Srinagar: Two Budgam residents who had returned from Umrah last week along with the first COVID-19 positive patient in Kashmir, have tested negative of the disease, officials said on Friday.
The duo – a lady from Gundi Wali village in Chadoora tehsil, and a gentleman from Kulbugh, Ompora – had returned from the pilgrimage along with the lady from Srinagar’s Khanyar area who on Wednesday became the first person from Kashmir to test positive for COVID-19.
On Friday, the tests of both the co-passengers came negative, Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Budgam Dr Nazeer Ahmad Bhat told Kashmir Reader.
After undergoing the mandatory screening at the Srinagar airport on Monday, the duo was shifted straight to Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) after they complained of mild coughing, Dr Bhat said, adding that their samples were taken the same day for testing.
Earlier, 41 Budgam residents who had returned from China and Iran earlier this month had also been tested negative of COVID-19.
Dr Bhat urged residents of Budgam not to panic as no positive case had surfaced in the district so far.
He further informed that the district administration had set up 80 isolation beds across the district to tackle any emergency situation with regard to COVID-19.
A health official associated with monitoring the disease in Budgam told Kashmir Reader that out of the 179 residents who returned to the valley from abroad as of Friday afternoon, 39 were put under home surveillance.
While 10 residents had completed the 14 days’ mandatory quarantine period for the disease, 6 were still under observation in hospital, he said, adding that the remaining travellers had been allowed to go to their homes.
The official further informed that about 450 more Budgam residents were expected to return to the district in coming days.
District Development Commissioner Budgam Tariq Hussain Ganai had earlier this month announced Rs 5 lakh for procuring the required equipment for setting up 80 isolation beds in the district.

Irshad Khan