Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh today reviewed the status of COVID 19 outbreak in J & K in view of large number of persons returning back to the UT and spike in cases. The Review was held through Video Conference with the Mission Director, National Health Mission, Director Health Services of Jammu and Kashmir Division and all CMOs of the districts.The Health officials briefed the Minister about the ground level reports and said that the spike was a passing phases as it was linked to the large number of persons returning to the UT who were mandatorily being tested for COVID 19. They informed that the detection of COVID 19 cases was a positive sign as the persons tested positive were kept in quarantine and the spread was arrested. They also informed that the testing capacity has been enhanced and now over 10,000 tests per million are being conducted. The Health authorities were using an ICMR App by which the Return Time of the testing process has been reduced to three days. Dr. Singh was informed that contact tracing for all positive tested persons was being done on a large scale to trace the COVID 19 patients who may have come in contact with COVID 19 positive persons.Dr. Jitendra Singh appreciated the efforts of the UT and advised the health professionals that there was no need to panic due to the spike in cases and that people need to be reassured that the UT was doing a good job and all positive cases is not only being traced but treated effectively in quarantine facilities. He said that people must be told that Red Zones were for the benefit of the people as it was for their safety and containment of the virus. Dr. Singh said that the spike in cases was expected in view of the increased movement of people. He said that the people must be advised to follow all the precautions and carry on with their lives and inculcate the same in lifestyle to successfully fight the Corona virus.