Anantnag: More Covid infections have been reported in the last week than the individual tallies of the last four months, here in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. Three people have also lost their lives in the last three days.
The daily infections started coming out in triple figures at the end of the first week of July, after about four months. Since then there has been a steep increase in the number of daily infections across Jammu and Kashmir.
“The pattern is a familiar one. If we look at the last three days, the number of infections have been 152 on July 18, 333 on July 19, and 434 on July 20,” an official, privy to data on Covid-19, told Kashmir Reader. “And if experts are to be believed, the numbers will further increase,” he added.
Overall, a total of 1660 fresh infections have been reported in the last week, higher than the individual tallies of March, April, May, and June months. March had only 740 infections with two deaths, April even lower with 275 infections and only one death, May was considerably worse with 1618 infections but one death, and June recorded 813 infections and four deaths.
“This week’s tally is worse than all these four months. Besides, three people have also died, taking the overall death toll in July to five,” the official told Kashmir Reader, adding, “All these deaths have taken place in the Jammu division, though.”
The situation is getting worse on the active infections as well. There are 1724 active infections of Covid-19 in Jammu and Kashmir as of now, 728 of them in Kashmir division and 996 in Jammu division.
Srinagar continues to be the epicenter of the infection in Kashmir valley, with 570 active cases of the virus as of now. “Kulgam, Shopian, and Bandipora districts are comparatively safer with only two active cases each,” the official said.
Though Srinagar is the only district in Kashmir with active cases in triple figures, the administration recently made facemasks mandatory yet again in three districts of Kashmir division: Srinagar, Ganderbal, and Bandipora.
“Bandipora and Ganderbal have taken preemptive measures, and I think all other districts should follow suit regardless of the number of infections they report on a daily basis,” the official said.
So far, a total of 457951 infections have been reported in Jammu and Kashmir since the beginning of the pandemic – 289230 of them in Kashmir division and 168721 in Jammu division.
In this period, 4761 people have lost their lives to the virus, 2336 in Jammu division and 2425 in Kashmir division. “It is time again to be extra cautious and stop the spread of this deadly virus at the earliest. Everyone should abide by the guidelines and get vaccinated at the earliest,” the official said.

Suhail A Shah