Abid Bashir
Srinagar (NVI): Jammu and Kashmir government today said that 12 more persons have tested positive for Covid-19, taking the total number of cases in the Union Territory to 380. The UT administration said that there would be no relaxation in 92 red zones of J&K, considering the present situation.
Addressing a press conference at Jammu, JK government spokesperson Rohit Kansal said that 12 new cases have tested positive today in J&K of which 11 are from Kashmir and one from Jammu’s Kathua district which has reported its first case today.
Of the new cases, 11 are from Kashmir and one from Kathua district of Jammu division, he said, adding that total number of cases in J&K is 380 of which Jammu has 56 and Kashmir 324.
Kansal further said that there have been 81 recoveries across the J&K so far as the government continues to fight the pandemic with all its resources. “There were, unfortunately, five deaths too,” he said.
The government spokesman said that that 60,000 people have been enlisted for surveillance of which 35,000 have completed mandatory 28-days quarantine. “Of the 380 cases, there are 294 active cases. 251 active cases are in Kashmir and 38 in Jammu region,” he said.
He said that so far, 75 to 80 per cent Covid-19 patients have been found as “asymptomatic” while remaining had clear symptoms of the virus. Kansal said that in J&K UT, there are 92 red zones of which 14 are in Jammu and 78 in Kashmir division.
“These red zones will be under strict restrictions, extra surveillance, and enhanced testing will be done for the people living there,” he said. “People living in red zones, hotspots and containment areas will have to face restrictions. We want to assure the people that administration and the health department are doing everything to minimise the inconvenience to the people.”
Kansal addd that continued support of people and cooperation has led to proactive contact tracing in J&K which has helped the government to arrest the transmission of the disease. “I would like to state here that our testing rate has considerably improved and at present our testing rate is 703 per million, one of the highest in the country. We are targeting 1000 per day,” he said.
“We are also planning to enhance the testing capacity by adding more labs. We are getting more manpower, automatic machines and ensuring all gadgets through the supply chain. We are also ensuring sample collection centers at all districts. This all has slowed the growth of virus,” he added.
He also said that the supply of essential commodities in Kashmir is normal and that 1,000 trucks have reached Kashmir today with essential supplies including fruit, vegetable, LPG etc. “We understand that a section of people is facing economic hardships and they are being covered under Prime Minister’s Gareeb Kalyan Yojna across J&K,” he said, adding that 2.5 lakh people have been benefited under this scheme so far in the UT.
