SKIMS Hospital In J&K Converted Into Covid Ward To Make Room For Rising Cases

The residential complex, or Sarai, is usually used by attendants of the patients for treatment of terminal illnesses, but the administration has issued the order to vacate the rooms immediately.

Srinagar, Jul 14: In the wake of rising Covid-19 cases in Jammu and Kashmir, authorities in Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) hospital have taken a proactive approach and converting the building into Covid to meet the demand of the patients.  Also Read: Corona Figures Explained: India Crosses 9 Lakh Cases; How The Country Paced To The Grim Milestone? As per the order patients and attendants have been asked to vacate the residential complex (Sarai) immediately which created a state of panic among them. The residential complex, or Sarai, is usually used by attendants of the patients who visit the hospital for long term tertiary care or treatment of terminal illnesses. However, as the state has reported a spike in cases of Covid-19 patients in the valley, department of hospital administration, SKIMS, Soura issued the order. The order issued from Security Officer SKIMS mentions, “In view of administrative emergency and shifting of Covid-19 patients to Sarai-II, you are advised to direct the patients/attendants staying at Sarai-II to vacate the rooms immediately without further notice." The SKIMS hospital is the only tertiary care hospital in the Valley, and was among the first to have a Corona testing lab. The hospital has dedicated covid wards for 200 patients but with the numbers rising, the need for more space has arisen.  Pertinently on Sunday, authorities ordered enforcement of another lockdown after a huge spike and subsequent deaths of Covid-19 patients were recorded. Over 191 patients have so far lost their lives to the dreaded covid-19 infection till now. According to the latest health ministry data, 28,498 new cases have emerged in India while 553 deaths are reported in the last 24 hours.