Srinagar: Eight more persons, including a doctor and a dental technician, have tested positive for novel Coronavirus in Jammu and Kashmir taking the total number of Covid-19 cases to 278 in the region.

Of the eight persons tested positive for the virus on Tuesday, six are from Kashmir while two patients including a doctor and dental technician belong to Jammu, officials said.

“J&K also witnessed 14 recoveries from the new virus today,” they said.

“For now, our luck seems to be holding!!! 8 new cases, 14 recoveries. New cases- 06 from Kashmir and 02 from Jammu Division. 14 recoveries, all from Kashmir. Total cases now 278. #Letsfightitouttogether. #Weshallovercome,” tweeted Rohit Kansal, the government spokesperson.

Among the new patients four have tested positive for Coronavirus at Chest Diseases Hospital while two others were detected at SKIMS Soura. The new Covid-19 cases in Jammu were found positive for the infection at the VRDL lab of GMC Jammu.

Principal GMC Jammu, Dr Sunanda Raina told Kashmir Reader that the two new Covid-19 cases include a doctor from Archaya Shri Chandra College of Medical Sciences and Hospital (ASCOMS) Jammu and a Dental Technician.

“Both have tested positive for coronavirus today at GMC Jammu,” she said.

As per sources, the two have a contact history with an already positive patient who was admitted in the ASCOMS Jammu also known as Batra hospital some days ago.

“Out of 250 samples tested during last 24 hours at Chest Diseases Hospital, four persons have tested positive,” said Dr M Saleem Khan, the Nodal Officer at GMC Srinagar and associated hospitals.

“One of them is a resident of Anantnag district and others belong to Chattabal and Zonimar areas of Srinagar. All of them have a possible history of contact with Covid-19 cases,” he said.

According to him, the VRDL lab at CD Hospital has tested 1505 samples till date out of which 93 tested positive while 1,412 were found negative of the virus.

Medical Superintendant of SKIMS, Dr Farooq A Jan told Kashmir Reader that out of 184 samples tested at the hospital only two have tested positive for novel Coronavirus during last 24 hours.

“The samples belong to a 27-year-old female and 35-year-old male. Both the Covid-19 patients belong to Bandipora district,” he said.

According to official bulletin of SKIMS, the virology lab of the premier institute have tested 1876 samples for Covid-19 so far out of which 138 have tested positive while 1738 found negative of the deadly virus.

Manzoor ul-Hassan