Newly-wed couple, 2 others of CMO’s family infected after marriage
*Govt allows home isolation of asymptomatic patients
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Aug 28: As the Government today revised COVID protocol for Jammu region allowing home isolation of positive patients with certain conditions like Kashmir valley, the Corona tally breached 200 mark after several days in Jammu region with 202 testing positive for the virus and 142 others during Rapid Antigen Testing (RAT) in City and Rural markets of Jammu district including Principal of the GMC Rajouri, four workers of Jay Pee Company at Pakal Dool, seven members of two families in Udhampur, three doctors and a Nurse while, in a first, four members of the family of CMO Poonch including the newly-wed couple were infected after the marriage party.
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“The COVID positive patients who are asymptomatic, have no co-morbidity and are not vulnerable otherwise will be permitted home isolation if they have separate room available in their home and have downloaded Aarogya Setu App on their phones,” an order issued by Financial Commissioner Health and Medical Education Atal Dulloo said.
It added that the positive patients will be provided with Oximeter to monitor their oxygen saturation and in the event of drop of Oxygen level below 90 percent, they will be immediately hospitalized. A poster will be pasted outside their home displaying therein that the residence has been quarantined. Reach out teams will be constituted by the Directorate of Health Services Jammu/Kashmir to monitor health status of the patients.
As per the order, all asymptomatic contacts of COVID-19 patients will also be allowed home quarantine and tested on sixth day of the contact. In case, they test positive, the protocol for COVID-19 will be followed, it said.
In a first incident of its kind in Jammu region, newly-wed couple, bridegroom’s mother and brother, who were family members of the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Poonch Dr Ghulam Ahmed Malik tested positive for COVID-19 soon after the marriage party at their native place in Surankote tehsil. Significantly, Deputy Commissioner Poonch Rahul Yadav, SSP Poonch Ramesh Angral and some senior officers of the district Poonch had attended the marriage party at Surankote.
The party was held after marriage of the CMO’s son. With one of the family members turning symptomatic, the family was subjected to testing for COVID-19. Four family members including CMO’s two sons, one of whom was newly married, his bride and CMO’s wife tested positive.
Other family members and contacts will also be subjected to testing for pathogen.
A total of 142 persons today tested positive for Coronavirus from various City and Rural markets of Jammu district during random sampling through Rapid Antigen Testing (RAT) by the teams led by Satish Kumar Sharma, Nodal Officer and Health officials.
They include 27 from Purani Mandi, six from Patel Bazaar, seven Raj Tilak Road, 10 Vegetable Market Parade, eight Pacca Danga, seven Lakhdatta Bazaar and Talab Khatikan, 15 Kanak Mandi, 22 Rajinder Bazaar, two Jain Bazaar, 14 Ragunath Bazaar and 11 Shalamar Chowk.
In separate drive conducted in rural areas, six persons reported positive in Khour and seven in Nagrota Dansal.
Dr Kuldeep Singh, Principal GMC Rajouri today tested positive for Coronavirus. He has become first Principal of the GMCs in Jammu region to test positive for the virus. Yesterday, two Medical Superintendents of GMC Doda and District Hospital Kishtwar had tested COVID positive. A number of doctors and paramedics have already been infected by pathogen.
Today, three doctors and one Nurse besides wife of one of the doctors tested positive in Jammu.
Besides the Principal, seven other tested positive in Rajouri district including three CRPF personnel. The civilian positives hailed from Darhal, Sunderbani and Dhanor.
Three members of a family from Swaran Vihar and three BSF jawans from their Paloura Camp also tested positive today.
Other positive cases of Jammu district hailed from Miran Sahib, Nanak Nagar, Preet Nagar Digiana, Panjtirthi, Sanjay Nagar, Roop Nagar, Gandhi Nagar, Nanak Nagar, Bantalab, Dogra Mohalla, ITI College, Kunjwani, RS Pura, Chatha and Sidhra.
A total of 23 persons today tested positive for COVID-19 in Udhampur district, Deputy Commissioner Dr Piyush Singla said.
The positives include six from Kallar Udhampur including three members of a family, four members of a family from Housing Colony, three CRPF personnel, two employees of IIT Company Ashram hailing from Vadodra Gujarat and presently putting up at Mantalai, three from Majalta and one each from Ward No. 11, Sambal, Padanoo and Ramnagar.
Twenty seven new cases were reported from Kathua district today including nine contacts of Corona patients and six having travel history.
Twelve persons were tested positive for the virus during random sampling. They were two employees of Chenab Textile Mills (CTM) Kathua, two from Jagatpur and one each from Logate, Ward No. 6, Lohai Billawar, Janglote, Ward 11, Ram Nagar, Ward 17 Kathua, Chan Arorian and Shiv Nagar Kathua, District Magistrate Kathua OP Bhagat said.
Four workers of Jay Pee Company from Pakal Dool, one paramedic and a traveler tested Corona positive in Kishtwar district today after which Deputy Commissioner Rajinder Singh Tara has declared the dam site Sewarbhatti, Camp Site Dangdooru, base camp Pinjra and Tehsil Dashan as Containment Zones.
Out of nine new cases reported from Samba district, three were BSF personnel hailing from Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Jharkhand, who had returned to duty after availing leave and one civilian each from Ward No. 12 Bari Brahamana, Sanjay Nagar Digiana, Ward No. 10 Samba, Ward No. 3 Vijaypur and Diani.
Of six positives in Doda district, four were travelers, one Healthcare worker and one who was tested randomly.
Five persons tested positive in Reasi and one in Ramban district.
As many as 195 Corona patients were today discharged from various COVID hospitals of Jammu region after testing negative for the virus, the highest being 124 in Reasi district followed by 38 in Jammu, 19 Samba, eight Kathua, three Poonch, two Rajouri and one in Ramban district.
As per the official figures, Jammu region now has 7968 Corona positive cases. Of them, 1725 are active as 6186 have recovered and there were 57 Corona casualties.
Meanwhile, the Union Territory of Ladakh today reported one more COVID casualty in Leh district and 48 new cases-18 in Leh and 30 in Kargil.
With 48 new positives, Ladakh now has 2540 Corona cases. Of them, 798 are active as there have been 1714 recoveries.
An old woman hailing from Chogalamsar died of COVID-19 in Leh district taking Ladakh’s toll to 28-10 in Leh and 18 in Kargil.
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