The J&K government on Saturday said the novel coronavirus variant B.1.617 was responsible for the recent surge in cases in the Jammu division of the Union Territory (UT), as 63 more people died due to the infection in the last 24 hours.
“As per the recent sequencing data analysis of the positive patients, B.1.617 variant is responsible for the surge in the Jammu division. The U.K. variant was found in more than 60% samples in March, 2021. In April the percentage of the U.K. variant dropped to 47% and B.1.617 increased from 5.8% to 38%,” said Principal and Dean Government Medical College, Jammu, Dr. Shashi Sudhan Sharma.
These two variants, officials said, were found circulating in the UT have UK and Western Coastal states as the sites, where the original virus mutated and their observed change in frequency in UT is through epidemiological investigation.
The UT reported 63 deaths including 37 from the Jammu division and 26 from the Kashmir division. “Besides, 3,677 new positive cases — 1,728 from the Jammu division and 1,949 from the Kashmir division — were detected,” officials said.
J&K has 51,475 active positive cases. At least 3,090 have died since the pandemic broke out last year.
Positive trend
In a positive trend, Srinagar has of late been consistently recording less than 1,000 cases per day. “Only 404 cases were reported on Saturday,” officials said. Jammu recorded 621 new cases.
The J&K government extended the lockdown for another week. “The Corona Curfew imposed in all 20 districts till 7 a.m. of May 17 is extended further till 7 a.m. of May 24. The curfew will be strict except for a few essential services,” the government said.