The number of COVID-19 patients in Jammu and Kashmir rose to 434 on Thursday as 27 more people tested positive for the disease in the Union Territory, officials said.

Updating his earlier tweet, saying “Twenty new cases reported today. One from Jammu division and 19 from Kashmir,” the government spokesman Rohit Kansal late evening tweeted, “Just In, 7 more cases reported from Kashmir. Total positive cases now 434. Jammu-57 and Kashmir-377.

377 in Kashmir, 57 in Jammu

According to the daily Media Bulletin, out of 434 positive cases, 330 are Active Positive. So far 92 patients have recovered while five are dead. Till date 64,876 travellers and persons in contact with suspected cases have been enlisted for surveillance which include 6,039 persons in home quarantine including facilities operated by government, 279 in hospital quarantine, 330 in hospital isolation and 13,283 under home surveillance. Besides, 44,940 persons have completed their surveillance period.
The Bulletin further said that out of 10,977 test results available, 10,550 samples have tested as negative till April 23, 2020.

Providing district-wise breakup, the Bulletin said that Bandipora has 99 positive cases wherein 80 are Active Positive, 18 recovered and one has died, Srinagar 79 positive cases with 51 Active Positive, 27 recovered and one died, Baramulla 50 positive cases with 44 Active Positive, 04 recovered, and two died; Kupwara has 41 positive cases with 35 Active Positive and six recovered; Shopian has 55 positive cases with 49 Active Positive, six recovered; Ganderbal has 14 positive cases with 12 Active positive and two have recovered; Budgam 14 positive cases of which five are Active Positive with nine recovered cases; Kulgam has six cases and all are Active Positive; Pulwama three positive cases who all have recovered; Anantnag district has nine positive cases and all are Active Positive.

Similarly, Jammu has 26 positive cases of whom 21 are Active Positive and five have recovered, Udhampur 20 positive cases of which 11 are Active Positive, eight recovered and 1 died, while as Samba district has four positive cases and all are Active Positive; Rajouri has four positive cases, one active positive and one case has recovered; Kathua has one positive case which is active positive; Ramban has one positive case who is Active Positive. Meanwhile, Kishtwar has only one positive case which has recovered.

An advisory issued by the government has called upon people to express their gratitude towards the healthcare service personnel and not harass them.
“Discrimination, harassment and physical violence against healthcare service personnel and damage to property during epidemics is punishable under the Epidemic Disease (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020. In case of grievous injuries, the accused can be sentenced from 6 months to 7 years. They can be penalised from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 5 lakh,” it added.

In Srinagar, the authorities are contemplating to take critical decisions to strengthen the lockdown in the wake of the violations at some places, officials said.
They said the security forces have sealed off main roads in most places in the Valley and erected barriers at several other places to check the unwanted movement of the people and to enforce the lockdown.

The administration has said the essential services including healthcare personnel have been exempted from the restrictions and only persons with valid movement passes are allowed passage.
The declared containment or red zones across the valley have been sealed off to ensure strict adherence to the standard operating procedure.