Six more +ve in Kashmir, cases up to 54

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, March 31

At least six persons were found positive for Covid in Kashmir on Tuesday, forcing the authorities to red zone 20 villages spread over six districts.

With the fresh additions, the total number of positive cases in J&K UT stand at 54.

“Six new positive cases confirmed in Kashmir division. All contacts of previous positive cases,” government spokesperson Rohit Kansal said.

Officials said most of the cases, including a mother-son duo, who tested positive today belong to Srinagar. All of them have contracted the virus from family members and relatives, who had travel history outside J&K.

Official statistics say nearly 12,000 travellers and persons in contact with suspected or positive cases have been put under observation across the UT.

At least 417 people have been quarantined in hospitals across Kashmir, over stretching healthcare facilities and workers.

Meanwhile, under pressure from public health experts for not following protocol and wasting space of hotels for asymptomatic persons, the government has shifted 78 people from hotels to home today and is going to continue with another batch of 220 persons on Wednesday.

“Why do you we need doctors for an asymptomatic quarantine facility? A pharmacist can ask questions and record temperature. Why do we need doctors to conduct case surveillance? It can be done by census workers. Why do we need to keep asymptomatic people in hospital quarantine? Just identify them to their neighbours and obviously they will not be allowed to move out,” said a senior public health expert.

As the number of positive cases is increasing, government spokesperson Sehrish Asghar said 20 villages in Bandipora, Shopian, Pulwama, Srinagar, Ganderbal, and Budgam had been declared as red zones.