Tourists visiting Pahalgam by road shall undergo RT-PCR test,say health officials

Sameer Ahmad

Anantnag,16 April: Tourists who are visiting Pahalgam by road shall undergo RT-PCR test disclosed a health official while speaking with Arising State. ”The testing for tourists coming to the valley by road has already begun, from the last few days near Nuwanan Base camp here in Pahalgam would help in containing the spread of the virus in Pahalgam”, an official said.

Talking to Arising state a health employee posted at Nunwanan Pahalgam said,’ we take the sampling and receive the result after 24 hours which is illogical as during this period the person, if positive, can come in contact with other people increasing chances of spreading infection. Added that instead of RT-PCR test, it should have been Rapid test because the result returns quite fast compared to RT-PCR.  If the result is positive the person can be isolated then and there thus minimizing the chances of spreading infection.

Talking to Arising state Medical superintendent Anantnag Mukhtar Ahmad said,” we have government directions to do RT-PCR test instead of rapid test, he said that we are also doing rapid test in these places, added that if any visitor test returns positive, wherever he is in Kashmir we can track him through his biodata”.