Category: Union Territory

J&K breaks barrier of 2000 tests a day, says Rohit Kansal

Srinagar: As the Jammu and Kashmir government increased its testing capacity, 35 fresh cases of COVID-19 were reported on Sunday taking the tally of total number of positive cases to 701 in the Union Territory.

Government spokesman, Rohit Kansal in a tweet said that the Jammu and Kashmir has increased the testing capacity, saying that over 2500 people were tested in a day, thereby the target of 2000 tests a day stands broken.

He said that the positive cases have crossed 700 mark 35 more people tested positive today, taking the toll of positive cases to 701, adding 648 among them belong to Kashmir division.

“Finally J&K breaks the 2000 tests a day barrier. Over 2500 tests conducted in a day. New positives 35; Recoveries 33. Total Cases now 701(Kashmir 640, Jammu 61),” Kansal tweeted.

Officials told news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), that out of 35 new cases, 34 are from Kashmir division and one from Jammu division, adding that out of 34 tested positive in Kashmir division, 24 were tested positive at SKIMS Lab, 10 were tested positive at CD hospital Lab and one from Jammu.

Among the new 34 new cases from Kashmir division, 11 are from Kupwara, 10 from Anantnag, 05 from Budgam, 04 from Shopian, 03 from Baramulla and one from Pulwama

Dr G H Yatoo Nodal officer for covid-19 at SKIMS said that out of 826 samples tested in last 24 hours, 24 were found positive, adding that among them 11 are from Kupwara, 05 from Budgam, 04 from Shopian, 03 from Baramulla and 01 from Pulwama.

Dr Salim Khan Nodal officer for covid-19 at GMC Srinagar told KNO that out of 846 samples tested, 10 were tested positive who all belong to Anantnag district.

He further added that out of 10, 04 belong to Pushroo, 03 to Kharpora, 02 to Hillar and one to Shangus.

Officials from SKIMS said that out of 24 cases tested positive at SKIMS, 6 are of the age 3 and 14 while as officials from GMC Srinagar said out of ten new positive patients, 2 are of age of 3 and 14.

Officials from Kupwara said all new 11 cases belong to Gonipora village and are contacts of earlier positive cases. They said that with new 11 cases total number of active cases in district have reached to 43.

Officials from Anantnag said that out of 10 tested positive on Sunday, 9 are females and one is male. “The ages of females are 3, 14,26, 30, 31,31,55,66 years while age of male is 33 years,” they said, adding that total number of positive cases in district have reached to 109 including one death and one recovery.

Officials from Shopian said that out of 145 samples tested 04 were found positive who all belong to Hirpora village and total number of positive cases in district have reached to 81.

Officials from Pulwama said that a seven year-old grand-daughter of a couple who were tested positive three days before was found positive on Sunday.

Officials from JVC Bemina said that 27 more patients were discharged from the hospital after their recovery and were advised to go for quarantine for 14 days.

Among 27, 19 belong to Bandipora, 7 to Baramulla and 1 from Budgam, they said, adding that so far 77 patients were discharged from the hospital after their recovery and 96 patients are undergoing treatment at the hospital.

Officials from the Jammu said that a new case is from Samba belonging to Saroor area and with new case total number of positive cases in district have reached to 07 including four recoveries.

Pertinently with new 35 cases, the total number of positive cases in Jammu and Kashmir has reached to 701 including 61 from Jammu and 640 from Kashmir division.

As per officials figures 128 positive cases including one death and 55 recoveries are from Bandipora, 109 positive cases including one death and recovery are from are Anantnag, 106 including two deaths and 70 recoveries are from Srinagar, 91 including 34 recoveries and 3 deaths are from Baramulla, 81 including 19 recoveries are from Shopian, 66 including 23 recoveries are from Kupwara, 26 including 12 recoveries are from Budgam, 14 with all fourteen recoveries are from Ganderbal, 11 including 03 recoveries are from Kulgam and 08 including 03 recoveries are from Pulwama.

In Jammu division, all 26 patients have recovered in Jammu district , 20 including one death and 19 recoveries are from Udhampur, 7 with four recoveries are from Samba and 4 including three recoveries are from Rajouri , one from Kishtwar who has also recovered and one active case each from Ramban, Kuthua and Reasi.

As per the daily information bulletin 75,838 persons in Jammu and Kashmir are under observation while as 10751 persons have been kept under home quarantine besides that 406 persons are in hospital isolation while as 183 persons are under hospital quarantine.

