Srinagar:  A 67-year-old woman, who recently returned from Saudi Arabia, tested positive for the novel coronavirus (covid-19) on Wednesday, making it the first confirmed case in Kashmir Valley, a senior official of the UT government said. Overall there are now four confirmed cases of coronavirus in J&K with three already reported in Jammu.

“First positive case in Kashmir- Khanyar, Srinagar.  History of foreign travel. Arrived on 16/3/2020.  Put in Isolation. Surveillance started in 300m area. Request all to cooperate. Also Immediately self report any symptoms (sic),” Principal Secretary Planning, Development and Monitoring, Rohit Kansal tweeted.

A doctor at SKIMS said that she has a travel history to Saudi Arabia where she had performed Umrah. The doctor said that her report was confirmed from two places including SKIMS lab and Pune lab.

“The patient had developed fever, and upper respiratory tract infection since yesterday. She is currently being examined by senior resident medicine in isolation ward at SKIMS,” the doctor said.

Meanwhile authorities have decided to take samples of all people she has interacted after her arrival in Srinagar  on March 16.

Deputy Commissioner Srinagar Shahid Iqbal Choudhary said there will be restrictions on public transport, assembly of people and some other measures in Srinagar from Thursday. “Steps are being taken in view of a positive case detected. Further updates to follow,” he added.

Earlier, two more person with coronavirus-like symptoms were admitted to a Srinagar hospital even as authorities suspend the yatra  to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine besides suspending inter-state buses coming to and going from J&K till March 31.

HOD Chest Disease (CD) Hospital Srinagar Dr. Naveed Nazir Shah told GNS that the two were admitted in isolation ward of the hospital. “So far fourteen test reports have been received and all came out to be negative,” he said, adding, test reports of the two freshly admitted persons was awaited.

At SKIMS, no person with coronavirus-like symptoms was admitted on Wednesday and so far 40 persons, admitted earlier at the tertiary care hospital, have tested negative. Some of them have been already discharged.

Director, SKIMS Hospital Soura, A G Ahangar urged the public to exercise caution to prevent spread of the disease that has been declared a global pandemic. However he said that there was no need to panic.

“We have tested 41 samples here and 40 of them have come out as negative. There has been no positive case reported from the valley till date,” Dr Ahangar, flanked by several seniors doctors, told reporters. The result of one suspect is awaited, he added. He was perhaps alluding to the woman was tested positive later.

He said there was no need to panic or be scared about the disease. “People should follow the advisories issued by the authorities from time to time. Let us be safe, let us be wise and let us ensure that we help others to live as we live,” he said.

Meanwhile, the government ordered suspending the yatra  to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine besides suspending inter-state buses coming to and going from J&K till March 31 in view of the prevailing situation emerging due to COVID-19.

Kansal, who is also the government Spokesperson told a presser that there was no cause of panic and the cooperation of citizens is must in combating the situation successfully.

Flanked by Financial Commissioner Health & Medical Education, Atal Dulloo and Director Information & PR, Dr. Syed Sehrish Asgar, Kansal said that all preventive measures are being taken by the government.

Giving a detailed break up about the Corona virus suspected cases in UT of J&K till date, Rohit Kansal informed that 2802 persons have been enlisted for observation among which 2128 have been kept in home quarantine, 28 in hospital quarantine whileas 346 are under home surveillance.

He said that 300 persons have completed their 28 day surveillance period. 145 samples of suspected cases have been sent for testing so far out of which 118 have been reported negative, 03 are positive while as report of 24 is still awaited.

Spelling out measures being taken up to control and prevent spread of this Virus, Rohit Kansal informed that the yatra to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine has been suspended till March 31,2020. He also appealed all religious leaders to suspend all kinds of religious gatherings till March 31,2020.

Appealing foreign visitors not to visit J&K, Kansal said that all the foreign tourists or visitors arriving in J&K will be quarantined besides 100% quarantine will also be enforced on all the travellers coming from Union Territory of Ladakh. Kansal added that the government has also decided to operationalise 100% checking of passengers at Banihal Railway station while as all inter-state buses coming to or going from J&K have been suspended till March 31, 2020.

Urging people not to pay heed to rumors, Rohit Kansal said that the government advises people not to panic and to rely on the information released by the government in this regard. He reiterated that citizens must take basic precautions such as personal hygiene, hand washing, coughing and sneezing etiquettes and also report any symptoms (fever, difficult breathing and cough) to the medical authorities immediately in order to contain the virus.

Addressing the Press Conference, Financial Commissioner Health & Medical Education, Atal Dulloo said that the Administrative Council of the Union Territory of J&K has decided to provide free of cost Universal Health Coverage to all the residents of Jammu & Kashmir in convergence with Ayushman Bharat-PMJAY. He added that around 15 lac additional families will be benefitted under the scheme apart from already covered 5.95 lac families.

