Coronavirus: Jammu and Kashmir records first casualty

A man infected with coronavirus (COVID-19) has died at a hospital in Srinagar. This is the first COVID-19 related death reported from Jammu and Kashmir. The 65-year-old man psassed away in the early hours of Thursday at the Chest Disease Hospital in Srinagar. The principal secretary to J&K government said in a tweet. “Sad news. First death due to coronavirus. 65-year-old male from Hyderpora Srinagar. Four of his contacts tested positive yesterday.”

Deputy Commissioner Srinagar Shahid Chaudhary, in a one-word tweet, said, “Unfortunate.”

Srinagar Mayor Junaid Mattu said, "As we share the sad news of our first COVID-19 fatality, my heart goes out to the family of the deceased. We stand with you and share your grief. I also salute the brave doctors of CD hospital for their efforts.”

Reports said the deceased had a medical history of diabetes, hypertension and obesity. The man is resident of Hyderpora in Srinagar but originally hails from Sopore in Baramulla. He had recently traveled to New Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Jammu, Indonesia and Malasiya with Tablighi Jamat, an Islamic organisation, one of the biggest in Asia and outside.

The number of positive cases of coronavirus has risen to 11 in Jammu and Kashmir, while 5,124 travellers and persons in contact with suspected cases have been put under surveillance.

Out of 326 samples, 294 have tested negative while as 21 are awaited till March 25, 2020. The government advisory urged people to strictly follow directions of the prime minister’s 21-day lockdown to contain the COVID-19 pandemic. “People are therefore appealed to stay in their homes and take the lockdown imposed by government with utmost sincerity as carelessness of few can throw us into grave jeopardy, keeping in view the global experiences of countries which have been successful in containing the spread of COVID-19 through implementation of social distancing measures unlike some other countries where thousands of people have died,” read the advisory. On the implementation of social distancing measures, the advisory said that it is the key to stop and prevent the spread of coronavirus from those who are infected to those who are not infected.

The government has forced a strict lockdown, the second in last seven months, on Jammu and Kashmir, and people are cooperating. The administration has mobilised healthcare officials, police and government officials on a war footing. The Union Territory has also sealed its borders with Himachal Pradesh, Ladakh, and Punjab and put up screening facilities at all entry points to identify the affected people.