Doctors from Kashmir working in Britain have appealed to the people of the valley to cooperate with the medical professionals by following their advice to overcome the coronavirus pandemic.

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Concerned over the sudden rise in number of COVID-19 cases in the valley, top doctors of the British Kashmiri Medical Association (BKMA) in a video in Kashmiri language urged the people to follow the standard operating procedures to curb the spread of the infection. "The British healthcare is renowned the world over but we have battled the pandemic with great difficulty. There has been a huge loss of life in Britain and neighbouring countries. We are worried for you as the infection is spreading in Kashmir. The people and healthcare experts have to fight it together," BKMA president Dr Farooq A Wandroo, Consultant Hematology, said in the nearly seven-minute video.

Dr Shaheen Shora urged the Kashmiris to wear face masks and avoid visiting the mosques. "Please wear face masks as it reduces the chances of contracting infections. Gatherings should be avoided while prayers should be offered at home," she added. Dr Shariq Lankar, a general practitioner, said as there was no vaccine or medicine available to cure the coronovirus infection, minimizing social contact and following other SOPs were key in this fight. "Countries have prevented the spread of this disease by imposing lockdown and observing social distancing. We appeal to our Kashmiri brothers and sisters to reduce social contacts and take precautions as we are in a critical phase of the pandemic. It is in the community and it can spread," Lankar said.

According to the figures issued by the Jammu and Kashmir administration on July 13 evening, there have been 8,495 COVID-19 cases, including 170 deaths linked to the disease, in the valley. While 4,569 patients have recovered, 3,756 COVID-19 cases were still active in Kashmir. While urging people to take care of people suffering from other medical conditions such as diabetes, kidney ailments and hypertension, the medical professionals appealed to the community not to discriminate against those who had contracted the infection.