Pertinent to mention, the scheme will provide an insurance cover of Rs.5 lakh per family annually without any restrictions on family size, age or gender. The scheme will cover all the pre-existing illnesses besides high end treatments of oncology, cardiology and nephrology. This scheme will also cover employees, pensioners and their family members. (GNS)

Jammu: Jammu & Kashmir Administrative Council Monday accorded sanction to the Jammu & Kashmir Health Scheme which provides for free of cost Universal Health Coverage to the tune of Rs five lakh to each family of the recently carved out Union Territory.

The decision was taken at the council meet with Lt Governor Girish Chander Murmu in chair. The insurance cover will be in convergence with Ayushman Bharat-PMJAY, an official spokesman said. Now, around 1.25 crore residents of J&K will be provided the same benefits as are provided under Ayushman Bharat-PMJAY. At present, 5.95 lakh families numbering 31 lakh persons are eligible for benefits under Ayushman Bharat-PMJAY.  Around 15 lakh additional families will be covered under the Jammu & Kashmir Health Scheme.

Under this Universal Health Coverage, the beneficiaries shall be entitled to free health insurance cover of Rs 5 lakh per family per year on floater basis and there is no restriction on family size, age or gender. All pre-existing illnesses shall also be covered besides; cashless services shall also be available in all the empanelled hospitals.

The beneficiaries under the scheme shall have access to 20,853 (public and private) hospitals across the country and avail benefits with facility of inter-state portability. In J&K, 159 (public and private) hospitals are empanelled at present. It shall provide coverage to 1469 medical and surgical packages/procedures including life consuming diseases, such as, cancer and kidney failure.

Treatment for oncology, cardiology and nephrology related illness will be covered from day one including high-end diagnostic procedures during hospitalization. The beneficiaries shall also be eligible for coverage of 3 days pre-hospitalization and 15 days post hospitalization expenses.

As per the decision of the Administrative Council, all employees, pensioners and their family members are also covered under the Jammu & Kashmir Health Scheme. The employees shall continue to get Rs 300 per month as medical allowance to take care of OPD treatment.

Identification of the illegible families for getting registered for the Health Scheme will be made on the basis of socio-economic census 2011. However, the families/persons that have been left out in the census can be enrolled on the basis of a defined process.

Srinagar: Despite ban on foreign tourists Wednesday allowed the entry of at least four foreign tourists including a couple from Italy into Kashmir Valley. The entry of foreign tourists has been banned in Jammu and Kashmir as a precautionary measure to slow the spread of novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

The order to ban the entry of foreign tourists was recently issued by Baseer Khan, the Adviser to the Lieutenant Governor, Girish Chanra Marmu. Highly placed sources told Kashmir News Trust that four tourists landed at Srinagar Airport on Wednesday. Among those who arrived in Srinagar were a couple from Italy, a citizen from United States and one from Russia. Ironically, the authorities didn’t deport these tourists and allowed them to enter into Kashmir Valley.

Sources added that all the four tourists hired a cab outside Srinagar Airport and are staying somewhere in a house boat (name withheld) near Nehru Park.

COVID-19 has been declared an epidemic in Jammu and Kashmir, and surveillance personnel have been authorized to enter any premises to look for suspects infected with the Coronovirus.

District Development Commissioner Srinagar Dr Shahid Iqbal Chowdary said that all these tourists will be sent back from tomorrow. “There is nothing to worry. The advisory we issued last night but these tourists were already present in India and they have toured to Rajsthan and other areas. We have done proper screening but they will be sent back tomorrow,” District Development Commissioner told KNT.

Srinagar: Advisor to Lt Governor, Baseer Khan on Wednesday ordered inquiry into the entry of four foreign tourists in Valley.

“I have ordered an inquiry as to how these foreign tourists landed in Srinagar,” Khan while talking to GNS said.

Khan on Tuesday had said that strict vigil has been ordered to be maintained by officials at all entry points to Jammu and Kashmir to ensure that no foreign tourist enters the union territory.

Baseer Khan, who was allotted Tourism portfolio among six other departments, had said that the order has been issued in wake of the coronavirus being declared as pandemic.

He had said Secretary Tourism, Director Tourism and DCs have been asked to ensure implementation of the order with immediate effect.

Earlier, Deputy Commissioner Srinagar Shahid Iqbal Choudhary has said that four foreign tourists who arrived in Srinagar today will be sent back tomorrow. (GNS)

SRINAGAR: Deputy Commissioner Srinagar Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary has said that four foreign tourists who arrived in Srinagar today are being sent back tomorrow.

He said the tourists were not aware of the ban on entry of foreign tourists in J&K the government ordered late last night. He said these tourists were already present in the country and that there was nothing to worry about as they have undergone all necessary tests and quarantine as has been verified.

Dr Shahid said the tourists were screened and isolated despite being asymptotic but in view of government’s order banning entry of foreign tourists in J&K will be sent back tomorrow.