COVID19: With 30 new cases, J&K crosses 1000 mark

By: Tahaa Yaseen

J&K has crossed the mark of a thousand cases as 30 more patients tested positive for coronavirus including 21 in Kashmir on Friday that took JK’s infection tally to 1013.

The coronavirus testing lab of Chest Disease (CD) Hospital Srinagar today tested 537 samples of which 12 returned positive. Only two of these cases are from Kashmir valley.

Nodal Officer for COVID-19 measures, GMC Srinagar, Dr M Salim Khan said today’s cases include six admitted at Lakhanpur including one from Punjab and one from Rajasthan.

He said one patient hails from Habba Kadal, Srinagar, who has history of septic shock and is currently admitted at SICU at Srinagar’s SMHS hospital, and one from Kulgam.

Others include a 31-year-old woman from Nowshera Rajouri, one from Ramban, one from Banihal and a gatekeeper of GMC Srinagar who hails from Samba and is currently putting up at a guesthouse in Rajbagh.

Officials said that at the Viral Diagnostic and Research Lab (VDRL) of SKIMS Srinagar, eight more cases tested positive for COVID-19.

Medical Superintendent SKIMS, Dr Farooq Jan said six cases are from Baramulla including one from Sopore with travel history to Bangalore, one from Mirgund and two from Tangmarg with travel history to Delhi. Two children from Tangmarg, one a 9-year-old and another an 11-year-old are among those among infected by the coronavirus. Two other cases include a woman from Bandipora and a Pulwama man.

The SKIMS testing lab Friday tested 1724 samples while 514 samples are under process at the institute.

Nine more cases have tested positive in Jammu.

As per J&K government, 70,306 test results are available of which 69,293 are negative and 1013 positive. Of the total positive cases, 489 are active positive including 438 in Kashmir and 51 in Jammu division.

Till now 513 patients have recovered including 456 in Kashmir and 57 in Jammu.

A total of 1,05,941 persons have been put under observation which include 27,760 in home quarantine, 142 in hospital quarantine and 489 in hospital isolation.

As per the government, 13,254 people are under home surveillance while 64,285 persons have completed their surveillance period.

In Kashmir, Srinagar has 153 cases followed by Anantnag with 145, Bandipora 135, Baramulla 116, Shopian 107, Kupwara 85, Kulgam 72, Budgam 52, Ganderbal 23 and Pulwama 14.

In Jammu division, Jammu district has 39 positive cases followed by Udhampur 24, Kathua 21, Samba 11, Ramban six, Rajouri five, Reasi three and one at Kishtwar.

The government said, till date, 513 COVID-19 positive persons have recovered and been discharged from hospitals.

The government said on Friday, 28 more coronavirus patients were discharged from hospitals in Kashmir division.

J&K has so far witnessed 11 deaths due to coronavirus of which nine were reported from Kashmir and two from Jammu division.

Experts say the majority of the coronavirus cases in J&K are asymptomatic, which may have something to do with the strain of the virus, but people coming in from different countries could bring new strains, creating more trouble.

“I think we need to be extra cautious after receiving people from different countries. The government should ensure effective screening and strict quarantine of these travelers. They should not be allowed to mix with the community until they complete their quarantine period,” said a public health expert.