According to the bulletin, 57,386 persons have completed surveillance period and 7,104 persons are under home surveillance besides that so far results of 26,038 samples are available.

Out of 26,038 the number of samples tested negative stands at 25337 while as 701 have been tested positive, among them 406 are active and 287 persons have recovered and 8 persons have died—(KNO)

Testing capacity increased further, 2500 tests conducted today: Kansal

Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir administration on Sunday informed that 35 people were tested positive for deadly Coronavirus today while 33 patients have also recovered.

Government spokesman, Rohit Kansal in a tweet informed that the Jammu and Kashmir has increased the testing capacity, saying that over 2500 people were tested in a day.

He said that the positive cases has crossed 700-mark too as more 35 persons were tested positive today, taking the toll of positive cases to 701, adding 648 among them belong to Kashmir division.

“Finally J&K breaks the 2000 tests a day barrier. Over 2500 tests conducted in a day. New positives 35; Recoveries 33. Total Cases now 701( Kashmir 640, Jammu 61),” Kansal tweeted—(KNO)

Srinagar: The SKIMS Bemina has emerged a major hospital to treat COVID-19 patients with the recovery percentage 50 so far, which is highest in any hospital of Jammu and Kashmir.

The SKIMS Bemina has been designated as COVID-19 hospital in view surge of coronavirus cases in Kashmir. The coronavirus infections are touching 700 in Jammu and Kashmir and around 80 percent cases reported in the valley alone.

However, the valley is showing a healthy recovery rate better then national average. The national average recovery rate is 29 percent.

As per official details accessed by news agency KINS, at least 149 COVID-19 patients have been admitted to SKIMS Bemina since April 3. Among them 74 have been fully recovered. The recovery percentage of COVID patients at SKIMS Bemina is 50 percent which is highest in any hospital across Jammu and Kashmir.

On Sunday, 27 more patients were discharged from the hospital.

“These patients were referred from various hospitals and were admitted to SKIMS Bemina over two weeks before. They have been treated and have fully recovered. Among them 19 are from Bandipora, seven from Baramulla and one from Budgam,” a senior doctor of SKIMS Bemina said.

The treatment administered to patients as per the doctor is being given as per the Indian Council of Medical Research guidelines.

The doctor told KINS that the SKIMS Bemina has witnessed highest recovery rate in Jammu and Kashmir despite some people tried to show the hospital in a bad light.

“We have highest recovery rate because doctors and nurses have been at the forefront to treat patients.

The doctors are being given fully protective gear. Despite some people post on social media that SKIMS Bemina doctors were not given proper protective gear, we have highest percentage of recovery rate in J&K. This clearly indicates some people deliberately target the hospital for their vested interests,” the doctor added. (KINS)

Srinagar: 27 persons, who were hospitalized, after testing positive for Coronavirus in the first week of last month, were discharged from JVC SKIMS Hospital here in Bemina Srinagar, after repeatedly testing negative for the infection, they had contracted.

An official told KNT that 27 patients were discharged from the hospital after their recovery from lethal Covid-19 infection. He added that out of these 27 recovered patients, 19 hail from Bandipora, 7 from Baramulla and one is the resident of Central Kashmir’s Budgam district.

“These patients have recovered successfully but still they have been advised to go for quarantine for two more weeks,” he said.

The official added that so for 77 patients have been discharged successfully from JVC SKIMS Hospital. He said there are still 96 Covid-19 patients admitted in the hospital.

Pertinently, there are 666 cases in Jammu and Kashmir out of which 404 are active. (KNT)

Srinagar: Two army officers – a colonel, major, two soldiers and a police sub-inspector were killed in an overnight gunbattle at Handwara area of north Kashmir’s Kupwara district. Two militants were also killed in the encounter, army officials said today.

A deadly encounter broke out at Changimul area of Handawara late on Saturday evening between militants and the security forces after joint teams of forces laid a siege in the area on the basis of a specific lead about presence of militants hiding in the area. Today’s gunfight has been the deadliest ever in the recent past where security forces suffered heavy causalities. This year, security forces have been able to kill over 50 militants of which 34 have been killed since the outbreak of pandemic Covid 19 alone.

Defence Spokesman in Srinagar, Colonel Rajesh Kalia told news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), that based on the intelligence input that militants were taking the civilian inmates of a house in Changimula, Handwara as hostages, joint operation was launched by army and the police.

