Srinagar: An elderly man from north Kashmir became the fifth COVID-19 fatality in J&K on Friday, where 19 fresh cases were detected taking the tally to 333.
The 75-year-old man from Armpora Sopore in Baramulla district died at a hospital here, making it the fourth death in Kashmir due to the novel coronavirus.
Officials said the elderly had tested positive for the dreaded disease earlier this month.
Confirming the death, Dr Shafa A Deva, Medical Superintendent SKIMS Bemina said the elderly was admitted to the hospital on April 2.
“The man was 70 plus. He was hypertensive and also was suffering from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD),” she added.
The body, she said, was handed over to the family for last rites following due compliance of the guidelines by the Ministry of Health.
The day, meanwhile, saw 19 fresh cases – all from Kashmir – being reported in J&K.
Nine of the new cases are from Bandipora, eight from Shopian and two from Kupwara.
The Bandipora cases, sources said, include a 45-year-old man and his wife (in mid 40s) besides 28-year-old man from Gund Jahangir area, all contacts of previous patients.
The others from the north Kashmir district include 42-year-old from Naidkhai, two residents of Gund Kaiser—17-year-old youth, a 60-year-old man—besides three residents from Gund Dacchan—15-year-old boy, and two brothers, one of them 64-years-old and other 58-years-old who are contacts of the previous patient.
The fresh cases from Shopian, sources said, include seven male and two females—one of the 15-year-old and other 45-year-old–all residents of Heerpora Shopian and contacts of previous COVID-19 patients.
The males include a 19-year-old, 27-year-old MBA student, 28-year-old youth while three others are aged 30, 34, and 45 years respectively, sources said.
In Kupwara, the fresh cases include 12-year-old brother of a previous patient and their 23-year-old cousin from Muqam-e-Shahwali.
So far 333 cases in J&K have tested positive. Of these cases at least 270 were added this month alone.
From the time the first COVID-19 case was announced in J&K on March 09, it took about three weeks for the cases to reach 50-mark. It took the next five days to cross 100-mark, subsequent five days to cross 200-mark and just a few days to reach 300-mark.
From 52 reported cases by the end of last month, the J&K reached a cumulative tally of 106 cases on April 5.
Till date, the officially confirmed tally stands at 333—54 in Jammu and 279 in Kashmir. Five people have died due to the deadly infection in the J&K while 42—9 in Jammu and 33 in Kashmir–have recovered and been discharged, leaving the active cases in Kashmir at 246 and 44 in Jammu.
Meanwhile, the government informed that till date, 59205 travellers and persons in contact with suspected cases have been put under surveillance which includes 7631 persons in-home quarantine including facilities operated by government, 281 in Hospital Isolation, 260 in hospital Quarantine and 27366 under home surveillance. Besides, 23662 persons have completed their surveillance period.
Moreover, four more COVID-19 patients have recovered and were discharged on Friday from CD Hospital Jammu and one COVID-19 the patient died today at SKIMS, Bemina.
It said that out of 6438 test results available, 6110 samples have tested as negative till April 17. (GNS inputs)
