One person died and five tested positive for COVID-19 on Sunday in the Valley, taking the count of the infected to 38 in the Union Territory.
“Another patient from Srinagar died on Sunday morning. Besides, five more positives cases were confirmed in Kashmir, including two from Srinagar, two from Budgam and one from Baramulla,” said J&K spokesman Rohit Kansal.
With most of the positive cases having a travel history, Mr. Kansal said the contact tracing teams were reporting that despite many appeals people were still hiding travel histories. “A couple which tested positive in Srinagar on Saturday hid their international travel history. This is criminal,” said Mr. Kansal.
Meanwhile, eight members of a family including three minors, were quarantined on Sunday after coming in close contact with a relative from Bandipora who was diagnosed with COVID-19 on Saturday.
‘Community spread’
The 52-year-old man, who was reported dead in Srinagar’s Chest Disease Hospital on Sunday, hailed from Tangmarg in Baramulla district and his family said the patient had no travel history.
“This may be the first case to have contracted the infection from community exposure. The deceased had no history of travel or contact with any positive case of COVID-19,” said Doctors Association Kashmir president Dr. Nisar ul Hassan.
Invoking the Disaster Management Act and the Epidemic Disease Act, the Pulwama administration has declared many areas as red zones, banning any inward and outward movement of any person.
Meanwhile, the J&K government spokesman said it is taking a number of steps to combat the pandemic. “Our teams have been consistently and aggressively trying to trace out the contacts and test them. Testing in J&K is highest in the country with nearly 10% of surveillance cases being tested,” the spokesman said.
