Only 120 persons in Srinagar get vaccine despite rise in Covid cases

SRINAGAR: The health department has managed to vaccinate only 120 persons against Covid-19 in Srinagar, which is one of the worst-hit districts in Jammu and Kashmir in the last eight days. The summer capital has reported 5900 cases and 69 deaths due to Covid in the same period. 

According to official data, no jabs were administered between May 9-16 except on May 11, when only 120 persons aged above 45 were given the vaccine. 

In the last eight days, Srinagar has recorded 5816 Covid cases with highest 920 cases on May 9 and lowest 379 cases on May 14. During the same period, 69 people have died of Covid-19.

Of the 20 districts in Jammu and Kashmir, Srinagar is the worst-hit district. 

Of the total 244608 Covid cases in thr UT, Srinagar has recorded 58030 cases since the outbreak of coronavirus last year and accounts for 23.72 per cent of the total cases. Of the 51623 active Covid cases in J&K, Srinagar has 8425 active covid cases, highest in any of the 20 districts in the Union Territory. Srinagar has 16.32 per cent of the total active cases in J&K.

A senior government official said there has been very low vaccination in the Valley including in Srinagar due to shortage of doses. “We don’t have Covid vaccines. We had received 50,000 doses on May 6 and those have been exhausted and there is no intimation on further supplies,” he said.

Flu expert and Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) president Dr Nisar-ul-Hassan said if this is the state of affairs then the government will not be able to vaccinate those living in J&K.  Dr Nisar, who is posted at SMHS hospital Srinagar, said he could not get a second jab of Covid vaccine at his own hospital. “A few days back, my second Covid jab was due and I was told that there are no Covid vaccines in the hospital. I then had to beg the BMO of Magam, Tangmarg in north Kashmir to finally get the second dose,” said DAK president, who had also tested positive for Covid in August last year.