Srinagar: An elderly man and his son tested positive for Covid-19 in Cheki-Wangund area of Dooru in Anantnag district on Thursday, a few days after they returned home from Jammu despite the lockdown.
Defying the lockdown, seven persons returned home in Kashmir on Saturday from Jammu, in trucks carrying essential goods to Kashmir valley. The next day, after specific information, the administration found them out and advised them to be home quarantined while taking samples from them.
Two of the seven samples turned out to be positive. They belonged to a father and son duo, aged 70 and 30, respectively.
Both of them had been putting up at Bathindi, Jammu, for many years, and have no other travel history.
Dr Zahoor Ahmad, BMO (Block Medical Officer), told Kashmir Reader, “Seven persons had returned from Jammu to their home in Cheki- Wangund last Saturday. We were informed about their arrival and we rushed to the spot. We advised them to be home quarantined and took their samples the next day.”
Dr Ahmad said the father and son have been kept at District Hospital Kulgam while their family members have been kept separately in isolation. “They, too, will undergo testing,” he added.
Ghulam Rasool Wani, SDM (Sub Divisional Magistrate) Dooru, confirmed to Kashmir Reader that all the seven persons had reached home in trucks that were carrying essential supplies. He said, “Our priority is to treat the patients. Both of them have been kept in isolation at District Hospital Kulgam.”
The Cheki- Wangund area falls in the territorial jurisdiction of Anantnag district, but comes under the health jurisdiction of Kulgam district.
For defying the lockdown, “the police will take action, but that will come later,” the SDM said.
Pertinently, the first positive case of Covid-19 from Anantnag district was also reported from the same locality. The new cases have raised the number of cases in the locality to three. Anantnag district has so far crossed the 50 mark in number of Covid-19 cases.

KALEEM GEELANI