Ladakh registers highest single-day spike with 245 new COVID-19 cases

LEH: Ladakh recorded 245 new COVID-19 cases, the highest single-day spike this year, pushing the virus case count in the Union Territory to 11,709, an official bulletin said on Saturday.

The detection of the new cases, 236 in Leh and nine in Kargil, during the past 24 hours, raised the number of active cases to 1,363, the bulletin released by the Directorate of Health Services, Ladakh said.

It said 47 patients were discharged by Chief Medical Officer, Leh on Friday after successful treatment.

The number of active cases in Leh stands at 1,295, while 68 others are undergoing treatment in Kargil district.

Ladakh had so far recorded a total of 132 COVID related deaths – 88 in Leh and 44 in Kargil - since the outbreak of the infection last year.

Meanwhile, chairman of the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), Leh, Shrikant Suse chaired a meeting to review the COVID-19 situation in the district amidst a sudden spike in the infection count.

The meeting was informed that 86 per cent of the new cases in Leh reported this month were labourers who have come from outside for work, officials said.

Suse exhorted Border Roads Organisation (BRO) and the Contractors Association Leh to ensure COVID protocols are adhered to where the labourers are staying or isolated, the officials said, adding he also directed them to ensure all medical facilities are provided to them.

Suse, who is also the Leh District Magistrate, warned of legal action against those who fail to adhere to COVID-19 management and directed the officials to ensure strict surveillance and monitoring of patients under home isolation.

The DDMA, Leh notified seven new micro-containment zones in the district to check the spread of the infection, the officials said.