With 2,204 cases, J&K sees highest daily surge, again
At 21,482, Covid count for April is the second highest monthly total after September
SRINAGAR: With 2,204 fresh cases, Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday again reported the highest ever novel coronavirus infections since the outbreak.
The infections have taken the Covid count for April to 21,482 – the second highest monthly total after September, when the first wave had peaked. So far, 1,52,442 people have tested positive in the Union territory, since the outbreak.
With 13 Covid-induced fatalities — three in Kashmir and 10 in Jammu — the total death toll reached 2,084, health officials said. This is the highest daily death count in the UT since the first week of October.
Of the new cases, 1,299 cases are from Kashmir while 905 are from Jammu, including 410 travellers. So far, 90 people have lost their lives to the disease this month.
For the past four days, the UT has been recording over 1,500 cases. J&K had recorded an alltime high of 1,698 daily cases on September 12, 2020 and highest daily death count of 23 on September 21.
Officials said with 612 cases, Srinagar had the highest number of new infections, followed by 461 in Jammu district, 232 in Baramulla, 133 in Reasi ( including 73 travellers) , 127 in Kathua and 109 in Kulgam.
The number of active cases, which has been rising exponentially, reached 14,928, officials said. As many as 733 patients have recovered, including 479 from Kashmir and 254 from Jammu.
As many as 1,35,430 people have recovered so far, taking the recovery rate to 89.65% against 98% in the first fortnight of February. Over 6.87 million tests have been conducted in the UT so far.
In March, the UT had recorded 4,519 infections and 37 deaths. In February, there were 1, 935 cases and 21 deaths.
The peak of the first Covid wave was in September,2020 when the UT had witnessed 37, 372 cases and 478 deaths, which was followed by 19,619 cases and 293 deaths in October. August had witnessed much lesser cases at 17,339 but more deaths than October at 326.
1 death; 250 +ve cases in Ladakh
Ladakh on Wednesday reported 250 new Covid cases, taking the tally to 12,556, while one death pushed the toll to 134.
According to the media bulletin released by the Directorate of Health Services of Ladakh, of the total cases, 236 cases were reported from Leh and 14 from Kargil. Of the total deaths reported in the union territory, 90 were in Leh and 44 in Kargil, it added.
The bulletin said 136 patients have been discharged after recovery.
With this, the total number of active COVID- 19 cases in Ladakh has increased to 1,812, including 1,730 in Leh district and 82 in Kargil district, it said.
So far, a total of 10,610 patients have recovered from the infection since the outbreak of the pandemic.
The bulletin said 1,646 passengers were screened at KBR Airport, Leh, on Tuesday while 86 passengers, including drivers and helpers of trucks, and light motor vehicles were screened at Khaltsi checkpost on Monday.
Deputy commissioner, chairperson, district disaster management authority (DDMA), Leh, Shrikant Suse, Wednesday convened a meeting to review the implementation of Covid standard operating procedures (SOPs) with the members of Covid enforcement squads.