Jammu: Active coronavirus cases saw seven-fold increase in a month
Jammu recorded a seven-fold increase in active coronavirus cases in nearly a month with figures shooting up from 211 to 1,582. Srinagar currently has the highest number of 2,833 patients in the union territory, official data showed. Some districts in Jammu and Kashmir which were earlier declared "coronavirus-free" are now reporting new cases as the country reels under a second wave of COVID-19 infections.
J&K's total case count stands at 1,39,381
On March 19, Srinagar district had 564 active cases and the figure shot up to 2,833 on Monday. As of Monday, Jammu and Kashmir has recorded a total of 1,39,381 COVID-19 cases -- 83,679 in Kashmir and 55,702 in the Jammu division. As many as 2,034 people -- 1,282 in Kashmir and 752 in the Jammu division -- have succumbed to the virus.
'Health department making best use of its resources'
A total of 1,29,439 patients have recovered from the infection and the number of active cases in the union territory stood at 7,908 on Monday. Jammu Chief Medical Officer JP Singh said the prevailing COVID-19 situation in the district was of great concern and the health department is making the best use of its resources to deal with the pandemic.
Cases between February and April jumped five times
"If we compare the present phase with last year, it is of great concern. We had very few cases in March-April last year but this time we have witnessed a jump of five times in the number of cases between February and April," Singh said.
COVID-19 active cases across different districts
Ramban district has the lowest 17 active cases. Baramulla with 805 active cases is positioned third, followed by Reasi (386 cases), Udhampur (384), Budgam (376), Kulgam (225), Kupwara (212), Anantnag (211), Pulwama (193), Kathua (161), Bandipora (115), Samba (82), the officials said. Several districts, including Doda, Kishtwar, and Samba, were declared coronavirus-free earlier this year after the recovery of all infected people.
Night curfew imposed in several districts
The spike in the infection forced the administration to announce the closure of educational institutions from April 5 to April 18, besides imposition of night curfew from 10 pm to 6 am in the urban areas of eight districts, including Jammu and Srinagar, since April 9. The other districts where curfew has been imposed are Udhampur, Kathua, Baramulla, Budgam, Anantnag, and Kupwara.
Number of deaths in different districts due to COVID-19
Srinagar also tops the COVID-19 fatality chart with 480 deaths, followed by Jammu (391), Baramulla (183), Budgam (123), Kupwara and Anantnag (98 each), Pulwama (92), Doda (64), Bandipora (63), Udhampur (58), Kulgam and Rajouri (56 each), Kathua (53), Ganderbal (49), Samba (43), and, Shopian (40).
