Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir Administration on Sunday extended till May 17 the curfew imposed across the union territory to curb the spread of coronavirus.
The curfew was earlier scheduled to end on Monday.
The curfew will be strict except for a few essential services, the Department of Information and Public Relations (DIPR) said.
The decision was taken during a high-level meeting of Covid Task Force chaired by Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha after a detailed assessment of the district-wise Covid scenario and containment measures required to control the spread of the deadly virus.
Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday recorded 4,788 fresh coronavirus cases taking the tally of infected persons to 2,11,742 while the death toll in the union territory rose to 2,672 with a record 60 fatalities in 24 hours.
“Corona curfew imposed in all 20 districts of J-K till 7 am on Monday, 10/5/21 is extended further by 7 days till 7 am on Monday, 17/5/21. The curfew will be strict except for a few essential services,” DIPR-J&K said in a tweet.
It also said the gathering permissible for marriages is reduced to 25 from the current 50 with effect from Sunday itself.
Meanwhile, normal life remained affected in many areas of Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday as the lockdown, imposed in the wake of an alarming surge in coronavirus cases in the union territory, entered the 11th day.
Markets remained shut and public transport was off the roads, though some private vehicles were seen plying.
Officials said in the wake of the lockdown announced by the government, restrictions on the movement and assembly of people continued to remain in force in many districts of the UT.
The officials said while curfew was in place across the Kashmir valley and in Jammu district, restrictions on the assembly of people were also imposed in many areas of Jammu division.
Police and paramilitary forces have sealed several roads by putting barricades at many places in the city here as well as in other district headquarters of the Valley to prevent the movement of people.
On April 29, the Jammu and Kashmir administration imposed a curfew in 11 districts in a bid to tackle the surge in COVID-19 cases, which was subsequently extended to all the 20 districts the next day.
The curfew, which was supposed to end at 7 am on May 03, was extended in the twin capitals of Jammu and Srinagar besides Budgam and Baramulla till 7 am Thursday.
However, the authorities in other districts of the Kashmir Valley also ordered extension in the restrictions first till Thursday and then till Monday morning, and now till May 17 morning.
Meanwhile, the COVID-19 death toll in Jammu and Kashmir rose to 2,726 on Sunday with 54 more fatalities, while 5,190 new cases pushed the infection tally to 2,16,932, officials said.
Of the new cases, 3,420 were from the Kashmir Valley and 1,770 were from the Jammu division, they said.
Srinagar district recorded the highest 920 cases, followed by 658 in Jammu district and 508 in Budgam district, officials said.
The number of active cases stands at 49,248, while 1,64,958 people have recovered from the infection so far, officials said.
The death toll has risen to to 2,726 as 54 fresh deaths — 32 in Jammu region and 22 in Kashmir Valley — were reported in the past 24 hours, they added.
Officials said during past 24 hours, 2423 more COVID-19 patients have recovered and have been discharged from various hospitals – these include 1799 from Kashmir Valley and 624 from Jammu Division.
According to the daily media bulletin on novel coronavirus (Covid-19), out of 2,16,932 positive cases detected thus far, 49,248 are currently active positive, 1,64,958 have recovered and 2,726 have died; 1171 in Jammu division and 1555 in Kashmir division.
The bulletin further said that out of 76,53,001 test results available, 74,36,069 samples have been tested as negative till May 09, 2021.
Till date 19,10,634 persons have been enlisted for observation which included 86,965 persons in home quarantine including facilities operated by government, 49,248 in isolation and 1,30,288 in home surveillance. Besides, 1641407 persons have completed their surveillance period, the bulletin informed.
