J&K records 13 fresh cases, highest in a day

HIGHEST IN A DAY 4 patients were in contact with infected persons who were part of a religious gathering

SRINAGAR: Thirteen people tested positive for coronavirus in Kashmir on Saturday, taking the total number of cases in Jammu and Kashmir to 33, officials said.

The positive cases’ tally on Saturday is the highest so far in a day in the UT. Most of the positive cases are contacts of a 65-year-old religious preacher from Srinagar who died on Thursday and another person who had a travel history outside the country and tested positive last week.

Meanwhile, five villages in Manjakote tehsil of Rajouri district were declared as red zones as three persons have tested positive from the tehsil for coronavirus since Thursday.

Haryana reported two cases, one each from Faridabad and Ambala. There was no positive case from Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Ladakh on Saturday.

SRINAGAR: Thirteen people tested positive for coronavirus in Kashmir on Saturday, taking the total number of cases in Jammu and Kashmir to 33, officials said.

The number of positive cases on Saturday is the highest so far in a day in the UT.

In the afternoon, government spokesperson Rohit Kansal tweeted: “Seven more positive cases in Srinagar. Four cases had a history of contact with already positive cases of religious congregation while the other three had travel history outside J&K.

Later, he tweeted: “Hardly do I finish my press briefing -28 cases that I get more unpleasant news -5 new positive cases- two in Srinagar, three in Jammu- all contacts of previously positive ones ; All Jammu cases asymptomatic. We are at 33 now.”

“Tough to be harbinger of unpleasant news. But being informed is being prepared,” he said.

Kansal appealed people not to conceal their travel history and go for self-declaration in right earnest for themselves, their families and society. “It will cause some inconvenience but we expect cooperation and support from all because tracing out every single contact is of critical importance to break the chain of transmission,” he said.

Kansal said the administration is augmenting facilities on warfooting. “As of now, there are nearly 35,000 beds under administrative set up in Jammu and Kashmir to deal with Covid cases. Of 35,000 beds, 6,500 beds are in Jammu and over 10,000 in Srinagar while 1,000 each in remaining 18 districts,” he said.

The health department has also made arrangements at hotels in the UT for exclusive use of medical professionals engaged in treatment of Covid cases, he added.

He added that there is no shortage of essential commodities.

Srinagar deputy commissioner Shahid Iqbal Choudhary said with seven more positive cases in Srinagar a lot more is required to be done for breaking the chain.

Former chief minister Omar Abdullah, who was released recently after more than eight months also expressed concern over the growing number of positive cases in J&K. “The number of positive #COVID-19 cases in J&K is going up but it’s not too late to #FlattenTheCurve. All we have to do is follow the guidelines to maintain #SocialDistanacing & #StayAtHomeAndStaySafe. Please disclose your travel history and contacts to the authorities,” Omar tweeted.

Most of the positive cases are contacts of a 65-year-old religious preacher from Srinagar who died on Thursday and another person who had a travel history outside the country and tested positive last week.

So far, as many as 5,763 travellers and persons in contact with suspected cases have been put under surveillance.

Meanwhile, the tests of six people were reported negative. From past seven days, not a single positive case has been reported in Ladakh where 13 people had earlier tested positive for coronavirus and two have recovered.

FIVE VILLAGES IN RAJOURI DECLARED RED ZONES

Five villages in Manjakote tehsil of Rajouri district were on Saturday declared as red zones and their surrounding villages as buffer zones to prevent the spread of coronavirus, officials said.

The villages include Sarola, Dehridhara, Mangal Nar, Gambir Muglan and Kotli, the officials said quoting an order issued by Rajouri district development commissioner Mohammad Nazir Sheikh.

Three persons hailing from Manjakote tehsil have tested positive for coronavirus in Rajouri district since Thursday.