J&K reports first death due to coronavirus, positive cases rise to 13

A 65-year-old man died of the novel coronavirus in Jammu and Kashmir, the first fatality in the Union Territory, and two siblings, both minors, tested positive for the disease, taking the number of cases to 13, the government said.

There are 3,053 people under quarantine at home and at facilities operated by the government, while 117 are in hospital quarantine, according to a media bulletin.

The number of people under home surveillance is 1,761 and 551 people have completed their 28-day surveillance period, it said.

The 65-year-old man hailed from the Hyderpora area of Srinagar, while the two minors -- seven years old and eight months old -- who tested positive for the coronavirus are also from the city.

The bulletin said 379 samples have been sent for testing, of which 341 tested as negative and 13 cases, including 10 from Kashmir and three from Jammu, have tested positive of which one recovered and one died in the Kashmir Valley on Thursday.

Reports of 25 cases are awaited till March 26, it said.

"Two more positive cases in Srinagar. Siblings (seven-years-old and eight-months-old)... Total number of active positive cases is now at 11," government spokesperson Rohit Kansal had tweeted earlier in the day.

The eight-month-old might be the youngest to be infected with COVID-19 in the country.

He said they are the grandchildren of a person who had tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday in Srinagar and had a travel history to Saudi Arabia.

The Jammu and Kashmir government said as many as 5,482 travellers and persons in contact with suspected cases have been enlisted for surveillance.

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.

The Jammu and Kashmir government has set up helpline numbers for addressing queries on COVID-19 and these are 0191-2549676 (Union Territory level cell), 0191-2520982, 0191-2674444 and 0191-2674115 (for the Jammu Division), and 0194-2440283 and 0194-2430581 (for the Kashmir Division).

People have been asked to stay in their homes and take the lockdown with utmost sincerity as carelessness of few can throw all others into the grave jeopardy, an official said.

"Public in general is advised to avoid unnecessary travel and use of public transport. Avoid unnecessary travel and use of public transport; avoid crowded places and large gatherings, do not spit in public. People must take basic precautions for personal hygiene; frequent handwashing with soap and observing coughing and sneezing etiquette," a government advisory said.

The country, which has 694 coronavirus positive cases and has recorded 16 deaths due to it till now, is under a 21-day lockdown from Tuesday midnight.