One person tests positive for COVID-19 in Ladakh, total cases 18

Ladakh reported one positive case of coronavirus on Wednesday taking the total number of cases in the Union Territory to 18, officials said.

However, only five cases are still active as the rest of the 13 patients have been discharged after being cured of the infection, the officials said.

A resident of Chuchot-Yokma village of Leh was tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday, while a patient from Kargil who was earlier tested positive was discharged from the hospital after his second test came negative, they added.

With the addition of another positive patient, the total number of active cases in Ladakh has gone up to five -- four in Leh and one in Kargil, the officials said.

Meanwhile, Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council-Kargil (LAHDC) Chairman and Chief Executive Councillor Feroz Ahmad Khan on Wednesday called on Lieutenant Governor Radha Krishna Mathur at Raj Niwas in Leh.

During the meeting, Khan took up several issues regarding Kargil district with the L-G and had detailed discussions especially about the evacuation of stranded pilgrims from Iran, Ghaziabad in UP, Jaisalmer and Jodhpur in Rajasthan apart from the homecoming of stranded passengers and students stranded in different parts of the country and increasing the fleet of trucks bringing essential commodities to Ladakh, an official release said.

With regard to the evacuation of stranded pilgrims from Iran and different parts of India, Mathur said the matter has already been taken up with the Ministry of External Affairs and the Ladakh administration is in constant touch with those who are in Ghaziabad, Jodhpur and Jaisalmer.

The process of evacuation of pilgrims from Ghaziabad followed by Jodhpur and Jaisalmer will start within two or three days who will be evacuated by IAF planes from their respective locations to Kargil, the Lieutenant Governor said. An all-out effort is being made to bring them back before the holy month of Ramadan and the process of clearance from the Army, Union Ministry of Home Affairs and Indian Air Force (IAF) is underway, Mathur added.

Regarding the evacuation of passengers and students from different parts of the country to Ladakh, Mathur said the process will take some more time in view of the ongoing lockdown.

However, he pointed out that a necessary support system would be strengthened in the meanwhile at the locations where they are put up by taking necessary measures, including the appointment of more liaison officers.

The LAHDC-Kargil chairman requested the L-G to give preference to elderly persons, children and students who are willing to come home after the end of the lockdown.

Mathur said the territorial administration is working on the homecoming of these stranded people at the earliest possible time and all the concerns raised by Khan will be considered.

Responding to the demand for increasing the number of trucks carrying essential commodities to Ladakh, the L-G assured Khan that there would be no restrictions on the number of trucks carrying essential items for Ladakh from Srinagar and there will be no trans-shipment at Minamarg.