Srinagar: A doctor was among fourteen persons who died due to covid-19 in Jammu and Kashmir in last 24 hours taking the death toll to 335, officials said on Tuesday.
Sources said that Srinagar reported five deaths, Kupwara three, Baramulla two, while one fatality each was reported from Kulgam, Budgam, Bandipora and Ramban. Today’s is the first Covid-19 related death reported from mountainous district of Ramban.
Official sources told GNS that the doctor, Shabir Ahmad Malik, was posted as Medical Officer, RBSK/ National Health Mission Gurez where he might have contracted Covid-19 infection while treating patients.
“He tested positive on July 7 and was admitted next day. His second test came negative on July 10 and was discharged from SKIMS Soura on July 15,” they said.
On Monday last, they said, he developed symptoms and complained of breathlessness and was shifted to SKIMS Soura again.
“He had hemoptysis (coughing up of blood or blood-stained mucus with sudden fall in oxygen saturation. His SPO2 was 84%,” they said, adding, “X-ray Chest showed Bilateral Pneumonia.”
Survived by two little kids and wife, the doctor, a resident of Bata Mohalla Sumbal Bandipora, died, they added.
Meanwhile, the Financial Commissioner Health and Medical Education, Atal Dulloo and Director Health Services Kashmir expressed deepest condolences to the bereaved family of the doctor.
“The Medical fraternity described Dr. Malik as a true Covid warrior and prayed to the Almighty for eternal peace to the departed soul and for patience and strength to the bereaved family to bear this irreparable loss,” an official spokesman said in a statement issued here.
So far 311 deaths have been reported in Kashmir and 24 in Jammu division. Srinagar district with 99 deaths has the highest fatalities followed by Baramulla (65), Kulgam (27), Budgam (24), Anantnag (21), Shopian (20), Pulwama (19), Kupwara (20), Jammu(15), Bandipora (10), Ganderbal (6), two each in Rajouri and Doda and one each in Ramban , Poonch, Udhampur, and Kathua.
Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir Tuesday recorded 489 coronavirus cases and 14 deaths pushing the overall COVID-19 casualty figures in the union territory to 18,879 infections and 335 fatalities, officials said.
“Fourteen persons, who were COVID-19 positive, have died over the past 24 hours (till 5 pm Tuesday) in Jammu and Kashmir,” an official said, adding that all but one death were reported from the Kashmir Valley.
This has taken the death toll of coronavirus-infected persons in the union territory to 335 of which 309 were from the Valley and 24 were from the Jammu region, they said.
Meanwhile, the union territory recorded 489 new COVID-19 cases in 24 hours till 5pm, taking the total number of infected persons in the union territory to 18,879, the officials said.
While 134 of these new cases were from Jammu region, 355 persons were from the Valley, they said.
There are now 7,661 active cases in the union territory, while 10,885 patients have recovered, they added.
The cases detected on Tuesday included 79 persons who had returned to the union territory recently.
The officials said Srinagar district in central Kashmir recorded the highest of 138 new positive cases followed by 43 in Jammu district.
