JOIN USJ&K coronavirus toll 7 as deceased pregnant woman's sample returns positive, cases cross 500
The death toll due to COVID-19 in Jammu and Kashmir reached seven on Sunday after a pregnant woman, who died at a hospital in Anantnag Saturday, tested positive for the novel coronavirus, officials said, as total positive cases in the Union Territory crossed the 500-mark.
"The pregnant woman, who died at a hospital in Anantnag district (in south Kashmir) on Saturday, has tested positive. Her reports came on Sunday," an official said.
The officials said her sample was tested at the Chest Diseases hospital – a designated COVID-19 centre -- here.
However, Syed Yasir, Additional District Magistrate Anantnag, tweeted, "The unfortunate death of a pregnant woman yesterday at MCH Ang can’t be attributed to COVID, though samples taken post her death have reported positive. The alleged negligence on part of maternity hospital is being enquired into!"
The woman, who hailed from Kharpora village -- which has been declared a coronavirus red zone by the administration in south Kashmir – was pregnant with twins and was admitted to the maternity and child care hospital Anantnag on Saturday morning, the officials said.
They said after she died with unborn babies, the doctors at the hospital took her sample for testing.
“The doctors and nurses, who might have come in contact with the woman at the hospital, have been moved to quarantine, while a team has been constituted and her family members will be taken to quarantine as well,” the officials said.
With her death, the death toll due to COVID-19 in Jammu and Kashmir has reached seven.
Meanwhile, 29 more people tested positive for COVID-19 in the Union Territory on Sunday, taking the total in the Union territory to 523, the officials said.
"Twenty-nine new cases reported from Jammu and Kashmir in the last 24 hours," they said.
All the new cases are from the Kashmir Valley, they added.
Of the total number of cases reported in the Union territory, 466 are from Kashmir and 57 from Jammu. A total of 137 patients have recovered.
Nearly 67,000 people have been put under surveillance, including those who are either in government-established quarantine facilities or in home-isolation.
"Till date 66,977 travellers and persons in contact with suspected cases have been enlisted for surveillance which include 6,232 in home quarantine including facilities operated by government, 258 in hospital quarantine, 380 in hospital isolation and 10,763 under home surveillance. 49,338 persons have completed their surveillance period,” one of the officials added.