Entire Kashmir Valley is a red zone

Over 25 fresh cases reported from various parts of the Valley

Entire Kashmir Valley with a population of nearly eight million is being declared as ‘red zone’.

On Saturday, as many as

27 fresh positive cases were reported from various parts of the Valley including capital Srinagar and Jammu’s Samba district, raising the tally in Jammu and Kashmir to

666 including 404 active. Of the 666, as many as

254 patients have ‘recovered’. However, eight people have died due to the deadly virus in the Union Territory, so far.

The officials in Leh said that half of Ladakh’s 11 Covid-19 patients have recovered.

Kashmir’s Divisional Commissioner Pandurang K. Pole said, “We can’t afford to lower the guard at this time. All the ten districts of the Valley will be treated as a red zone till further orders.”

“We’ve only one districtPulwama-classified as the green zone but, unfortunately, some new cases have come to light even there,” he added.

He asserted that since there is very little difference between a ‘red zone’ and an ‘orange zone’s given the type of restrictions to be imposed and the level of caution to be exercised, it is proper to declare the entire Valley as a ‘red zone’.

The Union Health Ministry had earlier this week classified only four districts of the ValleySrinagar, Bandipore, Anantnag and Shopian- as ‘red zones’ whereas five districts- Ganderbal, Kupwara, Baramulla, Kulgam and Budgam were declared as ‘orange zones’ remaining district Pulwama as ‘green zone’.

Jammu division’s all the ten districts Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Reasi,

Udhampur, Ramban, Poonch, Rajouri, Doda and Kishtwar were classified as ‘orange zones.

Ladakh’s Kargil has been declared a Covid-19-free officially.

The virtual lockdown is in force in Kashmir Valley and several parts of Jammu region since March 19.

It may be recalled that the Union Home Ministry on Friday extended the nationwide lockdown for two more weeks from Monday.

The health officials here said that 15 Srinagar residents including eight family members of a Srinagar woman who died of Covid19 earlier this week tested positive on Saturday.

Among the other persons who have contracted the virus is a nursing orderly of City’s Lala Ded Women’s Hospital.

With these cases, Srinagar’s Covid-19 tally jumped to 109, the second highest in J&K after Bandipore which has, so far, reported 128 positive cases.

Four fresh cases were reported from Anantnag and three each from Shopian and Baramulla, two from Samba district of Jammu region, the officials said.