J&K witnessed its youngest death due to COVID-19 on Thursday, and 18 new positive cases, including a doctor and eight patients admitted in hospitals, pushing the total number of infections to 793.
Meanwhile, a Corporator of the Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) was booked for hiding his brother’s travel history. The latter tested positive later.
A healthy 34-year-old man from Srinagar’s Hawal area apparently contracted the coronavirus in the hospital, where his father was being treated in a cancer ward.
“He was attending to his ailing father in the Super Speciality Hospital, Shireen Bagh, Srinagar, and developed influenza-like symptoms. He was admitted in the Isolation Ward at the Shri Maharaja Hari Singh (SMHS) hospital two days back and died on Thursday,” said Dr. Muhammad Salim Khan, Nodal Officer for COVID-19 at the SMHS.
The death toll due to the COVID-19 in J&K stands at nine now.
A senior doctor and two patients, admitted for different ailments to the hospital where the 34-year-old contracted the coronavirus, have also tested positive, an official said.
“Six previously admitted patients at the Bone and Joint Surgery Hospital, Srinagar, have also tested positive. One doctor at the Super Speciality Hospital has also tested positive,” said Dr. Khan.
Testing capability
Rohit Kansal, spokesperson of the J&K administration, said, “J&K breaks the 3,000 tests a day barrier, as 3,429 samples were tested [on Thursday]. With 18 more positives detected, the total [number of positive cases in J&K] stands at 793, with Jammu recording 68 cases and Kashmir 725. Our positivity rate is 2.1% and mortality rate is 1.13%”.
Corporator booked
The J&K Police have booked an SMC Corporator and his brother, who tested positive for the coronavirus, for hiding the latter’s travel history.
“After weeks of effective control, some fresh COVID-19 positive cases and renewed concerns in Srinagar could be traced to illicit travel. A legal action will happen. Please don’t put the whole population to risk,” said Deputy Commissioner-Srinagar Dr. Shahid Choudhary.
Sources said the Corporator’s brother managed to reach Srinagar in a truck in the last week of April, and tested positive only after locals were alerted about his arrival, forcing around 50 SMC Corporators and employees to go into isolation as a precautionary measure.
Srinagar Mayor Junaid Azim Mattu distanced himself from the issue. “I wasn’t aware of his reported unauthorised travel or arrival in Srinagar. Had I been aware of his brother’s arrival on the 26th of April and subsequent administrative quarantine on the 28th of April, I wouldn’t have endangered my own safety and health by allowing any proximity with his primary contacts,” said Mr. Mattu.
“I have been in strict self-isolation and home-quarantine ever since and continue to supervise SMC operations and initiatives from my residence,” he added.