Seven-year-old and eight-month-old children test positive for COVID-19 in Jammu and Kashmir

Two children aged seven years and eight months respectively tested positive for deadly coronavirus (COVID-19) in Srinagar on Thursday, taking the total toll in Jammu and Kashmir to 14 with one death.

Jammu and Kashmir government spokesman, Rohit Kansal, informed through a tweet that two minors, both grandchildren of Srinagar lady, who was earlier tested positive, have been tested positive for COVID-19.

"#COVID19 #JammuAndKashmir Two more positive cases in Srinagar. Siblings (7 years old and 8 months old)- grandchildren of a confirmed case from Srinagar with travel history to Saudi Arabia who had tested positive on 24th (sic)," he tweeted.

Both are the grandchildren of Srinagar lady, who had arrived Kashmir from Saudi Arabia and was tested positive earlier this week.

Earlier in the day Jammu and Kashmir reported its first death due to COVID-19 as a 65-year-old man breathed his last at a hospital in Srinagar on Thursday morning. The deceased, a resident of uptown Hyderpora, Srinagar, had returned from New Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Jammu recently taking part in a Tablighi Jamaat’ congregation attended by people from Indonesia and Malaysia.

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Hours after the death, Divisional Commissioner Kashmir ordered an inquiry into the alleged mishandling of the patient at Chest Diseases (CD) hospital, Srinagar. An order issued by the div com revealed that the patient was mishandled by the authorities at CD hospital and SKIMS hospital in Bemina.

The report revealed that the patient who was tested positive for COVID-19 was been handled as per the protocol required for treating such patients. “Despite knowing the travel history of the patient and observing the symptoms of the patient, the hospital administration has not brought it into the notice of Divisional/District/Police authorities when he left the hospital without getting admitted,” the report added.

Read: Coronavirus India update: State-wise total number of confirmed cases

As per the order, the patient has been given ample time to spread the virus by intermingling with the public and relatives. “The negligence at the hands of Hospital Administration has resulted in a lot of confusion and vulnerability amongst masses.”