Srinagar
One more person on Monday tested positive for coronavirus, taking the number of such patients to three in Jammu and Kashmir.
Officials said one more person in Jammu has been tested positive on Monday while one more person has tested positive in Ladakh region. “The patient had recently travelled to Saudi Arabia,” he said.
So far, three persons have tested positive for the dreaded virus in J&K while four persons have tested positive in the Ladakh region.
According to a Union Health Ministry briefing, the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the country rose to 114 on Monday, with Odisha reporting its first COVID-19 patient and a new case each in Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir, and Kerala total of 114 confirmed cases were reported in India by Monday afternoon.
An official spokesman said that 2478 travellers and persons in contact with suspected cases have been put under surveillance while as 2095 persons are under home quarantine.
Persons who are in hospital quarantine stand at 29 and 178 persons are under home surveillance, he said.
Further, the official spokesman said that 106 samples have been sent for testing, of which 98 tested as negative and only three cases have tested positive so far.
Authorities have already closed educational institutions including schools, colleges and universities in addition to all the coaching centres in J&K and Ladakh.
Health authorities have issued advisories asking people not to undertake unnecessary travel and avoid large gatherings.
All cinema halls, malls, public parks and gardens have also been ordered to be closed to avoid the risk of catching the virus in such places.
In a swift action on Friday, the administration placed Dr Shafqat Khan, the nodal officer for virus control under suspension for dereliction of duty.
Isolation wards and testing equipment have been put in place in two super-speciality hospitals in Srinagar and Jammu cities and the government medical colleges.
There is a serious shortage of hand sanitizers and masks in Srinagar and Jammu while authorities have ordered more stocks of these to be used by paramedic staff and the doctors involved in control and management of Coronavirus.
Earlier, the government prohibited airlines from carrying passengers from the European Union, European Free Trade Association member states – Liechtenstein, Iceland, Norway and Swiss Confederation – United Kingdom and Turkey.
“Travel advisories have been tightened as a preventive measure,” reports quoted health ministry joint secretary Lav Aggarwal as having said.
The blanket ban on passengers from these countries will come into effect from 5.30 pm on Wednesday, 18 March, health ministry joint secretary Lav Aggarwal was quoted by reports as saying.
