JOIN USJ&K reports three more COVID-19 positive cases; tally rises to 109
With three more COVID-19 positive cases reported in Jammu and Kashmir on Monday, the number of coronavirus cases climbed to 109 in the union territory, recording a jump of 57 patients in just the last six days.
“#COVID19 #JammuAndKashmir Total Cases 109; Active Cases 103 - 85 In Kashmir division, 18 in Jammu; 3 new cases so far- all in Kashmir; Hope no further increases today !!! (sic),” J&K government spokesperson, Rohit Kansal, tweeted.
From 52 reported cases by the end of last month, the J&K reached a cumulative tally of 109 cases on April 5. The Valley had recorded its first case on March 18 when a 67-year-old woman from old city Khanyar area of Srinagar tested positive, two days after her arrival from Saudi Arabia after performing Umrah.
As per officials, out of these 109 COVID-19-affected people, 88 are in Kashmir and 21 in Jammu. However, four of them have been discharged—three from Jammu and one from Kashmir while two others succumbed to the disease. There are 103 active cases—85 in Kashmir and 18 in Jammu.
The case density for COVID-19 in Kashmir has reached to almost 13 cases per million, which is among the highest in the country. The government has declared dozens of areas as red zones across the Valley, from where most of the positive cases have been reported, to contain the spread of the deadly virus.
Rohit Kansal informed that 35243 persons have been enlisted for observation and 10556 have been kept under home quarantine and 615 persons are kept under hospital quarantine. The government as of now has collected 1708 samples out of which 1583 samples have tested negative and reports of 16 are still awaited.
While the government claims that the testing of samples has been amplified which results in more detection of COVID-19 cases, doctors contradict these claims saying the testing is not happening at the rate it should have been done.
“The graph for COVID-19 positives is likely to rise during this week in J&K, especially in the valley. As a result of the narrow testing criteria, so-far a lesser number of positive cases are coming to the fore,” a senior doctor said on the condition of anonymity.
The government has ordered doctors and paramedical staff in Kashmir not to speak to the media on coronavirus pandemic.