Jammu and Kashmir recorded an average of 389 persons getting infected with COVID-19 on a daily basis since the outbreak began in the region in March last year while the two capital cities remained the worst affected.
Srinagar, the summer capital, recorded the highest number of cases at 26100 till date followed by Jammu, the winter capital, which clocked 24925 cases. Most of the patients have recovered.
The districts which were least affected by the infection include Reasi in Jammu division at 1638 and Shopian in Kashmir division with 2566 cases.
The first case of COVID19 viral infection – which caused an unprecedented global lockdown after it emerged from China – in J-K was traced in Srinagar on March 18 when a woman from Khanyar tested positive.
The region was immediately placed under a lockdown as the administration ordered shutdown of schools, offices, markets, religious places and public transport. The lockdown has been eased in recent months.
The total number of cases recorded in J-K reached 124297 yesterday as 149 fresh cases were detected. JK has a recovery rate of 97.67 percent which is slightly higher than India’s net recovery rate of 96.70 percent.
So far 1932 people have died of the disease which include 720 in Jammu division and 1212 in Kashmir division.
The region has witnessed an average of 389 cases per day since the outbreak, which has eased in recent months after it touched the peak in September when over 1600 cases were detected in a day.
Nazir Hussain Chowdhary, Medical Superintendent at Srinagar’s Shri Maharaja Hari Singh hospital, said that the number of COVID-19 cases reduced at “a fast pace” in Kashmir. “We only receive 10-15 percent of what we used to,” he said.
Chowdhary said that the community has developed herd immunity and people have even adapted to the protocols.
“The pattern shows that cases have reduced at all the hospitals. Few hospitals have been opened for common patients. Only serious patients are admitted in hospitals now,” he said.
