4 more persons die due to COVID-19, death toll rises to 159 in J&K

Srinagar, Jul 10: Four more persons -- including two from Srinagar, one from Kupwara and another from Anantnag -- died due to COVID-19 in the valley, taking the death toll due to the virus in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir to 159.
With these deaths, 123 people have lost their lives due to infection in 36 days, and 143 people in 50 day in J&K, where the COVID-19 positive cases have surpassed 9500-mark.
Official sources said that a 75-year-old man, a resident of Dadsun in Kupwara, was admitted to S K Institute of Medical Sciences (SKISM), Bemina on July 4 for pneumonia, diabetes and hypertension. “The patient, who was tested positive for COVID-19, died on Friday afternoon,” they said.
They said a 35-year-old woman, a resident of Srinagar, was shifted from SHMS hospital to Chest Disease hospital on Wednesday after she tested positive for COVID-19. “The patient, who was suffering from Acute Bilateral Pneumonia and Respiratory Distress Syndrome, died at around 0900 hrs on Friday,” they said.
They said that an elderly man, a resident of Habba Kadal in Srinagar, was admitted to Chest Disease hospital on Tuesday Community Acquired Pneumonia (CAP) with underlying hypertensive and diabetic. “The patient, who was COVID-19 positive, died early on Friday morning,” they said.
They said an 80-year-old patient, a resident of Kokernag in Anantnag, was admitted to CD hospital on July 4 for bilateral pneumonia. “The patient, who had tested positive for COVID-19, died late on Thursday night,” they added.
As many as 22 patients -- including seven persons from Baramulla, four from Srinagar, a two each from Budgam and Kulgam, one patient each from Anantnag, Pulwama, Shopian Jammu and Bandipora, and a BSF jawan -- died due to COVID-19 on the first four days of this week.
Ten districts of Jammu have reported 15 fatalities while 144 people have lost their lived due to COVID-19 in ten districts of Kashmir.
Doctors Association of Kashmir (DAK) has linked ignoring recommended precautions by people with surge in new cases and deaths due to the novel Coronavirus.
With these fatalities, the death toll due to COVID-19 has risen to 32 in Baramulla, which stand at number two. Srinagar is the worst affected district in J&K in terms of causalities with 39 deaths. Ganderbal district recorded the first death due to COVID-19 on July 4.
The number of death has swelled to 18 in Kulgam while 12 people have lost their lives to the disease in Anantnag. Shopian with 15 deaths is at number four. Eleven people have lost their lives in Budgam, eight in Kupwara, five in Pulwama and three in Bandipora.
As many as 41 people -- including nine from Srinagar, 10 from Baramulla, five each from Anantnag, three from Kulgam, Budgam and Shopian, two each from Kupwara and Bandipora, one each from Jammu and Ganderbal -- died due to COVID-19 last week.
“People have started thronging public parks, gardens and picnic spots. Playing fields are full, roads are chock-a- block with traffic and markets are crowded,” DAK President and influenza expert Dr Nisar ul Hassan told UNI.
He said opening gardens and parks in J&K at a time when deaths and new COVID-19 cases are on the rise is unscientific. “Economy should not be preferred over lives as gardens are not important for the survival of human beings,” he added.