Coronavirus outbreak: 4 positive, more than 4,000 under Surveillance in Jammu and Kashmir

Jammu and Kashmir government on Monday said that 329 travellers and persons in contact with suspected cases have been put under surveillance and, so far, only four cases have tested positive in Jammu and Kashmir.

“2916 persons have been kept under home quarantine while 50 are in hospital quarantine. Persons who are under home surveillance stand at 878 while 485 persons have completed their 28-day surveillance period. 256 samples have been sent for testing of which 231 tested as negative and only four cases have tested positive so far, while 21 reports are awaited till March 23, 2020,” IAS Bhupendra Kumar, Director, National Health Mission said.

The Government Hospital Gandhi Nagar will be entirely dedicated for COVID-19 patients,  including the newly constructed 200 bedded block. GB Pant hospital, Satwari, Jammu will be made functional for isolation facilities. Further, Psychiatric Hospital will be converted into an isolation ward and the patients will be shifted to CD Hospital, Jammu.

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Indian Army postpones recruitment rally 

In the Kashmir division, apart from isolation facilities in its various hospitals, the government has decided to convert SKIMS Medical College, Bemina, Srinagar, C D Hospital Srinagar, JLNM Hospital, Srinagar and Police Hospital, Srinagar entirely for isolation purposes. It also said that the newly constructed IPD blocks in the District Hospitals of Ganderbal, Pulwama, Shopian, Kupwara will be used for stepping up isolation beds.

Indian Army has postponed recruitment rally scheduled to be held in April 2020. “In view of COVID-19, Army Recruitment Rally scheduled to be held at ALG, Rajouri (J&K) from 20 Apr to 29 Apr 2020 for eligible candidates of Doda, Kishtwar, Kathua, Jammu, Poonch, Rajouri, Ramban, Reasi, Samba and Udhampur districts of J&K has been postponed till further order from higher headquarters,” official statement said.

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District Magistrate Srinagar Dr. Shahid Iqbal Choudhary has ordered stricter restrictions on movement in the district; the decision was taken after several instances of non-cooperation and violations of restrictions from the general public were reported from across the district.

“The decision to impose stricter restrictions has been taken after taking into account feedback obtained from security agencies and reports of executive magistrates and considering appeals from healthcare professionals and members of the general public of the district,” the official statement read.

District administration Anantnag has put 50 students who arrived from Bangladesh in quarantine at Pahalgam after screening under medical surveillance as a precautionary measure.

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