Amid the worsening situation in and outside India due to fatal COVID-19, the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir is not far behind in fatalities and active cases. According to the latest case studies, J&K has witnessed over 1,604 fatalities and the number of total COVID-19 positive cases have gone up to 1,03,581 cases including 5585 active cases.
This is not the end, in fact, the real worry is the second wave of COVID-19 which doctors and health experts are predicting incoming months of January and February. Health experts and doctors fear that Kashmir could see a surge in coronavirus cases due to “favourable conditions” in the fast-approaching winter
The second wave of Coronavirus pandemic has already engulfed various countries and so is New Delhi facing the worst situation since the past few weeks. The national capital Delhi appears to be reeling under a major second wave of coronavirus cases.
Among other states which are reporting a spurt in cases are Kerala, West Bengal, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. In fact, Kerala has overtaken Maharashtra, with the highest number of fresh cases, though both states are still contributing more than 5,000 new cases. Health ministry officials said 79 per cent of new infections are still coming from 10 states and UTs.
For J&K all respiratory viral infections are more common in winters and hence there are more chances of people contracting these infections. The drop in temperature will play havoc with social distancing and proper ventilation of infected surroundings, perpetuating transmission. The health experts have warned that the possibility of getting infected is more in winter due to the poorly-ventilated environment and due to spending a longer period with an infected person without face masks.
Whichever the forthcoming situation would be, the question still remains that are we really prepared for the second wave of Coronavirus. We have had hardly tackled with the first wave which took toll of hundreds of lives and kept thousands in its lap. The pace of the first COVID-19 wave was somehow delayed by constant Lockdowns which currently has gone long away. The people have come out of the fear of this pandemic. Neither the social distancing nor the other protocols are in practice against COVID-19. In this scenario, the second wave will be a wait and watch situation.