80,000 rapid testing kits for Red Zones
28 test positive in Kashmir, tally surges to 225
Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, Apr 13: A 4-year-old girl and 12 non-locals were among 28 persons who tested positive for COVID-19 in Kashmir as the number of Corona patients surged to 225 in the Valley and the J&K’s tally has gone up to 273.
Nine persons tested positive for COVID-19 from Bandipora, three each from Srinagar and Baramulla, one from Kulgam district while remaining 12 are non-locals from New Delhi who were in quarantine at Entrepreneurship Development Institute (EDI) Pampore since March 27.
Among the nine positive cases from Bandipora today eight are from Gund Jahangeer village where the 52-year-old man died of the COVID-19 last week. They include a 4-year-old girl, 50-year-old woman, her 30-year-old daughter besides three other women aged 31, 42 and 40 years besides two people including a 13 year old and 22-year-old. The ninth is 22-year-old youth, a resident of Naidkhai area of the district who is contact of a previous patient.
Those from Baramulla who tested positive today are two men – a 45-year-old and a 30-year-old – from Sopore while the other is a 70-year-old man from Tangmarg. All are contacts of previous COVID-19 patients.
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Those who tested positive in Srinagar include 50-year-old and 51-year-old women from Chattabal area, both contacts of previous COVID-19 patient, while other is a 27-year-old woman from Zunimar Nowshera area and he had travelled to New Delhi recently.
A 49-year-old wife of a previous COVID-19 positive from Kulgam district of South Kashmir was also tested positive today.
Twelve non-locals who tested positive for Coronavirus are from New Delhi. They were placed under quarantine on March 27 at EDI Pampore after the district administration traced them in a mosque in Bemina area of Srinagar. As soon as they tested positive, they were shifted from the EDI Pampore to SKIMS Bemina which was recently declared COVID-19 hospital.
This is the second highest COVID-positive tally in Kashmir since last week. Last week on April 8, 30 people tested positive for Coronavirus.
And today two children who tested positive last month were discharged from hospital after they recovered. Director Health Services, Dr Sameer Mattoo told Excelsior that two minor girls, who had tested positive last month for the Novel Coronavirus, have recovered and were discharged from a hospital today.
He said that two tests were conducted on each girl in a span of 24 hours and both came negative after which they were discharged. They were admitted to Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial (JLNM) Hospital on March 26. They were contacts of their COVID-19 positive grandfather who had travel history to Saudi Arabia.
Their mother who was with them in the hospital for last two weeks also tested negative for COVID-19 and their father also tested negative.
With these fresh cases, the COVID-19 positive tally has gone up to 273—48 in Jammu and 225 in Kashmir. Four people have died due to the deadly infection in the J&K while 16 others—nine from Jammu and seven from Kashmir have recovered and have been discharged, leaving the active cases in Kashmir to 215 and 38 in Jammu.
53679 travellers and persons in contact with suspected cases have been put under surveillance which includes 8581 persons in-home quarantine including facilities operated by Government, 354 in Hospital Quarantine, 250 in hospital isolation and 30634 under home surveillance. Besides, 13856 persons have completed their 28-day surveillance period. 3795 samples have tested as negative till today.
In the meantime, the administration is proposing rapid testing in the Red Zones in Kashmir but they have no testing kits. As Kashmir has 225 corona cases there are 74 red zones which have been sealed. The health officials are facing tough times to identify the people who are Corona suspects. For this they need rapid testing kits.
Director Health Services told Excelsior that J&K is getting 80, 000 rapid testing kits in a couple of days and once they come rapid testing will be started in Red Zones.
And the lockdown across Kashmir continued for the 25th day today with authorities acting tough against the violators of Government orders issued to prevent spread of Coronavirus.
Police and paramilitary troopers were deployed on roads and they had erected concertina wire to block the roads to prevent movement of people and vehicles.
And acting tough against the violators of Government prohibitory orders, Ganderbal Police arrested 12 persons for defying the restriction orders.
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