Image Source: THE TRIBUNE

A doctor is among the 18 persons tested positive today for coronavirus in Jammu and Kashmir, taking the total caseload in Jammu and Kashmir to 793. So far, eight doctors, a nurse, and three healthcare workers have got infected with the virus. Officials said a woman surgeon at Super Speciality (SS) Hospital, Shireenbagh, and six patients of Bone and Joints Hospital tested positive for coronavirus after a Covid-19 woman patient moved between these hospitals for treatment last week. Officials said J&K conducted 3,429 tests in a day, which was highest so far. J&K breaks the 3,000 tests a day barrier. 3,429 samples tested; 18 positive cases detected. Total positives cases now 793 — Jammu-68; Kashmir-725. Our positivity rate 2.1 per cent; Mortality rate 1.13 per cent, tweeted government spokesperson Rohit Kansal. Officials said four persons tested positive for coronavirus in Shopian, three in Pulwama, two each in Srinagar, Jammu and Bandipora, and one each in Budgam, Udhampur, Ganderbal, Baramulla, and Anantnag. The two Srinagar cases include a 32-year-old man, Asif Mir, of Kralpora-Hawal locality of Srinagar, who died at Shri Maharaja Hari Singh hospital on Wednesday evening. The authorities have imposed curfew across Kashmir and blocked cellular Internet and phone services on all telecom platforms, except calling on government-run BSNL, in wake of the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Riyaz Naikoo and his associate. The decision to block phone calling and cellular Internet during Covid-19 outbreak has affected the healthcare. My father, who suffers from aortic regurgitation (AR), complained of chest discomfort and tried calling many cardiologists but to no avail since none of them had BSNL numbers. He sat motionless clutching his chest with both hands. Communication blockade will kill people in Kashmir, said a local, Shakir Mir. A surgeon at a Srinagar hospital, Shazia Shafi, said they had to send back patients, who had come for emergency surgeries, because they had no phone connectivity to call their operation theatre staff.