Srinagar April 20: 13 more persons tested positive for the novel coronavirus on Sunday, taking the number of the COVID-19 patients in Jammu and Kashmir to 354.

Taking twitter, Principal Secretary Information Rohit Kansal termed it “some respite” but warned against any complacency, underlining that there was no reason for the same.

“9 new cases—8 from Kashmir Division, 1 from Jammu. Total cases now 350. Jammu Division-55 and Kashmir Division-295,” Kansal, who is also government spokesman, tweeted.

Later in the evening the government said four more people tested positive for Coronavirus in Jammu and Kashmir..

In another tweet, Government spokesman, Rohit Kansal said that four more people from Valley were tested positive in this evening, saying that three among them are from Bandipora while one among them is from Baramulla—both northern districts of Kashmir.

The toll of positive cases in Jammu and Kashmir has mounted to 354 while 299 among them are from Kashmir and 55 from Jammu region of Union Territory.

“4 new cases from Kashmir- 3 from Bandipora, 1 from Baramulla. Total positive cases now 354 (55 Jammu,  299 Kashmir),” Kansal tweeted.

Of the six samples which turned positive at SKIMS include four from Kupwara’s Muqam-e-Shahwali besides one each from Botengo Sopore (19-year-old youth with travel history to UP) and Gund Kaiser Bandipora (28-year-old male, a contact of previous patient).

Regarding Kupwara cases, all contacts of previous COVID-19 patients and include 62-year-old man, 45-year-old man (policeman), 23-year-old youth and 17-year-old teenager, they said.

“All are asymptomatic and contact tracing underway for aggressive testing in the Containment Zone already expanded to cover 19,000 souls as a precautionary measure,” Deputy Commissioner Kupwara Anshul Garg said. “Other 99 samples of Kupwara have tested negative. However, sampling and testing to continue in other Red Zones as well.”

Professor Farooq Jan, Medical Superintendent SKIMS Soura, said that 450 samples have been taken recently and of them 275 are still under process. “Among the reports received today, six came out to be positive,” he added.

Regarding two confirmed cases at Chest Disease Lab, they said, one is a 31-year-old policeman from Malpora, Sheeri Baramulla who was posted at a quarantine facility at Baitul Qareem in Bemina where several persons turned out to be positive for the dreaded disease later.

The other case is a 45-year-old woman from Batpora area of Kulgam and she had also contracting it while coming in contact with previous Covid-19 patient.

The one case from Jammu region is from Rajouri district—a 20-year-old labourer who had travelled on foot from Shopian.

Deputy Commissioner Rajouri, Mohammad Nazir Sheikh told that as soon as youth reached Rajouri, he was kept in quarantine. “Possibly he had contracted the disease in Shopian village where he was working,” he added.

Meanwhile, government informed that five more patients were discharged from JLNM hospital.

With these cases, Bandipora now has 81 COVID-19 patients, highest in all districts, followed by Srinagar (78), Baramulla (44), Kupwara 31, Shopian (22), Ganderbal (14), Budgam (13), Kulgam (6) and three each in Pulwama and Anantnag districts.

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 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 350—55 in Jammu and 295 in Kashmir. Five people have died due to the deadly infection in the J&K while 51—13 in Jammu and 38 in Kashmir divisions have recovered and discharged, leaving the active cases in Kashmir to 253 and 41 in Jammu.

Meanwhile, the government informed 61331 travellers and persons in contact with suspected cases have been put under surveillance which includes 5939 persons in-home quarantine including facilities operated by government, 289 in Hospital Isolation, 264 in hospital Quarantine and 23868 under home surveillance.

Besides, 30966 persons have completed their surveillance period. (GNS)