1500 doctors, paramedics test positive since Jan 01

Srinagar: Amid the steep surge in positive cases in Jammu and Kashmir, the hospitals are facing staff shortage as hundreds of staff members have tested positive for Covid-19 since the third wave has begun.
An official from Government Medical College (GMC), Srinagar said that around 800 doctors and paramedics of GMC and its associated hospitals were tested positive for Covid-19 and most of them were tested positive in the last one week.
Dr Salim Khan, Head of Department community medicine at GMC Srinagar, said that there is shortage of manpower in all hospitals as doctors, nurses and other paramedics have tested positive for Covid-19.
He said that most of them were tested positive in the last one week due to which there are only four doctors and staff members working where earlier ten were working.
Doctors from SMHS, CD hospital and GB Pant children hospital also said, “Doctors presently on duty have heavy workload as dozens of doctors and other staff members are in isolation after testing positive for the virus.”
A senior doctor from JVC Bemina which was recently declared as Covid designated hospital again said that dozens of doctors and staff members working in the hospital have tested positive for Covid-19 in the last 10 days.
A senior doctor from GMC Jammu also said that around 500 doctors and paramedics of GMC and its associated hospitals have been tested positive in the last two weeks.
“We are working our level best to treat every patient on time but in absence of a large section of staff, there is heavy load on the staff presently working,” he said.
A senior health official said you won’t find any hospital from where doctors and other staff haven’t tested positive for Covid-19 in the last few days as currently the infectivity rate is very high.
Senior doctors advised patients that as the infectivity rate is very high, people should visit hospitals only when it is necessary.
“People must try to avoid hospitals till they can and should avail benefit of tele-consultation at this stage,” they said