Srinagar, April 17 (GNS): A 75-year-old man became the fifth COVID-19 fatality in Jammu and Kashmir where nineteen new positive cases were confirmed on Friday, pushing the tally in the J&K to 333.
The 75-year-old COVID-19 patient from Armpora Sopore in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district died at a hospital here, making it the fourth death in Kashmir due to the novel coronavirus.
They said the elderly had tested positive for the dreaded disease earlier this month.
Confirming the death, Dr Shafa A Deva, Medical Superintendent SKIMS Bemina told GNS that the septuagenarian was admitted to the hospital, one of the exclusively Covid-19 management facilities, on April 02. “The man was 70 plus. He was hypertensive and also was suffering from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD Asthma),” she added.
With due compliance to the guidelines by the Ministry of Health, she said the body would be handed over to the family of the elderly man for last rites.
Meanwhile, 19 fresh cases were reported in J&K, all in Kashmir Valley—nine of them are from Bandipora, eight from Shopian and two from Kupwara.
The Bandipora cases, sources told Global News Service, include a 45-year-old man and his wife (in mid 40s) besides 28-year-old man from Gund Jahangir area, all contacts of previous patients.
The others from the north Kashmir district include 42-year-old from Naidkhai, two residents of Gund Kaiser—17-year-old youth, a 60-year-old man—besides three residents from Gund Dacchan—15-year-0ld boy, and two brothers, one of the 64-years-old and other 58-years-old who are contacts of the previous patient.
With regard to Shopian cases, they said seven are male and a 45-year-old, all residents of Heerpora Shopian and contacts of previous COVID-19 patients.
The men include two teenagers—One 15 and other 19-year-old—besides 27-year-old MBA student, 28-year-old youth while three others are aged 30, 34, and 45 years respectively, they said.
Regarding Kupwara cases, they said; include the 12-year-old brother of a previous patient and their cousin 23-year-old from Muqam-e-Shahwali. Meanwhile, SSP Kupwara said that the Police Sub Inspector has tested negative for COVID-19. “We wish his family an early recovery. Precautionary quarantine measures will continue. We stand by our frontline warriors in their selfless service of the community,” he added.
There are now 333 cases in J&K. Of these cases at least 270 were added this month alone. From the time the first COVID-19 case was announced in J&K on March 09, it took about three weeks for the cases to reach 50-mark. It took the next five days to cross 100-mark, subsequent five days to cross 200-mark and few days to reach 300-mark.
From 52 reported cases by the end of last month, the J&K reached a cumulative tally of 106 cases on April 5.
Till date, the officially confirmed tally stands at 333—54 in Jammu and 279 in Kashmir. Five people have died due to the deadly infection in the J&K while 42—9 in Jammu and 33 in Kashmir divisions have recovered and discharged, leaving the active cases in Kashmir to 246 and 44 in Jammu.
Meanwhile, the government informed that till date, 59205 travellers and persons in contact with suspected cases have been put under surveillance which includes 7631 persons in-home quarantine including facilities operated by government, 281 in Hospital Isolation, 260 in hospital Quarantine and 27366 under home surveillance. Besides, 23662 persons have completed their surveillance period.
Moreover four more COVID-19 patients have recovered and were discharged on Friday from CD Hospital Jammu and one COVID-19 patient died today at SKIMS, Bemina.
It said that out of 6438 test results available, 6110 samples have tested as negative till April 17. (GNS)
