J&K records 2,030 Covid-19 cases, its highest single-day toll

Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday reported 2,030 Covid-19 cases in a single day, its highest one-day spike, while the union territory (UT) also recorded eight coronavirus-related deaths in the last 24 hours.

Jammu and Kashmir hit an all-time high of 1,698 daily positive cases on September 12 last year and this year’s highest was 1,526 on April 18. Out of the fresh cases, 1,086 were from Kashmir and 944 were from Jammu division of the UT, officials said. As many as 352 travelers were among the fresh cases.

Srinagar district recorded the highest with 589 cases, including 58 travelers, followed by 501 in Jammu and 136 in Baramulla and 119 in Budgam districts. Only two out of 20 districts reported single-digit cases while 14 districts hit double-digits. Remaining districts had three-digit positive cases.

The active case count has surged to 13,470 comprising 8.96 per cent of the total infections. The number of people who have recuperated from the disease is 1,34,697.

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In March, the UT had recorded 4,519 Covid-19 infections and 37 deaths. In February, there were 1, 935 cases and 21 deaths. The peak of the first Covid wave was in September when the UT had witnessed 37, 372 cases and 478 deaths.

The travelers and tourists who arrived in J&K during the first three weeks of April account for 35 per cent of the total infections recorded in the region during this time, according to the official data. In April, 3,606 travelers and tourists tested positive for the viral infection which included 1,593 who arrived in the capital city of Srinagar.

Due to the huge surge in Covid-19 positive cases, J&K government on Tuesday extended night curfew to all 20 districts of the UT. Public transport shall be permitted to ply only at 50 per cent of its authorized seating capacity while only 50 per cent shops within the municipal limits/urban local body limits shall be open on an alternate basis through a rotation system.