COVID-19: 11 more positive, J&K total 49; 11644 under watch

Doc among 3 new patients in Jammu region, 5 areas sealed

JAMMU: A doctor working in the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMC&H) Jammu was among three persons who tested positive for Coronavirus in Jammu district, prompting the authorities to seal five areas of the city from where these cases were detected, and completely ban the movement of people in the city.
Three new cases of COVID-19 were detected in the Jammu region on Monday, taking the total number of patients in the region to 12.
The fresh cases were reported from Janipur, Gujjar Nagar and Bathindi areas. They also included a microbiologist currently posted in the microbiology laboratory of GMC&H Jammu, first so far.
Official sources informed that the doctor is the son of a retired Senior Superintendent of Police, and a resident of Gujjar Nagar.
“His family members, including the retired SSP have been put up in a quarantine facility,” they said.
“All staff working in the laboratory and others who might have come in his contact has been shifted to quarantine and their samples have been taken for tests,” they said.
The officials informed that the family members of other infected persons have also been put in isolation and their samples have been collected for testing.
All these patients have been admitted in GMC&H Jammu, they said.
With this the total number of infected persons in Jammu region has risen up to 12, including 6 from Jammu district, and three each from Rajouri and Udhampur district.
With two of them having recovered, the GMC&H Jammu has now ten positive cases.
Following the detection of these coronavirus cases, the district administration has sealed five areas of Jammu and completely banned the movement of people in the city.
"With immediate effect and till further orders no movement of any individual for any reason whatsoever shall be permitted into and out of Bhatindi and Sunjawan areas, falling under police station Trikuta Nagar and Gujjar Nagar area," Jammu District Magistrate Sushma Chauhan said in an order.
Another order issued later in the day imposed similar restrictions in Bhawani Nagar and Janipur areas of the city.
She said that for any medical emergency, individuals can contact 24X7 control room at 0191-2571616, 0191-2571912 and necessary facilitation shall be done.
The district magistrate said that in order to strengthen the coronavirus containment operations in areas where recent positive cases have been traced, they have intensified the lockdown in these areas.
"This is in the interest of public at large," Chauhan said.
Directions were issued to the concerned police stations to strictly adhere with the order and not to allow any person on road.
With the sharp rise in cases, the government on Monday also put as many as 5179 new persons under observation.
According to a media bulletin issued on Monday evening, 11644 travellers and persons in contact with suspected cases have been put under surveillance which also include 355 persons who are in Hospital Isolation and Hospital Quarantine.
The Bulletin further said that 722 samples have been sent for testing of which 659 have tested as negative and 15 reports are awaited.
“In case of any emergency people can avail free ambulance services 24x7 at their door steps by calling on toll free No. 108. Pregnant women and sick infants can avail free ambulance services by dialling toll free No. 102,” it said.
According to the advisory, Globally, COVID-19 has impacted several lives and is steadily increasing its reach.
“Government is taking necessary measures including imposition of lockdown to contain the spread of the virus to protect and safeguard the lives of people and it is therefore critical for each one of us to follow the advisories and take necessary precautions to break the chain of transmission of the disease,” the advisory read.
General public has been advised to avoid unnecessary visit to hospitals, in case anyone develops fever, cough and difficulty in breathing, seek medical advice promptly by calling on Covid-19 helpline numbers so that they can be provided correct medical advice and directed to the right health facility, if needed.
Meanwhile, close to a 1000 people, mostly Kashmiris, have been brought to the Radha Swami Satsang centre in Samba, which has been converted into a quarantine centre in the wake of the corona virus outbreak in Jammu region.
Most of the inmates put in this facility, mainly labourers, were on their way to Kashmir from Delhi and other north Indian states. Some of them have walked long distances after the outbreak of the disease to reach their hometowns when they were brought here.
Samba DC Rohit Khajuria said that close to 3,000 people have been put in nine quarantine centres across Samba district.