Srinagar, April 8 (GNS): Jammu and Kashmir witnessed the highest single-day spike in COVID-19 cases on Wednesday as test reports of at least 33 more persons returned positive for the disease.
This has pushed the number of COVID-19 patients to 158–128 in Kashmir and 30 in Jammu.
“Thirty-three new cases were detected today. Out of this, 30 were in the Kashmir division and three in the Jammu division,” Principal Secretary Information and government spokesman Rohit Kansal said.
Among the fresh cases, 11 tests were confirmed at SKIMS Soura, 19 at Chest Disease hospital and three at Jammu.
A senior doctor told GNS that reports of over 100 samples, received from JLNM hospital Rainwari, District Hospital Pulwama and GMC Anantnag were tested at CD lab and their reports were received today.
“19 of them came out to be positive,” the doctor said.
Among these 19, the doctor said four are from Chattabal and Safakadal besides five Eidgah areas of Srinagar while others are from the south Kashmir’s districts of Shopian (8), Pulwama (1) and Kulgam (1).
Regarding 5 Eidgah cases, sources said all of them are from a single-family including 56-year-old man, his 54-year-old wife, and their two daughters—one 24-year-old and another 20-year-old besides 28-year-old son. They have no travel history and are said to be contacts of a 10-year-old who contracted disease last month by hugging a COVID-19 patient.
Regarding 4 other cases, they said include 32-year-old and 46-year-old men from Safakadal, both have travel history to Nigeria, and two are residents of Chattabal—60 year-old male and his 56-year-old wife who do not have any travel history to affected countries but are contacts of the previous COVID-19 patient. Others include eight persons from Shopian and have travel history to Maharashtra and New Delhi (all Tabligi related) while one is from 26-year-old from Kulgam.
Those who tested positive at SKIMS are said to be residents of Srinagar (5), Baramulla (1), Bandipora (4) and Kupwara (1).
Regarding four patients from Bandipora, they said have a history of contact with previous patients and are aged 16, 38, 30 and 36 years old respectively.
Five patients from Srinagar are said to have travel history to Nigeria and they are aged 33, 35, 31, 41 and 46 years old respectively.
One patient is from Tangmarg and he is said to be around 70 years and contact of the previous COVID-19 patient.
The other patient is said to 16-year-old from Kupwara who had returned from Nizamuddin New Delhi.
With these fresh cases, the number of COVID-19 patients in J&K has gone up 158. Among them, 152 are active cases—124 in Kashmir and 27 In Jammu. While four patients in J&K—one in Kashmir and 3 in Jammu—have been discharged, three patients, all from Valley have died of the disease.
Two patients were discharged from SKIMS hospital after recovering from the disease, the officials said
While three patients have died, six have recovered till now, they said.
According to the daily Media Bulletin on novel coronavirus (Covid-19), government said 40336 travellers and persons in contact with suspected cases have been put under surveillance which include 8494 persons in home quarantine including facilities operated by government, 518 in Hospital Quarantine, 130 in hospital isolation and 23364 under home surveillance. Besides, 7830 persons have completed their 28-day surveillance period.
The Bulletin further said that till date 2269 samples have been sent for testing of which 2116 have tested as negative, and 14 reports are awaited till April 08, 2020.
It said that two more Covid-19 patients have recovered and have been discharged from SKIMS Soura, Srinagar today.
The Bulletin urged the general public to stay indoors, strictly implement social distancing measures, disclose recent travel history to COVID-19 affected countries and report any contact with positive cases voluntarily.
The general public is 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. (GNS)
