Srinagar: Four more deaths due to Covid-19, including that of a retired Srinagar doctor, were reported from Kashmir, taking the death toll in Jammu and Kashmir to 57, officials said on Saturday.
The 74-year-old doctor, a resident of Parraypora locality in Srinagar, died at SKIMS Medical College-Hospital (SKIMS MCH), Bemina.
According to Principal of SKIMS Medical College, Dr Reyaz Untoo, the retired doctor had a history of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and was admitted to SKIMS Bemina on June 2 after testing positive for the novel coronavirus.
“Doctors in the ICU put him on ventilator after his condition deteriorated last night. They tried their best to save his life but he couldn’t recover from organ damage due to the respiratory distress,” Dr Untoo said.
He said that 14 more patients were detected Covid-19 positive at SKIMS Bemina since Friday evening.
“Of the 14 new cases detected in our hospital, nine belong to Budgam while the remaining five are from Shopian district,” he said.
In the second instance, a 60-year-old man from Shopian district, who was admitted on June 11 to SMHS Hospital, passed away due to respiratory complication on Saturday morning. He was tested positive for Covid-19 on June 12, said Dr Nazir Chowdhary, Medical Superintendent of the hospital.
“The patient was admitted to SMHS with bilateral pneumonia and died due to respiratory distress today morning,” Dr Chowdhary said.
Late on Saturday evening, a 75-year- old man from Kanthbagh Baramulla having COPD and other Co-morbidities like hypertension died within hours of admission. His test detected positive for Covid-19 late evening, said SKIMS Medical Superintendent Dr Farooq A Jan.
Late evening, a 60-year-old man from Nowgam in Srinagar became fourth victim of Covid.
Dr Reyaz Untoo said said that asymptomatic patients with Covid having underlying Diabetes, Hypertension and CKD was admitted on June 5 to SKIMS Bemina. He felt breathless at 8 pm today and developed unconsciousness and was shifted to ICU where he had hypotension and resuscitation as per protocol. But he could not be revived and was declared dead.
He said the patient was expected to be discharged from the hospital today.
Meanwhile, SKIMS Soura reported 66 new coronavirus cases on Saturday including 33 from Anantnag, 10 from Srinagar, six each from Kupwara, Baramulla and Shopian, three from Bandipora and two from Ganderbal district.
“We have tested 1,984 samples today of which 66 tested positive while 1,918 were found negative,” said Medical Superintendent of SKIMS Soura, Dr Farooq A Jan
A total 148 persons tested positive for Covid across Jammu and Kashmir. Of them 35 were travelers.

Manzoor ul-Hassan