23 new COVID-19 cases in J&K, tally mounts to 546

As many as 169 patients, including 167 from Kashmir and two from Jammu, were tested positive for the infection last week in J&K.

Meanwhile, restrictions on movement and assembly of people to curtail the spread of Coronavirus was further intensified even as most of the people preferred to stay indoors in view of sudden spike in fresh COVID-19 cases in Kashmir valley, where the lockdown entered 40th day on Monday.

An official on Monday said that 22 more people tested positive for Coronavirus in Kashmir division while one new case was reported from Jammu.

“Anantnag recorded the highest number of six new COVID-19 cases, followed by Baramulla and Shopian with five cases each,” he said, adding three more persons were tested positive for COVID-19 in Bandipora, one each in Kupwara, Srinagar and Budgam.

He said one case was reported Reasi in Jammu.

With this, he said the total number of infected persons has risen to 546. “Out of 546 positive cases, 488 are in Kashmir and 58 are in Jammu,” he said, adding that 375 are active positive and 164 have recovered so far.

The death toll due to Coronavirus has swelled to seven in J&K after the swab sample of a pregnant woman, who died at a hospital in Anantnag on Saturday, tested positive on Sunday.

Bandipora is the worst COVID-19 hit district in the Union Territory of J&K with 127 positive cases and one death.

Of these, over 36 per cent of positive cases have been reported from Dangerpora in Bandipora, prompting authorities to put about 150 people in hospital and administrative quarantine.

The rest of the people from Dangerpora have been put in home quarantine.

As many as 118 people, including 111 from Kashmir and seven from Jammu, were tested positive for COVID-19 between April 13 to 18.

Meanwhile, 138 people, mostly from Kashmir, were tested positive for COVID-19 in J&K between April 6 and April 12.

Thirty-three new positive cases, including 28 from Kashmir and three from Jammu, were reported on April 4 and April 5, making it one of the highest jumps in the COVID-19 infected persons in J&K.

J&K recorded first death due to COVID-19 on March 25, when a 65-year-old man from Hyderpora died due to the infection at Chest Disease Hospital. Then, on March 29, a 50-year-old man, a resident of Tangmarg, passed away at CD hospital.

Earlier this month, a 54-year-old Bandipora resident, who was tested positive for the infection, died at SMHS hospital. Later on April 8, a 61-year-old woman from Udhampur died at Government Medical College (GMC), Jammu.

A 70-year-old patient died on April 17 due to Coronavirus in Kashmir valley.