“A team comprising five army and JK police officers entered the house and to evacuate the civilians. However, during the process, the team was subjected to heavy volume of firefight. Two militants were killed,” Colonel Kalia said. He said that in the ensuing encounter, security forces personnel comprising two army officers (a colonel and a major) two soldiers and one JK police sub-inspector were killed.

Defence sources said that the operation was concluded and the bodies of two slain militants have been recovered from the site of encounter. The bodies of slain army officers, soldiers and the police officer have also been retrieved. It may be recalled that the operation as started by the army’s 15 and 21 RR while as the para commandoes of 9 para were also rushed to the spot. A house where militants were hiding was also damaged in the gunfight—(KNO)

Srinagar: Army on Sunday said that five security men including a colonel and a major besides a police officer were killed after they “successfully extricated civilians held hostage by militants” in Chanjimullah Rajwar area of Handwara in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district.

“Based on the intelligence input that militants were taking the civilian inmates of a house in Changimul, Handwara of Kupwara district hostage, a joint operation was launched by Army and JK Police on 02 May 2020,” army’s Srinagar based spokesman Col Rajesh Kalia in a statement issued here said.

A team comprising of five Army and JK Police personnel entered the target area occupied by the militants to evacuate the civilians, the spokesman said.

“The team of Army and JK Police entered the target area, and successfully extricated the civilians. However, during the process, the team was subjected to heavy volume of fire by the militants,” the spokesman said.

In the ensuing fire fight, two militants were eliminated and the team of five Security Forces Personnel comprising of two Army officers, two Army soldiers and one JK Police Sub Inspector attained martyrdom in the service to the Nation,” the spokesman added.

Srinagar: A woman from red zone area who delivered baby at Lal Ded (LD) hospital in Srinagar on Friday night has been tested positive for Novel Coronavirus on Saturday.

A senior health official at LD hospital told news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that two doctors and eight nurses have been put under quarantine after the lady was tested positive for COVID-19.

He said that a pregnant lady from Achabal area was taken to a local hospital in Achabal wherefrom she was shifted to Maternity and Child Care hospital Anantnag. The authorities there too referred her to JVC Bemina following which she visited LD hospital on Friday.

She was shifted from all hospitals for the reason that she belonged to red zone area. However at LD hospital, she concealed her red zone history with a reason if she will disclose her history, doctors won’t treat her, he said, adding that she was treated as normal patient.

He said she should have been treated locally and then shifted to JVC Bemina but shifting her to LD hospital without informing about her history has put whole LD at risk. He said her sample was taken at Achabal on 30th March and today she has been tested positive for Novel COVID-19. She has now been shifted to JVC Bemina, he said.

Sources said after soon after reports came that she has been tested positive for civid-19, panic gripped LD hospital and many of her close contacts were put under quarantine, their samples were taken whose reports are yet to come –(KNO)

Langate: Panic has gripped the residents of Gonipora area of Handwara in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district after a barber tested positive for novel coronavirus.

Sources told, that the barber who tested positive on Friday was regularly attending the customers and would visit different places to make hair and beard of people.

“He had come in contact with number of people including his family members, customers and other people,” sources said.

Official sources disclosed that the family members of barber have been to various places during last few days and his wife and sister were also allowed to move out of red zone area.

“The contacts of barber are uncountable and the real challenge now is to track all of them and may have contracted the deadly virus after meeting the barber,” officials said.

Sources also said that the barber a few days ago has made the hair and beard of health worker who was tested positive on April 25 last month.

A top health official told that it’s the failure of those who were assigned to look after the red zone and not to allow the people come out of the containment zone. “The barber was allowed to work for days without any precautions.”

He said the containment zone should be sealed completely, there should be no movement or activity to ensure zero transmission but the failure is to the extent that even barber’s close contacts have visited several places leaving all in distress.

Block Medical Officer, Zachaldara, Dr. Tahir Sajad told that so far only 8 contacts of barber have been traced but they are working on it as local rapid response team (RRT) is on it.

He said the barber is contact of the health worker but he belongs to Gonipora block and they are also communicating with the teams there to track the possible contacts.

Meanwhile, deputy Commissioner Kupwara, Anshul Garg informed that samples of 44 suspects were collected today based on contact tracing in red zone ITI Handwara and process shall continue to break the chain.

