Jammu & Kashmir: Five more test positive for COVID-19, total toll rises to 38

Five new COVID-19 cases have been reported in Jammu and Kashmir, taking the total number of Coronavirus cases in the union territory to 38. The news was confirmed by J&K government spokesperson Rohit Kansal in a tweet which read as: '5 more positives cases confirmed in Kashmir --- 2 from Srinagar, 2 Budgam, 1 Baramulla'.

Meanwhile, a 65-year-old man who had tested positive for the Coronavirus died at a hospital here on Sunday, taking the death toll due to COVID-19 in Jammu and Kashmir to two, officials said. The man, hailing from the Tangmarg area in Baramulla district of North Kashmir, had tested positive for the virus at SMHS hospital on Saturday where he was undergoing treatment, they said. The officials said he was shifted to the Chest Diseases Hospital after testing positive but died early Sunday morning.

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With this, the death toll due to the pandemic in the union territory has risen to two.

Testing rate over 10%

However, in the backdrop of the rapidly rising positive cases in the Union Territory, Chief Secretary, BVR Subrahmanyam has appealed to people to stay calm and not panic. The Chief Secretary said the testing rate in the territory is over 10% of those under surveillance which is higher than states like Kerala. He said medical capacities, response mechanism and other parameters are being quietly ramped up.

READ | Coronavirus: Jammu & Kashmir Records Second Death Out Of 33 Positive Cases

Hoping that J&K would overcome the crisis, Subrahmanyam complimented the frontline health workers, field administration and volunteers who are resolutely fighting on the ground to defeat the pandemic.

While Prime Minister Modi announced the country-wide lockdown on Tuesday evening, the union territory administration here had on Sunday announced a lockdown across Jammu and Kashmir till March 31 as part of its efforts to curb the spread of the Coronavirus. The administration said people involved in essential services including healthcare personnel have been
exempted from the restrictions.

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Valley in lockdown

Markets across the valley were shut and public transport was off the roads with only pharmacies and groceries allowed to open. Educational institutions across Kashmir have been closed, while all public places including gymnasiums, parks, clubs and restaurants have been shut down more than a week before the nationwide lockdown announced by the Prime Minister.

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