Shopian: After a spike in number of Covid19 cases last week, Shopian is now seeing a decline in cases even as more samples are being collected for tests from people in the district.
Shopian so far has recorded 63 Covid19 positive cases among whom 11 patients have recovered.
According to official data, out of 101 samples tested on April 24, five were found positive; among 136 samples three were found positive on April 25: and on April 26 none among 95 samples was found positive .
These numbers are much lower than than the nine people found positive on April 23 and 14 persons on April 22.
Deputy Commissioner Shopian Choudhary Muhammad Yasin told Kashmir Reader that 135 samples were collected on Sunday for which reports are expected on Monday or the day after that.
The decline in number of cases and rise in recoveries has given relief to the locals after the situation a few days ago had become alarming. Forty cases were reported just in one mohalla of Hirpora, which is being considered as a hotspot in the district.
An official told Kashmir Reader that over 1,000 samples have been taken for tests so far from the district.
Meanwhile the district administration in its initiative to provide multiple-use masks to all the inhabitants has distributed 1,45,000 masks so far, according to officials. He said that in the first phase masks were provided to poor households and later, after the manufacturing process was intensified, the masks were given to everyone and almost half of the district has been provided with masks.
Nodal officer for Coronavirus in Shopian, Dr Ruqaya Rasool told Kashmir Reader that the sample collection of most of the suspected persons has been completed. “It will continue till the whole area is covered,” she said.

Raashid Hassan