J&K authorities grow worried as coronavirus spreads in ‘inaccessible’ areas

Dinesh Manhotra
Tribune News Service
Jammu, July 25

Authorities are worried as coronavirus has spread to the most remote areas of Jammu and Kashmir. 

COVID-19 infections were reported on Saturday from the remotest Chatroo area of the mountainous Kishtwar district.

“09 persons reported COVID-19 positive today. 08 are in administrative quarantine & 01 is shopkeeper from Chatroo area. Wearing face mask and maintaining social distancing will keep COVID-19 infections at bay. Plz understand”, Rajinder Singh Tara, Deputy Commissioner, Kishtwar tweeted.

The authorities are worried because cases that have been reported are considered as ‘inaccessible’ due to the unavailability of road connectivity.

For the last week, reports of COVID positive cases were reported from the remotest areas of hilly belts of Ramban, Rajouri, Doda and Kishtwar districts of Jammu province.

On July 20, District Commissioner, Ramban, Nazim Zai Khan had imposed a lockdown like restrictions in tehsil Pogal Paristan Ukharal following the detection of Corona positive cases there. 

These areas are the remotest and inaccessible belts of the district.

Ramban reported 90 positive COVID-19 cases on July 20. 

“Several cases now coming from #community and #preventive measures become more and more important. #stayhome #avoid travel”, said Deputy Commissioner Ramban in a tweet after a surge of cases.

The same situation at the border district of Rajouri where positive cases reported from the remotest areas like Kandi, Budhal, Thanamandi, Ghambir Mugla and some border areas of Nowshera and Sunderbani sub-divisions.