Peak of 3rd COVID-19 wave in Feb, virus to become endemic in March :Experts
Rabiya Bashir
Srinagar, Jan 24 (RK): The peak of the third Covid-19 wave is expected to hit Jammu and Kashmir next month, with experts urging for strict adherence to Covid-Appropriate Behaviour (CAB).
The doctors said that keeping in view the current caseload of infections, the peak of this will hit the UT in February and thereafter the cases will start reducing.
“We have seen some respite in different states like Mumbai and Kolkata, where cases are reducing. Hopefully, the cases of COVID-19 will start reducing by the end of February,” Spokesperson, Directorate of Health Services Kashmir, Mir Mushtaq told Rising Kashmir.
He said that people should follow all the guidelines and CAB.
“Vaccination is very important. People should not take it lightly as the cases are increasing and the peak is yet to come. So, we need to be careful,” Mushtaq said.
The wave has already peaked in Kolkata and Mumbai, which means that in the two cities, the pandemic is becoming ‘endemic.’
According to the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras the existing, Omicron-driven wave of the Covid-19 pandemic in the country is likely to reach its peak in the next 14 days, by February 6. The result is based on the institute’s analysis of the national ‘R-value,’ which, it said, declined further in the week of January 14-21.
‘R-value’ is the number of people who can contract a virus from a person who is already infected with it.
According to the study conducted by IIT Madras, the said value was recorded at 1.57 in the latest round, as against 2.2 from January 7-13, while from January 1-6 it stood at 4 and was at 2.9 from December 25-31 last year.
Jammu and Kashmir on Monday reported eight COVID-19 deaths and 5394 new COVID-19 cases,, 2045 fresh cases were reported from Jammu division and 3349 from Kashmir division, taking the overall tally to 402596. (Rising Kashmir)
