Authorities in Kashmir seal off containment zones to ensure strict lockdown amid coronavirus pandemic

Authorities in Kashmir have sealed off the containment zones to ensure strict adherence to the standard operating procedure to contain the spread of coronavirus even as the lockdown in the Valley entered the 28th day on Wednesday, officials said.

The restrictions on the movement and assembly of people in Kashmir continued on Wednesday, they said.

The officials said the security forces sealed off main roads in most places in the valley and erected barriers at several other places to check the unwanted movement of the people and to enforce the lockdown.

Only persons with valid passes are allowed to move, they added.

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In the declared containment or red zones across the valley, the restrictions have been intensified as authorities have sealed those zones to ensure strict adherence to the standard operating procedure and warned of strict action against anyone who violated the prohibitory orders, the officials said.

"While all entry-exit points of areas declared as containment zones have been sealed, at least half of these points in each one of these areas have been sealed with removable barriers, enabling access into and out of them as and when required," they said.

The local mohalla committees of all such areas have been reached out to and are onboard the administration's efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19, the officials said.

The administration has put in place an elaborate and a comprehensive mechanism to ensure all requirements and needs of the residents are covered for as long as these areas remain under restrictions, they said.

Markets across the valley were shut and public transport was off the roads with only pharmacies and groceries allowed to open, the officials said.

The total number of COVID-19 cases in Jammu and Kashmir has risen to 278. Four patients have died of the disease while 20 have recovered in the union territory

More than 55,000 people have been kept under surveillance including those who are either in government established quarantine facilities or in home isolation.

"Till date 55,498 travellers and persons in contact with suspected cases have been put under surveillance which include 7,760 persons in home quarantine including facilities operated by government, 365 in hospital quarantine, 244 in hospital isolation and 30,952 under home surveillance. Besides, 16,173 persons have completed their 28-day surveillance period," the officials said.