Monitor News Bureau
Srinagar: Kashmir Valley reported three more deaths due to Covid-19 on Monday, taking the fatality count due to the virus in J&K to 62. The day also witnessed 179 fresh cases of novel coronavirus in the union territory, 151 of them in Kashmir alone.
The cases, which included 79 CRPF personnel, an army soldier, a policeman, and two pregnant women took the overall tally of the Covid-19 patients to 5220 in J&K.
As for deaths, the latest victims include an 18-year-old youth from Handwara (who had bodily and head injuries as he was allegedly thrashed during a family feud) besides two elderly persons—an 80-year-old resident of Shopian and a 70-year-old man from Budgam district whose swab sample returned positive for the Covid-19 posthumously. While two deaths took place at SMHS hospital, another was reported from CD hospital.
“The Budgam patient with sepsis and bilateral pneumonia was admitted on June 14 and died on the same day. His swab sample returned positive for the Covid-19 today,” said Dr Nazir Choudhary, Medical Superintendent SMHS hospital.
Earlier, an 18-year-old covid-19 patient from Handwara area in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district died at the hospital. The teenager was admitted to the hospital as a “medico-legal case” with a serious head injury and died at 3 am on Monday, Dr Choudhary said.
“He was admitted on June 12 as a medico-legal case. His swab sample (for the novel coronavirus) was taken next day. He had serious head injuries besides bilateral pneumonia,” Dr Choudhary said, adding, “later his sample returned positive for the virus.”
A lawyer said that a medico-legal case involves injury or illness that is under investigation by law enforcement agencies to establish and fix the criminal responsibility according to the law.
The teenager is the youngest to die of the covid-19. Till his death, the youngest victim was a 27-year-old resident from Lolab area of the north Kashmir district who succumbed to the pathogen 13 days ago at the same hospital.
Late on Monday, an 80-year-old man from Sedav Shopian with underlying diseases died at CD Hospital, two days after he was admitted there.
“He was diabetic besides had pneumonia and COPD. He died today,” Dr Salim Tak, medical superintendent CD hospital told GNS.
So far, 63 people have succumbed to the virus in J&K—Seven from Jammu and 55 from Valley. Srinagar district with 15 deaths has the highest fatalities followed by Baramulla 11, Kulgam eight, Anantnag and Shopian six each, five in Kupwara, four in Jammu, three in Budgam, two in Pulwama while one death each has been reported from Bandipora, Doda, Udhampur and Rajouri.
Fresh Cases
Official sources said that while 126 cases were confirmed at viral diagnostic laboratory at SKIMS Soura, 53 cases were reported from various other laboratories.
Giving the district wise breakup of the cases, officials said Anantnag district reported 79 followed by Shopian (19), Srinagar (15), Kupwara (10), Pulwama (8), Udhampur(7), six each in Baramulla, Budgam and Samba, Ramban (4), three each in Kulgam , Bandipora and Reasi besides ganderbal (2) while one each from Kathua and Kishtwar.
Sources told GNS that among the cases, 14 were confirmed at the CD hospital’s diagnostic laboratory and included a soldier (31) from 42 Rashtriya Rifles stationed at Tral, a 40-year-old policeman from Awantipora police station, two pregnant women—both aged 32-year-old each, one from Wanpoh and Rahmoo—besides as many shopkeepers—45-year-old female from Duderhama Ganderbal and 50-year-old male from Drabgam Pulwama.
Dr. G H Yatoo, Nodal Officer Coronavirus Control Measures at SKIMS, told GNS that out of the samples processed at the viral diagnostic lab today, 126 returned positive for the virus.
Professor Farooq Jan, Medical Superintendent SKIMS Soura, told GNS among them 79 are from CRPF Battalions, 19 from Shopian, 14 from Kupwara, six from Baramulla, three from Bandipora and one each from Ganderbal, Srinagar, Budgam, Kulgam and Kupwara. The CRPF cases are from 90 battalion Urnhal Annatnag, 132 Batallion Santnagar Srinagar, 79 battalion Sonawar besides 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 101, 102, 105, 107, 108 batallions Anantnag. The Baramulla cases are from Delina and Gutyar while those from Kupwara include people from Tanghdar, Kiigan, Khurhama, Yamler, Daril Vilgam, Dardpora and Harie. The Shopian cases include are from Sedow, Matribgugh, K-Ullar, Nehama Kul, Gadipora and Kadigam while out of the samples taken at SKIMS three tested positive and they include one male each from Khansahib Budgam, Pandach Ganderbal and Batamaloo while Bandipora cases are from Ward 5 and Barnoie.
Dr Riyaz Untoo, Principal SKIMS Bemina, told GNS that out of 602 samples processed at the hospital’s lab, 18 tested positive for COVID-19 and included 15 from Srinagar and three from Budgam—55-year-old man from Ichigam, 29-year-old man from Riayar and 68-year-old woman from Wadwan.
Regarding Srinagar cases, he said, they include one male (53) from Safakadal, 62-year-old man and 53-year-old woman from Batmaloo, 5 persons—3 male (aged 15, 23, and 24) and two female (aged 23 and 24 years)— from Bemina, three females (15, 18 & 43 years) from Alamgari Bazar , a 40-year-old man from Burzhama besides 46-year-old man (from DH pora,), 28-year-old from Shopian and 42-year-old from Anantnag, all working as Employees in Srinagar.(GNS inputs)
