Abid Bashir
Srinagar (NVI): Jammu and Kashmir government today said that 23 more cases were tested positive in the Union Territory, out of which seven people are non-locals who had managed their entry into Srinagar with the help of a local contact.
The total number of positive cases in the UT has now crossed 200 mark as the tally climbed to 207.
JK Government spokesman Rohit Kansal confirmed that total number of positive cases across the Union Territory has mounted to 207. He said that there are now 39 cases in Jammu while 168 people have been detected positive in the Valley.
“#COVID19 #JammuAndKashmir Today’s Update: Total positive cases in J&K now 207. Jammu-39; Kashmir-168. A detailed bulletin follows shortly,” Kansal tweeted.
Kansal’s tweet was followed by Deputy Commissioner Srinagar Shahid Iqbal Chaudhary’s tweet that read: “8 Covid positive in Srinagar today sounds panicky, but it’s not. This is a classic tracing success story: found a group of non-local visitors, acted fast, quarantined. 7/8 are from group, 8th their local contact. Please help report”.
However, panic gripped Srinagar as the news of eight positive cases spread across the district. Many locals in Srinagar blamed the government for allowing tourists to Kashmir without proper screening and questioned the screening mechanism that was set up at Airport and on Srinagar-Jammu national highway till March 19.
Srinagar being a congested area is highly vulnerable to the spreading of Covid-19 infections. The district administration has already declared 14 red zones in Srinagar alone and all roads to these areas have been sealed and nobody except health or essential supplies staff is allowed to go inside these areas.
Yesterday, Deputy Commissioner Srinagar, Shahid Iqbal Chaudhary said that 800 people didn’t reveal their travel history on time. He said had these people disclosed their details timely, the Covid-19 situation would have been better in Srinagar and Kashmir.
