Precious Kashmir News
Srinagar, Mar 31: Six more people, including a 10-year old boy, tested positive for COVID-19 in Kashmir on Tuesday, taking the tally of the positive cases across Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir to 55.
The number of cases in Kashmir division has risen to 43, while in Jammu division 12 positive cases have been reported so far. “6 new positive cases confirmed in Kashmir Division. All contacts of previous positive cases. Meanwhile, contact tracing continues in both Jammu and Kashmir Divisions. Please let’s fight it together,” J&K UT spokesman Rohit Kansal wrote on twitter.
The ten year old boy, a resident of Eidgah Srinagar, tested positive for the pathogen and he had no history of travel. “He had hugged a man who later tested positive for the Coronavirus,” a senior doctor at SKIMS said .
He also confirmed that the boy’s test came out to be positive this morning.
Two among those who tested positive are presently admitted to JNLM hospital and had come in contact with a man from Bemina who has tested positive earlier.
On Monday, J&K recorded second single day jump in covid-19 cases as 11 persons were confirmed to have contracted the dreaded disease in J&K and included a doctor in Jammu.
In an ominous development, this was the first case of a doctor contracting the novel Coronavirus in J&K.
Officials said that the doctor was working as a microbiologist at the microbiology laboratory of Government Medical College Jammu. While the doctor has been moved to isolation, all staff working in the laboratory and others who might have come in his contact were shifted to quarantine.
Meanwhile, the government has said that several areas surrounding location of COVID-19 cases or untraced contact cases had to be sealed in Jammu, Srinagar, Pulwama, Shopian, and Rajouri in the interest of controlling spread of the dreaded disease.
“Aggressive contact tracing of positive cases key to control spread of #Coronavirus. Yesterday several areas surrounding location of positive cases or untraced contact cases had to be sealed in Jammu, Srinagar, Pulwama, Shopian, Rajouri,” tweeted Rohit Kansal.
“This is purely in the interest of controlling spread of #coronavirus, and helping identification of contacts on real time basis,” Kansal, who is also the government spokesman said. “Inconvenience so caused is temporary in nature but benefits will be immense. Request all to cooperate and take it in right spirit,” he added.
Deputy Commissioner Srinagar Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary said the sealing of the areas is important and indispensable. “With some more cases coming positive these areas will be restricted till all precautions and measures are in places,” he added.
15001 persons under observation
Meanwhile, according to the daily media bulletin on novel coronavirus (COVID-19), out of 55 positive cases, 51 are Active Positive, 2 have recovered and 2 have died.
Till date 15001 travellers and persons in contact with suspected cases have been put under surveillance which include 9895 in home quarantine including in facilities operated by government, 350 persons in Hospital Quarantine, 51 in hospital isolation and 3334 under home surveillance. 1371 persons have completed their 28 days surveillance period.
The bulletin further said that till date 861 samples have been sent for testing of which 804 have tested as negative, 55 positive and 02 reports are awaited till March 31, 2020.
Meanwhile, in case of any emergency people can avail free ambulance services 24×7 at their door steps by calling on toll free No. 108. Pregnant women and sick infants can avail free ambulance services by dialling toll free No. 102.
Furthermore a 24×7 toll free national helpline number 1075 has been activated for support, guidance, and response to health related queries on novel coronavirus disease. The government of Jammu and Kashmir has also set up helpline numbers in this regard: 0191-2549676 (UT level Cell for J&K), 0191-2520982, 0191-2674444, 0191-2674115 (For Jammu Division), 0194-2440283 and 0194-2430581 (For Kashmir Division).
According to the advisory, people are advised to remain calm & not to panic as the prevention, containment and management of COVID-19 in the UT are being monitored at the highest level and necessary action to protect and safeguard the lives of people have been taken by the Government. “The Government has undertaken aggressive contact tracing and testing campaign that is why surge has been found in the number of confirmed positive cases,” the advisory reads.
People have been requested to stay indoors, strictly implement social distancing measures, disclose recent travel history to covid-19 affected countries / areas and report any contact with positive cases voluntarily.
General public has been advised to avoid unnecessary visit to hospitals, in case anyone develops fever, cough and difficulty in breathing, seek medical advice promptly by calling on Covid-19 helpline numbers so that they can be provided correct medical advice and directed to the right health facility, if needed.
“People must take basic precautions for personal hygiene; frequent hand washing with soap & water; and observing coughing & sneezing etiquettes,” the Government advisory added.
Advising public to strictly follow the advisories issued by the government from time to time, the Advisory urged people to rely only on the information released by the government in this regard through the daily media bulletin to print & electronic media. Furthermore, people are advised to refrain from spreading rumours and pay no heed to them at the same time. (With inputs from GNS)
