Atleast three new positive cases of coronavirus were reported from Srinagar and Bandipore districts of Kashmir valley while one patient from Srinagar fully recovered,bringing the total tally of active cases in Jammu & Kashmir to six on Tuesday.
Both Jammu and Srinagar districts witnessed complete lock down along with other districts as Government authorities enforced it strictly after initial hiccups and violations by ignorant people.
"So far, 279 samples have been sent for testing of which 253 tested as negative. Only seven persons have tested positive and of them only six are active positive and one patient has recovered. Test reports of 20 patients were awaited", reported daily media bulletin released by the Health and Medical education department.
Sharing details of the fresh cases, Spokesman of Jammu and Kashmir government, Rohit Kansal Tuesday tweeted, two more cases reported positive in Srinagar. One has confirmed travel history outside India. Full details regarding the second being ascertained".
In the evening, Kansal shared details of another positive case in a separate tweet. "Another positive case in Kashmir division. Patient, from Bandipora, with history of travel outside J&K but no history of travel abroad. Contact tracing on".
To further beef up capacity of the health care delivery system in these difficult times, the Government has decided to hire retired doctors (on contract) for a period of one year.
"Retired doctors to be hired against vacancies on contract for one year for FightagainstCorona in underserved areas. Decision in emergency meeting of Advisory Council", tweeted Kansal.
In Jammu, GMC Jammu was declared as dedicated COVID hospital for Jammu province. The hospital authorities were directed to ready it by Wednesday evening.
The OPD services at GMC and its associated hospitals shall remain suspended w.e.f 25.03.2020 till further orders.
GMC administration has also appealed to the general public of Jammu division to stop the routine walk in OPD services at GMC and its associated hospital and requested to consult telephonically for their disease aliment from the list of doctors provided separately and available on the website www.gmcjammu.nic.in of GMC Jammu. The telephone consultation time shall remain within 10:30 am to 04:30 pm.
Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar Dr Shahid Choudhary sharing details of a patient who recovered after receiving treatment tweeted, "Srinagar's first COVID-19 Positive case successfully treated".
According to official sources "a total number of 2928 persons have been kept under home quarantine while as 71 are in hospital quarantine.