currently been isolated at a hotel in Bodh Gaya, said Civil surgeon Dr Ranjan Kumar Singh.

Recently, the IMA also issued an advisory and appealed to the public to follow Covid-appropriate behaviour with immediate effect.

"In view of the sudden surge of COVID cases in different countries, the Indian Medical Association alerts and appeals to the public to follow COVID appropriate behaviour with immediate effect."

( With inputs from ANI )