A 65-year-old religious teacher, who was earlier tested positive for novel coronavirus on Thursday died at Chest Disease hospital in Srinagar triggering panic among the local residents who remained in close touch with him before he was admitted in the hospital on March 21. Four close contacts of this patient had already tested positive on Wednesday.
Large number of other contacts on Thursday reported across different hospitals in Kashmir valley and offered voluntary testing to confirm whether they have contracted the virus or not.
Meanwhile, two more positive cases were reported from Srinagar on Thursday.
The district magistrate, Srinagar also ordered the closure of all places of worship, including mosques and gurdwaras, to prevent the further spread of coronavirus disease in the district.
Spokesman of the Jammu & Kashmir Government, Rohit Kansal tweeted, “Siblings (7 years old and 8 months old)- grandchildren of a confirmed case from Srinagar with travel history to Saudi Arabia who had tested positive on 24th tested positive”. Total number of active positive cases now 11, he added.
At present 12 people are being treated including nine in the Valley and three in Jammu region of the Union Territory after testing positive for COVID-19.
Thirteen patients are admitted at a Leh hospital.
According to official sources, the deceased patient had returned from New Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Jammu recently after being part of a religious congregation attended also by people from Indonesia and Malaysia. He arrived in Srinagar on March 16 via Indigo flight from Jammu and first reported the symptoms between March 18-19. he was admitted in the hospital on March 21.
The J&K Government has ordered an inquiry into the alleged mishandling of the patient after he was tested positive for COVID-19 at the CD hospital.
Meanwhile, second day of the 21 day long lockdown passed off peacefully barring stray incidents of violation by the local residents.
So far the police authorities have booked over 250 violators across the union territory of Jammu & Kashmir.