Normal life came to a standstill in Jammu & Kashmir on the first day of the 21-day long nation-wide lockdown imposed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
Meanwhile, with four new fresh cases testing positive from Bandipore, the authorities in Kashmir valley stepped up their efforts to break the chain. Appeals were made to all those who may have skipped screening and deliberately hid foreign travel history after landing in Srinagar.
Spokesman of Jammu&Kashmir Government, Rohit Kansal Wednesday evening tweeted, "4 more persons, all from Bandipore, tested positive on Wednesday. Preliminary findings suggest they were close contacts of Srinagar patient who tested positive on Tuesday. All 5 reported to have participated together in religious event".
So far, 11 cases tested positive (10 active positive and 01 recovered) in Jammu&Kashmir. At a high level meeting chaired by Chief Secretary BVR Subhramanyam, Financial Commissioner Health and Medical Education Atal Dullo informed that the two confirmed cases of Coronavirus have been now tested negative after following due protocol in Jammu.
On the other hand, health department authorities quarantined at least eight contacts of a religious preacher, who had stayed with them in Teli Basti area of Bari Brahmana in Samba district of Jammu on his return from Andaman Nicobar Islands.
According to local contacts of the religious preacher, he arrived here in Teli Basti area on March 13, participated in relgious events and returned to Kashmir valley on March 14. The samples of all those eight persons who came in contact with him have been sent for testing in GMC, Jammu
Meanwhile, on the first day of the nine day long Navratra festival, main doors of famous temples remained shut and devotees stayed at home. Special prayers were only offered by the priests in famous temples of Mata Vaishno Devi, Raghunath temple, Ranbireshwar temple, Kali Mata temple located inside Bahu Fort in Jammu.
Shops, supplying essential items, remained open while markets remained shut and roads wore a deserted look.
In old city area of Jammu, policemen were deployed outside the main streets and concertina wires were spread to prevent movement of people in the walled city area.
Police teams were deputed on ground zero to patrol thickly populated areas. Complete lock down was witnessed across Kathua, Samba, Udhampur, Reasi, Ramban, Doda, Kishtwar, Rajouri and Poonch districts of Jammu division. The traffic on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway was regulated and trucks ferrying essential supplies were allowed to move towards their destination.
According to the daily Media Bulletin on novel coronavirus (COVID-19), 3061 persons have been kept under home quarantine while as 80 are in hospital quarantine.
Persons who are under home surveillance stand at 1477 while as 506 persons have completed their 28-day surveillance period.
The Bulletin further said that 326 samples have been sent for testing of which 294 tested as negative while as 21 reports are awaited till March 25, 2020.
Meanwhile, the Administrative Council which met here under the chairmanship of Lt. Governor, G C Murmu Wednesday directed the immediate release of all pensions of one month to give reprieve to the retired class in view of the situation arising out of the ongoing COVID 19 pandemic.
The Administrative Council also decided that in view of the difficulties being faced by them, ration packets be immediately distributed among the destitute and slum dwellers.
Teams of health department also visited several slum dwellings and spread awareness among the residents and educated them to stay alert and report any symptoms of virus.
Separate teams were rushed to different areas to distribute basic ration supplies to destitute, needy and slum dwellers across different places.