COVID-19: 73 fresh cases, one more death in J&K

The administration has conducted 1,01,950 tests so far, say officials

J&K detected 73 positive cases, two of whom were pregnant women, of the COVID-19, as one more death pushed the toll to 18.

“While 36 cases were reported from the Jammu division, 37 were reported from the Kashmir division. The number of positive cases in J&K stands at 1,390. One patient died at the SKIMS hosiptal in Srinagar taking the toll to 18,” said the spokesman.

A woman from south Kashmir became the 18th victim of the infection. “She was admitted to an isolation ward with comorbidity. She was suffering from necrotizing pancreatitis, having high mortality,” the doctors at the SKIMS said.

Of the 1,390 positive cases, 694 are active positive and 678 have recovered, officials said.

The officials said 31 patients have recovered and been discharged — four from the Jammu division and 27 from the Kashmir division.

The J&K administration has conducted 1,01,950 tests so far. “Till date 1,22,964 travellers and persons in contact with suspected cases have been enlisted for surveillance, which included 33,113 persons in home quarantine including facilities operated by the government, 86 in hospital quarantine, 694 in hospital isolation and 19,892 under home surveillance. Besides, 69,161 persons have completed their surveillance period,” the officials said.

Anantnag has the highest 252 positive cases in J&K. Two pregnant women from Kulgam, a 28-year-old from Khudwani and a 35-year-old from Chatawan, were among the patients.

Held for ferrying 126 migrant labourers

The Samba police in Jammu on Wednesday arrested the owner and the driver for carrying 126 labourers in two buses ‘illegally’.

“Taking an undue advantage of the restrictions imposed on public transport during the COVID-19 lockdown, Zimindara Travellers was illegally transporting 128 inter-State migrants from Jammu to Kanpur, Uttar Pardesh and was stopped at Raya Morh in Samba,” said an official.

The driver and owner of the travel agency Mahinder Pal Singh have been arrested.

“During the inspection, it was found that two buses carrying 128 labourers were stationed at Raya Morh near Zimindara Dhaba,” Deputy Commissioner, Samba, Rohit Khajuria, said.

The owner has charged ₹2,600 per head from the labourers for their transportation.

“All the labourers have been sent to a quarantine centre in district Samba,” the officials said.