At least 493 people have tested positive for the Novel Coronavirus in Jammu and Kashmir in the highest single-day surge of Covid-19 cases so far in the Union Territory, officials said.
A statement issued by the Information and Public Relations Department said of 493 tested positive on Wednesday, 57 are from Jammu division while 436 are from Kashmir division as the total number of Covid-19 cases reached 11,666 in J&K.
The statement said 11 patients succumbed to the deadly virus in different hospitals of Kashmir division taking the number of people killed so far to 206 in the Union Territory. Of these, 18 died in Jammu division while 188 died in Kashmir division.
Besides, 6,337 patients have so far recovered from Covid-19 infection and the number of active cases is now 5123 out of which 859 are in Jammu division and 4,264 are in Kashmir division.
Hiding original Figures From Media
After 13 patients died of Covid-19 in Kashmir on Wednesday, authorities have warned heads of various testing hospitals in the Valley not to share details with the media.
A total of 13 coronavirus patients succumbed in various hospitals of the Valley on Wednesday as the total number of people killed by the dreaded virus reached 208 in Jammu and Kashmir.
In an order issued by the financial commissioner for health and medical education, Atal Dulloo said, “It has been observed that all the institutions at their own are giving official statements to the press/electronic media separately regarding the COVID lab testing conducted at their respective institutions, as a result, there is every likelihood of confusion on the exact number of total lab tests being carried out, in all labs of the UT”.
The order further directs all heads of the institutions to ensure that no such press briefing on COVID related activities including lab testing are given.
The duty of compiling and reporting COVID related data has been assigned to mission director, national health mission, J&K who has been authorised to give the details to the press.
For the first time since the outbreak of the pandemic, UT’s information and public relations department did not issue any statement regarding the COVID situation till the filing of this report.
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