25 more test positive in J&K, taking total coronavirus cases in the State to 270

Srinagar’s Jawahar Lal Nehru Memorial Hospital witnessed emotional scenes when the test results of two siblings, a seven-year-old and an eight-month-old, returned negative, and they were discharged.

Doctors and nurses cheered the siblings, appreciating the cooperation and patience shown by them since their admission on March 26.

Dr. Tabasum, Deputy Medical Superintendent, Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial (JLNM) Hospital, said the two minor sisters contracted the deadly virus from their grandfather, who had a travel history to Saudi Arabia, and were kept in isolation since they were admitted last month.

“I take a humble bow in respect of the doctors at the hospital and for resilience of a brave mother as two kids, who had earlier tested positive are discharged after repeat samples testing negative. Congratulations!” wrote Deputy Commissioner-Srinagar Dr. Shahid Iqbal Chowdhary on Twitter.

J&K government spokesperson Rohit Kansal also welcomed the report of their discharge. “Great News! Mubarak to the families and gratitude to the entire medical fraternity. Mother, who was COVID-19 negative, but stayed with her daughters,” he tweeted.

“We allotted a separate ward to the girls and also counselled them a lot. We told them not to touch surfaces. In order to prevent any mental trauma, we gave them toys, crayons and drawing sheets for distraction,” said Dr. Tabasum.

She said the mother of the girls had tested negative but she had spent the past more than two weeks with them at the hospital. “The mother was also tested before being discharged from the hospital. The father of the girls has also tested negative,” she added.

The girls will now spent 14 days in home quarantine.

‘Patience, no panic’

On Monday, 25 persons tested positive for the coronavirus, pushing J&K’s total tally 270.

“All fresh cases are from the Kashmir division. The bright spark is that the number of recovered and discharged cases now goes up to 16. It is because of tremendous effort by the doctors and all support staff, both at Jammu and Srinagar,” said Mr. Kansal.

Twelve positive cases were reported from Bandipora and Baramulla districts, one from Kulgam, and 12 persons were “outsiders” in a quarantine centre in Srinagar.

“None among the patients testing positive is from Srinagar. Capital Srinagar needs to continue with precautions, patience, and no panic,” said Dr. Chowdhary.