16 New Covid-19 Cases In J&K, Decision On Lockdown Extension To Be Announced Soon

Five doctors and 11 passengers were found to be infected taking the tally of total cases to 1,199 in Jammu and Kashmir.

Mumbai: Health workers wearing protective suits screen resident of Dharavi during a house-to-house health survey, after detection of some COVID-19 positive cases, during the nationwide lockdown, in Mumbai. PIC/PTI

Srinagar, May 18: As the number of Covid-19 cases in the country witnessed a single day biggest spike with 5,242 new cases, five doctors and 11 passengers were found to be infected in Jammu and Kashmir taking the tally of total cases to 1,199. So far, 13 doctors and three nurses have tested positive for corona in J&K, most of them were in charge of Covid-19 patients. Dr Salim Khan Nodal officer for Covid-19 at GMC Srinagar said that five doctors including three from ENT section of SMHS, one each from Dental college and SKIMS MCH Bemina were tested positive on Sunday evening. Khan added that a 29- year -old lady from Habba Kadal, who died at CD hospital was being treated by a doctor from Dental college besides doctors of ENT section of Shri Maharaja hospital Srinagar. Meanwhile, Lt. Col Inam Danish Khan from Army's Command hospital Udhampur confirmed that 11 travellers from Udhampur and Kulgam tested positive for Covid-19 at the hospital. With 16 new cases, the tally of positive cases in Jammu and Kashmir reached 1,199. Jammu & Kashmir has ordered that the lockdown guidelines issued by the government on 3rd May shall continue to remain valid in J&K till 19th May.

The government has extended the nationwide lockdown until May 31, however, eased restrictions outside containment zones and kept it for states to demarcate these areas based on guidelines issued by the health ministry.

The union territory will take a decision on the extension of the lockdown likely.

As the nation enters the first day of lockdown 4 which will remain in effect till May 31, the death toll due to COVID-19 across the nation surged to 3029 and the number of total positive cases crossed the 96,000 mark on Monday morning, according to the Union health ministry.