SRINAGAR: The number of Coronavirus cases on Wednesday crossed 400-mark in the Union Territory of J&K as 27 more persons tested positive for the infection in Kashmir valley.
Strict restrictions on movement and assembly of people to curtail the spread of Coronavirus continued even as rapid antibody testing was going on in ‘Red Zone’ areas in Kashmir valley, where Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) have been issued for pregnant women in the COVID-19 Red Zone areas.
An official on Wednesday said that 27 more people tested positive for Coronavirus in Kashmir division while no new case was reported from Jammu.
With this, he said the total number of infected persons has risen to 407. “Out of 407 positive cases, 351 are in Kashmir and 56 are in Jammu,” he said.
Confirming the development, J&K UT spokesperson Rohit Kansal said, “27 new cases reported today. All from Kashmir Division. Total now 407. Jammu-56 and Kashmir-351.”
A 70-year-old patient died on April 17 due to Coronavirus in Kashmir valley, taking the total number of deaths due to the infection to five in J&K.
Bandipora is the worst COVID-19 hit district in the Union Territory of J&K with over 90 positive cases and one death. Of these, over 36 per cent of positive cases have been reported from Dangerpora in Bandipora, prompting authorities to put about 150 people in hospital and administrative quarantine. The rest of the people from Dangerpora have been put in home quarantine.
Officials said that over 80 Red Zones were identified in Kashmir Division and that such areas will remain red zones up to 42 days, unless no new positive case of COVID-19 is detected. “If any new case is detected in these areas, then from that date, the area will again remain a red zone for another 42 days,” they added.
Twenty six, including 25 from Kashmir and one from Jammu, tested positive for Coronavirus on Monday and Tuesday. As many as 118 people, including 111 from Kashmir and seven from Jammu, were tested positive for COVID-19 last week. Meanwhile, 138 people, mostly from Kashmir, were tested positive for COVID-19 in J&K between April 6 and April 12. Thirty-three new positive cases, including 28 from Kashmir and three from Jammu, were reported on April 4 and April 5, making it one of the highest jumps in the COVID-19 infected persons in J&K.
J&K recorded first death due to COVID-19 on March 25, when a 65-year-old man from Hyderpora died due to the infection at Chest Disease Hospital. Then, on March 29, a 50-year-old man, a resident of Tangmarg, passed away at CD hospital.
Earlier this month, a 54-year-old Bandipora resident, who was tested positive for the infection, died at SMHS hospital. Later on April 8, a 61-year-old woman from Udhampur died at Government Medical College (GMC), Jammu. (AGENCIES)
Follow our WhatsApp channel
