HC Judge, 7 UP tourists, 6 medicos test +ve
3 dead, 573 new cases; LG visits SKIMS to enquire Farooq’s condition
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU/SRINAGAR, Apr 4: With a view to curb fast spread of COVID-19, the Government today capped gatherings at all kind of social and customary functions at 200 and ordered closure of all schools up to Class 9th till April 18 and Classes 10th to 12th till April 11 as the Union Territory recorded 573 new positive cases including 451 in Kashmir and 122 in Jammu and three deaths.
A High Court Judge, six tourists from Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh, seven members of a family from Trikuta Nagar Extension and six Medical students-from Girls and Boys Hostels of the Government Medical College (GMC) Jammu were among the positives in Jammu region while a senior IAS officer tested negative for the virus on his return from Srinagar. Seven positive family members of Trikuta Nagar include two male infants aged four and one.
A High Court Judge tested positive in Jammu this evening.
Office of the Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha announced capping of persons at the functions and closure of educational institutions through two tweets this morning which was followed by detailed order issued by Simrandeep Singh, Member-Secretary State Executive Committee (SEC).
“In view of rising trend in COVID-19 cases in J&K & likelihood of children getting infected & transmitting infection in large numbers, all classes up to & including Class 9 in schools will be closed for 2 weeks in all schools beginning on Monday, 5 April till 18 April 2021 in J&K,” the first tweet from the Lieutenant Governor’s office said.
Another tweet from the LG’s office said Classes 10, 11 & 12 will also be closed for one week in all schools from Monday, 5 April 2021 till 11 April 2021 in entire J&K. Further, all gatherings for social and customary functions will be restricted to 200 only after following due COVID SOPs.
A detailed order issued by the SEC later said exams for Classes 10th and 12th will be held as per schedule.
“There will be a ceiling of 200 persons on all kinds of social and customary gatherings/functions subject to strict adherence of COVID protocol already prevalent in this connection. The COVID Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) already issued on March 30 will continue to apply in all cases,” the SEC order said.
The University of Jammu has postponed exams which were scheduled to be held up to 10th of April. An order said fresh dates will be communicated later. However, the minor/other exams as notified by the respective Departments of the University will be conducted as per schedule.
Meanwhile, a 70-year-old man hailing from Toph Sherkhanian on the outskirts of Jammu City died of ailments and COVID-19 in the Government Medical College (GMC) Jammu today, Medical Superintendent Dr Dara Singh said.
Seven tourists hailing from Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh tested positive for the virus at Ragunath Bazaar during Rapid Antigen Testing (RAT). They had returned from darshan of holy cave shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi Ji. Most of them were asymptomatic and opted for testing voluntarily.
Seven members of a Trikuta Nagar Extension family including two children of four and one years of age have also reported positive for Coronavirus.
During Rapid Antigen testing at Girls and Boys Hostels of the Government Medical College (GMC) Jammu, five out of 145 female Medical students who were subjected to testing, were found infected. Out of 86 tests conducted in Boys hospital, one student was found positive.
GMC Principal Dr Shashi S Sudhan said Boys and Girls Hostels have been sanitized while the Medical students found infected were isolated at homes and Gandhi Nagar hospital.
A senior IAS officer, however, tested negative for the virus. He was subjected to testing on return to Jammu from Srinagar.
Out of a total of 122 COVID positive cases reported in Jammu region today, Jammu district alone accounted for 92 followed by Kathua 11.
Other districts had single digit cases including seven in Udhampur, four Samba, three Doda, two each Ramban and Rajouri and one in Poonch district. Reasi and Kishtwar districts didn’t report any fresh cases today.
Thirty nine persons recovered from the virus in Jammu region, 19 of them in Jammu district, 16 Kathua, two Reasi and one each at Doda and Ramban districts.
With today’s positives, Jammu region’s Corona count has reached 53367 including 922 active positives and 51704 recoveries while there have been 741 fatalities.
The fatalities include 383 in Jammu district followed by Doda 64, Udhampur 58, Rajouri 56, Kathua 53, Samba 41, Poonch 26, Kishtwar and Ramban 22 each and Reasi 16.
In the meantime, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha today visited SKIMS hospital to enquire about the health condition of Member Parliament and former Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah who tested positive for COVID-19.
Farooq, who is being termed as “moderately sick” due to his underlying medical conditions, is currently admitted to SKIMS where his condition is being monitored.
Early in the morning, the LG reached the hospital and a team led by Director SKIMS, Dr A G Ahangar briefed the Lieutenant Governor about the current health status of Dr Farooq Abdullah.
On the occasion, Omar Abdullah, former Chief Minister, also interacted with the LG and expressed satisfaction about the treatment after he was offered to shift him (Dr Farooq) outside J&K for better treatment.
The LG on the occasion directed the SKIMS management to monitor the health condition of Dr Farooq Abdullah and take any call as demanded.
Notably, Dr Farooq along with his wife received the first shot of COVID-19 vaccine at SKIMS, Soura on March 2, however, on March 30 he tested positive for COVID-19 and was later hospitalised.
“In Srinagar, I met Omar Abdullah at SKIMS Hospital, Soura. Enquired about Farooq Sahab’s health and instructed the doctors to provide the best treatment. I pray for his long and healthy life,” LG, Manoj Sinha tweeted.
Omar swiftly responded to thank the LG for the visit. “Thank you for your visit to enquire after my father @manojsinha_ ji. We are grateful for the offer to shift my father, the doctors & other medical staff at SKIMS Srinagar are amongst the best anywhere & my father is getting the best possible care,” he wrote.
In the meantime, Kashmir today reported 451 COVID-19 cases while two persons died.
Those who tested positive include 208 from Srinagar, Baramulla 84, Budgam 41, Pulwama 10, Kupwara 16, Anantnag 17, Bandipora 18, Ganderbal 8, Kulgam 37 and Shopian 12.
Moreover, 189 more COVID-19 patients have recovered and were discharged from various hospitals including 150 from Kashmir Division.
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