Four more people in Kashmir, who were close contacts of already tested positive persons, tested positive for deadly COVID-19 on Wednesday, taking the toll in Jammu and Kashmir to 11.
“#COVID19 #JammuAndKashmir 4 more persons, all from Bandipora, tested positive today. Preliminary findings suggest they were close contacts of Srinagar patient who tested positive yesterday. All 5 reported to have participated together in religious event @diprjksic),” J&K government spokesman Rohit Kansal tweeted.
As per information accessed by DH, all the four persons who tested positive today had come in contact with a ‘Tablighi Jamaat’ persons, who had travelled to Srinagar from Delhi, where he had gone after travelling to UP. The man had visited many places including Jammu, Samba and Sopore. “The positive patient from ‘Tablighi Jamaat’ had met at least a hundred people before reporting to hospital. He has put entire Kashmir in danger,” a doctor said.
A source said the man had visited a number of hospitals in Srinagar before being admitted at Chest Diseases Hospital in Srinagar. Doctors in Kashmir have expressed concern over the lackadaisical approach of people with symptoms and travel history, moving about recklessly.
With the four new cases in a single day, the toll of positive cases in Kashmir has jumped to seven while four have been tested positive in Jammu region. Director of super-specialty SKIMS hospital, Dr AG Ahangar said Kashmir was in phase II of the epidemic.
Meanwhile, restrictions on movement of people were tightened further on Wednesday to prevent the spread of coronavirus and strict action initiated against violators, following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement of a 21-day nationwide lockdown.
Security forces sealed off several roads and erected barriers across the Valley to enforce the lockdown. Police also used drones in some parts of the city to announce the restrictions.