Five more test positive for COVID-19 in Jammu & Kashmir, tally rises to 38

Five more patients tested positive for the deadly COVID-19 in the Valley on Sunday morning, taking the total number of coronavirus cases in Jammu and Kashmir to 38.

“5 more positives cases confirmed in Kashmir -2 from Srinagar, 2 Budgam, 1 Baramulla @ diprjk (sic),” J&K government spokesperson, tweeted.

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Two among the 38, a 65-year-old man from uptown Hyderpora and another sexagenarian from Baramulla District, have died. A 67-year-old woman, who was first COVID-19 patient in the Valley, has recovered at SKIMS Soura, the Valley’s only tertiary care hospital.

Meanwhile, in the backdrop of the rapidly rising positive cases in the Union Territory, Chief Secretary, B V R Subrahmanyam has appealed to people to stay calm and not panic. In a message, he said the J&K government has undertaken an aggressive testing campaign to detect COVID-19 positive cases as a result of which there is an increase in the number.

The Chief Secretary said the testing rate in J&K is over 10 per cent of those under surveillance which is higher than states like Kerala. He said medical capacities, response mechanism and other parameters are being quietly ramped up.