He said that 2 more patients have recovered in Kupwara today thus reducing the total number of active cases to 32. Pertinently, 55 people have tested positive for novel coronavirus in Kupwara district of which 23 have recovered with no fatality. (KNO)

Market checking suqads nowhere in-sight

Srinagar: The consumers here said that vendors resort to “open loot” leaving the people fuming.

People here in the Srinagar city alleged that vegetable sellers, fruit and street vendors resort to open black-marketing by selling fruits, vegetables at the prices of their choice even as many mutton and poultry sellers were also found selling mutton and poultry at much higher rates than the one fixed by the government.

“I went to buy some vegetables and found that tomatoes were sold at Rs 40 per kg, cabbage and Raddish each 40, Saag 50. Isn’t this an open loot,” said Habib-ullah, a resident of Bemina Chowk, Srinagar.

Many people echoed similar views and stated that there is no check by the government as the street vendors and vegetable sellers are selling things at their own choice.

“Look at the mutton dealers; they are selling meat at the rate of Rs 600 per kg while as government rate is Rs 450 only. One dozen bananas are sold at Rs 100 and watermelon at Rs 40 per Kg,” said Gulshan Ara, a customer, who had reached Batamaloo to buy fruit for her children.

The black-marketing has peaked in Kashmir at a time when people are in tight grip of panic and fear due to the pandemic Covid-19 that has left the entire world by a storm.

Ghulam Muhammad Khan, an elderly street vendor said that he has a family to feed and the lockdown will leave him and his family starved. “I have kept less profit for fruit and vegetables while others are selling the same items at much higher rates. God is watching everything, if we won’t change ourselves at this time of crisis, we will never change then,” said white-bearded Khan with wrinkles on his face visible.

He said there should have been special teams to check how vendors are fleecing people but none is visible on ground.(KINS)

Div com appeals people to cooperate, ‘lockdown is for your safety not to prevent any law & order issue’

Srinagar: As the deadly coronavirus is spreading fast in Kashmir valley, the Divisional commissioner P. K Pole Saturday made a fervent appeal to the people to follow the lockdown orders of the government to save themselves.

“We are trying our level best to prevent spread of Covid-19 in the valley. People must understand that this lockdown is not for preventing any law and order issue, but it is to save lives,” Divisional commissioner told news agency KINS.

He said that many people are still not taking the lockdown seriously. “Please save yourself, save your family, follow the instructions seriously. I request you to follow all the directions,” he said.

Sources said that at several places people were seen roaming and gathering, as a consequence of which directions have been passed to police and district administration to act tough which may include lodging FIRs against erring citizens.

The Divisional commissioner said that the administration was taking all the possible steps to keep the people safe and that people need to cooperate.

“There will be strict restrictions in the areas declared red zones and the people will stay in their homes to ensure complete lockdown. Strict action will be taken against those who violate the prohibitory orders,” he said.

According to officials, people are thronging markets particularly after the deployment is lifted which is clear violation of lockdown as it is meant for 24 hours.

Authorities have booked dozens of people for violating government orders aimed at preventing the spread of coronavirus.

Reliable sources in the administration revealed that whosoever trespasses the lockdown will face a huge fine or a jail term of at least six months.

Official sources privy to the administration’s decision said that if people do not abide by the lockdown orders which have been imposed across Jammu and Kashmir in view of the rising coronavirus cases in the valley, the violators will face huge fine and even could be lodged to jail.

“Whosoever irrespective of his/her official position/status will face the huge fine or a jail term upto six months,” an official, privy to the decision revealed. “There is no room for any exemption. Everybody has to obey and fully abide the government’s orders and decisions as they are aimed at the security of people.”

It is to mention here that the administration Saturday said that the entire Valley will be treated as red zone and no relaxation except those permissible in such cases will be allowed. The decision comes in the wake of the two-week-long extension in the national lockdown beginning on Monday.

Divisional commissioner has said that there is very little difference between the red and the orange zones given the type of restrictions to be imposed and the level of caution to be exercised.

“We cannot afford to lower the guard at this time. All the ten districts of the Valley will be treated as the red zone till further orders,” he had said.

Interestingly no district in the Jammu division has been classified as the red zone as all the ten districts of Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Reasi, Udhampur, Ramban, Poonch, Rajouri, Doda and Kishtwar have been classified as orange zone. (KINS)