Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir’s Srinagar reported its first COVID-19 death on Thursday after a 65-year-old man succumbed to the disease, an official said. The deceased was a native of Hyderpora in Srinagar.
“Sad News : First death due to Coronavirus – 65 years old Male from Hyderpora Srinagar,” tweeted Rohit Kansal, Jammu and Kashmir Principal Secretary (Planning Commission).
Kansal informed that four of the deceased’s contact were also tested positive for coronavirus.
“Four of his contacts also tested positive yesterday (Wednesday),” he said.
Stressing on social distancing to prevent coronavirus spread, the officer said: “It is still not too late. Help Break The Chain. Stay indoors. Self declare. Report travel history or any symptoms.”
According to the Health Ministry website, there are seven cases of the disease in Jammu and Kashmir.
The deceased was an Islamic preacher, who tested positive three days ago. He died this morning at the Government Chest Disease Hospital in the city. As reported by NDTV, he had recently travelled around the country, visiting mosques in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh’s Deoband before returning home on March 16.
Srinagar mayor, Junaid Azim Mattu tweeted: “As we share the sad news of our first COVID-19 fatality, my heart goes out to the family of the deceased. We stand with you and share your grief.”
Four people had tested positive for coronavirus in J-K on Wednesday, taking the total number of cases to 11.
Authorities in Kashmir have expressed apprehensions that the cases could be more than reported in the Valley as a significant number of people appeared to have concealed their travel history.
As per a government bulletin on Wednesday in Jammu and Kashmir, as many as 5,124 travellers and people who came in contact with suspected and positive cases have been put under surveillance.
Among them 3,061 are in home quarantine (including facilities operated by the government), 80 in hospital quarantine and 1,477 in home surveillance.
Restrictions on movement imposed in Kashmir to prevent the spread of coronavirus were tightened on Wednesday.
With inputs from agencies
