Corona cases from Shopian village leave medics baffled

On 20 March evening, a couple from this village was rushed to the nearest health facility. They were among eleven others having had travel history with a Srinagar woman who had tested positive for coronavirus.

All were put in the quarantine facility in the nearby village where they showed no symptoms of infection, and were sent back to their homes after fourteen days.

However, a co-passenger, an octogenarian from nearby Sindoo-Shermal village, complained of abdominal pain. He, according to doctors had a urine infection and was shifted to district hospital Pulwama from PHC Tukroo.

The elderly man remained admitted there for three days, but showed no visible symptoms of infection. His samples were taken for testing as a precaution.

To the utter surprise of doctors he tested positive sending the administration and health authorities into a tizzy. Ambulances were rushed to the houses of all those who had returned from Saudi Arabia on March, 16 on the same flight.

They were again put to quarantine and their samples were taken for testing. The couple this time tested positive leaving doctors baffled, though other co-travelers tested negative.

The following day, this small village would be among the first in JK to be declared as the red zone.

It has been nearly two weeks now, however, there is little movement visible in the hamlet with a population of nearly 1500 souls.

The area remains shut with people confined to their homes.” We all are living in distress,” said one of the villagers who is himself quarantined at his home

He said no one is stepping out of their houses for their orchards. “This is the time when we used to work hard in our orchards. But now we are left with no choice but to abandon our only source of livelihood,” rued Mushtaq Ahmad.

Forty kilometers away, the couple is now undergoing treatment at an isolation facility at Pulwama. “So far they are responding to the treatment and hopefully, they will recover soon,” a medic said.

The health officials said the samples collected from the other family members of the couple are negative for coronavirus.

“All of them are under observation of doctors in the quarantine centers,” he said.

The health officials said tracing the contacts of the couple was a challenge; however, they have managed to get them to quarantine centers.” Only a nephew of an elderly man has so far tested positive.”

Shopian has already been declared as COVID-19 hotspot with22 positive cases reported so far.