india

Updated: Apr 23, 2020 19:03 IST

Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday reported 20 fresh Covid-19 cases, taking the total count in the UT to 427, officials said.

Government spokesperson Rohit Kansal tweeted: “20 new cases reported today. One from Jammu division and 19 from Kashmir. Total count now 427— Jammu has 57 cases and Kashmir 370.”

Officials said of the new cases, 18 were confirmed at SKIMS laboratory in Srinagar, one each at CD hospital and Udhampur command hospital.

In Kashmir, nine fresh infections were reported from Shopian, four in Kupwara, three in Baramulla, two in Bandipora and one Budgam district.

So far, the UT has witnessed five deaths—four from Kashmir and one from Udhampur.

Kashmiri businessman tests positive, shifted to Jammu hospital

A businessman from Kashmir tested positive for coronavirus on Thursday. He was among eight persons who were clandestinely trying to reach Valley in a truck but were caught in Ramban. He was shifted to the government medical college and hospital in Jammu while others have been quarantined.

However, in a major lapse, the patient had visited a shop adjoining Doda district hospital where he had given his samples on April 21.

Ramban district commissioner Nazim Zai Khan said, “The man along with others were headed to Kashmir in a truck. They had started from Delhi and then boarded a Kashmir bound truck but all of them were intercepted at Batote on April 16 and were kept in administrative quarantine.”

According to Batote tehsildar Mehboob Khan, three policemen including a head constable of Batote Police Station and a cook, who were attending these eight men in administrative quarantine, have also been sent to a quarantine centre in Batote.