The number of COVID-19 cases rose to 37 in Kashmir as eight more persons have tested positive for the disease in the Valley on Monday.Official sources told GNS that a number of test reports were received today, confirming eight positive cases. While four of them are admitted in SKIMS Soura, two each are presently in JLNM and district hospital Pulwama respectively, they said.Two among them are residents of Sedow and Ramnagri of Shopian district in south Kashmir and have a travel history to Indonesia.The duo had also shared a sumo vehicle on way to home from Jammu to Srinagar with a COVID-19 patient from Bemina Srinagar, they said.The two persons admitted in JLNM hospital include a father-son duo. Residents of Bemina Srinagar, the 61-year-old male and his 32-year-old son had returned from Saudi Arabia on March 16, sharing the same flight as that of the Kashmir’s first COVID-19 patient, a 67-year-old woman from Khaniyar Srinagar who has almost recovered fully since and her latest test came out to be negative.A senior officer at SKIMS also confirmed to GNS that four more persons tested positive for COVID-19 and include a 36-year-old a resident of Lal Bazar who had recently returned from Kolkata while two others include 30-year-old male from Saderkote Balla Bandipora who is believed to be contact of a precious COVID-19 patient while another is a 27-year-old youth from Soibugh area of central Kashmir’s Budgam district who has travelled to Orissa as part of a ‘Tablighi Jamaat’ and had returned recently.The other one is a 24-year-old from Noorbagh area of Srinagar and had returned from Haryana recently, the sources added.With the confirmation of the eight fresh cases, the number of COVID-19 patients has gone up to 37 in Kashmir and 49 in the entire Jammu and Kashmir. Earlier three fresh cases were reported in Jammu division, taking the number there to 12. Nodal officer for coronavirus control at SKIMS, Dr G H Yatoo, told GNS that 21 suspected persons were admitted to the hospital on Monday and their sample have been sent for the test.
Dr Yatoo, who is also HoD hospital administration of SKIMS, also “shares a very good and positive development in fighting against the COVID-19 Pandemic.”“The first positive case, an elderly lady with history of foreign travel and symptomatic thereof has responded very well to the treatment and, in fact, recovered with the repeated tests as Negative in 24 hours on the 14th day,” he said, adding, “She has shown progressive recovery and is being shifted to Level-II for further Quarantine purpose.”SKIMS continue to bear the brunt of COVID-19 patients on account of being symptomatic or falling in the line of suspected cases under various protocols, he said.Official sources told GNS that the CD hospital has been now designated full-fledged COVID-19 positive patients in wake of growing number of patients.When contacted HoD Chest Disease Hospital, Dr Naveed Nazir Shah told GNS that as per the new circular, only COVID-19 patients are to be admitted to the hospital now.“We are in the process of shifting the other patients whose test came negative to quarantine centers in Zakura and other government designated places.”Regarding positive cases reported earlier in the day, he said 29 test reports were received and of them 25 came out to be negative and four as positive. “Two of them are admitted in District hospital Pulwama and two others are at JLNM hospital.”Dr Naveed said that the administration has improved facilities and whatever shortcoming were pointed out by the patients “we have tried to improve.”“We have 15 samples of the CD hospital pending and nearly 100 samples which are expected from JLNM and other hospitals,” he said.Sources said over 50 patients have been shifted from JLNM hospital to NIT Dargah for quarantine by the authorities. As per the daily Media Bulletin issued by the government, 11644 travellers and persons in contact with suspected cases have been put under surveillance so far.As per the daily Media Bulletin on novel coronavirus, 355 persons are under hospital isolation and hospital quarantine.It said that 722 samples have been sent for testing of which 659 tested as negative. While 15 reports are awaited, 48 people have tested positive and among them two have recovered and as many others have died. (GNS)