Srinagar: Three more persons in Kashmir tested positive of the novel coronavirus on Tuesday, taking the total number of cases in Jammu and Kashmir to 7. One of the persons is a resident of Natipora in Srinagar, another is a native of north Kashmir’s Sopore area but has been staying in Hyderpora in Srinagar for many years, and the third hails from Bandipora. The two Srinagar residents belong to the age group of above 60 years while the person from Bandipora is in his 30s.
The Natipora resident had returned from Saudi Arabia last week, travelling in the same Air India flight from Jeddah in which the Khanyar woman, who became the first confirmed case in Kashmir, came to Srinagar on March 16.
The Sopore resident had travel history to multiple places including Andaman and Nicobar Islands, health officials told Kashmir Reader.
The government’s official spokesperson, Rohit Kansal, broke the frightening news on Twitter on Tuesday afternoon.
“2 more cases reported positive in Srinagar. One has confirmed travel history outside India. Full details regarding the second being ascertained,” Kansal tweeted.
The fresh cases have prompted authorities to form Rapid Response Teams to track down the close contacts of the positive patients.
“We have alerted the Health Department and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare about the new cases. Rapid Response Teams have been rushed to the respective localities to screen close contacts of the patients. They will also recommend isolation of any person who came in contact with them,” said a health official.
He said one of the persons belongs to Sopore in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district but has been staying at Hyderpora for many years.
“The patient is associated with a religious group, Tableegi Jamaat. He had recently travelled to many places in India, including congested areas like Deoband in UP and Bangawale Masjid near Nizamuddin Dargah, New Delhi,” the official said.
“He was also part of a religious gathering attended by thousands of people and joined by people from Indonesia and Malaysia,” the official said.
Dr Salim Khan, Nodal Officer for novel coronavirus at Government Medical College, Srinagar, said that both the persons tested positive for COVID 19 on Tuesday at the Chest Diseases Hospital, after coming to the hospital some days ago with novel coronavirus symptoms.
“One of the persons, who lives in Natipora, had returned from Umrah. He was travelling with the Khanyar woman who tested positive for COVID 19 last week and is currently admitted at SKIMS Soura,” Dr Khan said.
Director SKIMS Soura Dr AG Ahangar told Kashmir Reader in the evening that a sample received from GMC Baramulla some days ago has been tested positive for coronavirus.
“We don’t know any further details about the patient because he is currently admitted in GMC Baramulla. We tested his samples on the request of the hospital administration there. The sample came positive this evening,” Dr Ahangar said.
Principal of GMC Baramulla Dr Abdul Hameed said the patient who has been tested positive at SKIMS was admitted to their hospital three days ago, with no clear travel history.
“We found him symptomatic and took his samples, which came positive today,” he said.
“We have kept him in isolation and started treatment. He is in his 30s and has good chances of recovery,” Dr Hameed said.

Manzoor ul-Hassan