After one of the suspected cases of coronavirus, with a recent travel history to Iran, tested positive in Jammu, the Jammu & Kashmir administration on Monday further stepped up vigil by tracking down close family members and others who may have come into contact with the patients.

According to official sources, “A 63-year-old woman, originally a native of Ladakh, currently staying in Jammu after her arrival from Iran tested positive”. Her report was released late Sunday evening but Health and Medical education department confirmed the status on Monday morning.

On the other hand, the health authorities have sent fresh sample of another suspected coronavirus patient, currently lodged in an isolation ward of Government Medical college hospital, Jammu since March 5.

Confirming the status of these two suspected patients, twitter handle of Health and Medical education department in a tweet said, “One case of patient admitted in isolation at GMC tested positive for Coronavirus. Patient had travel history to Iran. Second patient’s sample being sent for retest”.

Principal Secretary, Planning, Development and Monitoring department and official spokesman, Rohit Kansal tweeted Monday morning, “Situation under watch; 400 under surveillance in Satwari and Sarwal areas of Jammu. Anganwadi centers in these areas closed till March 31”.

Eyewitness reports claimed, separate teams of local authorities were dispatched to pick local contacts of these two suspected patients from localities where these two were staying in Jammu.

Ironically, senior police and health department officers were seen wearing masks but other staff members were seen using piece of cloth to cover their faces as they were not provided with either masks or safety kits. Ambulances and jeeps were deployed to ferry these people to a nearby isolation centre set up in Yatri Niwas, Bhagwati Nagar.

Meanwhile, responding to the emergency situation, the Union territory administration has geared up its resources to start Coronavirus testing facility in SKIMS, Srinagar from Monday.

In addition, two such laboratories at Government Medical College (GMC) Srinagar and Jammu will be made operational in next 2-3 days.

Health and Medical education department in a separate tweet said, “Coronavirus testing laboratory made functional in J&K at SKIMS Soura Srinagar. GMC Jammu lab being also made functional shortly. This will immensely reduce testing time”.