How did deceased Tangmarg shopkeeper contract virus? Family looks for answers

Srinagar, Apr 4: Mystery shrouds the contact person who infected the deceased patient number 2 in North Kashmir Tangmarg area.
Six days have passed since Kashmir witnessed second death due to the coronavirus, but there is no headway in tracing the source of infection.
The entire family of 13 is currently under quarantine. One of them has tested positive.
With no travel history outside Kashmir, the family of the deceased is trying hard to find the source of infection.
“The travel history of my father was from home to a shop. He would never move out of his village since he had undergone prostate surgery and suffered from a liver ailment,” his son, who is undergoing treatment for coronavirus at District Hospital Baramulla told The Kashmir Monitor over the phone.
He claimed that his father was not properly treated after he tested COVID-19 positive. “On March 25, we took the father to SMHS after he complained of fever and cough. For three days he was admitted. His tests came back negative. Later he was shifted to Chest Diseases hospital,” he said.
The deceased’s son said that he contracted the infection while tending to his father at the hospital.
“I had to enter the COVID room in CD hospital. I had no protective gear baring a simple mask which I got from SMHS. He finally passed away on March 29 and only three family members attended his funeral,” he said.
Even if it was not enough, the infection has jolted other members of the family. “My family including my four daughters are panicked after seeing my medical reports,” he said.
He said his entire village is panicked after the death of his father. “My village has been declared a red zone. People are very much scared and disturbed with my father’s death,” he said.
COVID-19 Nodal officer, Tangmarg, Dr. Tahir told The Kashmir Monitor that the source of the coronavirus cases in the area is still not known.
“We are on it and so far the source has not been traced. We are making efforts and have kept some people under surveillance,” he said.