Number of new cases down to 353, less than half of previous day’s 718

SRINAGAR: Despite a strict lockdown, there is no respite from the novel coronavirus as fourteen more reportedly died of the illness on Friday, taking the overall number close to 300, with most of the deaths taking place in Kashmir Valley.
However, there was a drop in number of new Covid-19 positive cases, 353, of which 129 were from Jammu division and 224 from Kashmir division. As per the official figures, about 508 more Covid-19 patients have recovered, most of them from Kashmir Valley, by Friday evening.
The number of total Covid-19 cases detected in J&K has reached to 16,782. Of these, 7,269 are active cases while 9,217 patients have recovered.
The figures reveal that five of the deaths reported on Friday were from Srinagar, one from Jammu, and one each from Anantnag and Sopore. The Srinagar residents who died include a 75-year-old man from Saderbal, a 65-year-old man from Maharaj Gunj, a 70-year-old male from Rainawari, a 75-year-old woman from Peerbagh, and a 60-year-old male from Khanyar.
A 65-year-old woman from Malaknag Anantnag, a 58-year-old IRP Sub Inspector from Jammu, and a 68-year-old woman from Sopore were among the other fatalities.
The Saderbal resident died two weeks after he was admitted to hospital. The Maharaj Gunj resident died two days after he tested positive. The patient from Sopore was admitted on July 21 with bilateral pneumonia and died at SMHS on Thursday, with his test report coming positive on Friday. The Khanyar resident was admitted on 21 July with community acquired pneumonia and he died Thursday evening, his test report coming positive on Friday.
“All the patients had some underlying conditions,” a doctor said.
The IRP Sub Inspector from Gandhi Nagar, Jammu, was admitted on July 22 and after testing positive for the virus breathed his last at GMC Jammu on Friday.
An official at SKIMS Bemina (JVC) said that a 75-year-old lady from Peerbagh Srinagar who was admitted on July 14 after testing positive for Covid-19 died on Friday.
An official from CD hospital said that a 70-year old man from Rainawari who was tested positive for Covid-19, died hours after he was admitted to CD hospital on Friday.

Reader correspondent