All travellers to be quarantined in J&K: Govt

Jammu and Kashmir administration on Wednesday appealed foreigners not to visit the Union Territory, warning that all visitors, including those coming from Ladakh, would be quarantined.

Principal Secretary (Planning, Development and Monitoring) Rohit Kansal also said the government has decided to enforce 100 percent checking of passengers at Banihal Railway station, the gateway town to Kashmir valley.

We appeal foreigners not to visit Jammu and Kashmir. All foreign tourists or visitors arriving in J&K will be quarantined, besides 100 percent quarantine will also be enforced on all travellers coming from the Union Territory of Ladakh, Kansal, who is also the government spokesperson, told reporters here.

He said the yatra to the famous cave shrine of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi in Reasi district and the inter-state buses coming to and going from J&K will remain suspended till March 31 in view of the prevailing situation emerging due to COVID-19.

Urging people to cooperate in tackling the situation, Kansal appealed to the general public that there is no cause of panic and the citizens' cooperation is a must in combating the situation successfully.

Giving a detailed break-up about the coronavirus suspected cases in UT of J&K till date, he said a total of 2,802 persons have been enlisted for observation among which 2,128 have been kept in home quarantine, 28 in hospital quarantine while as 346 are under home surveillance.

He said 300 persons have completed their 28-day isolation period.

A total of 145 samples of suspected cases have been sent for testing so far, out of which 118 have been reported negative, three are positive while reports for 24 are still awaited, he said.

He said the suspension of the yatra to Vaishno Devi shrine and interstate bus service was part of the measures taken up to control and prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

Kansal also appealed all religious leaders to suspend all kinds of religious gatherings till March 31.

Urging people not to pay heed to rumours, the principal secretary said the government advises people not to panic and to rely on the information released by the government in this regard.

He reiterated that citizens must take basic precautions such as personal hygiene, hand washing, coughing and sneezing etiquette and also report any symptoms (fever, cough and difficulty in breathing) to the medical authorities immediately in order to contain the virus.