3 schools, College closed as teachers, students infected

Spike in COVID cases in Kashmir, 93 test +ve

Excelsior Correspondent

Srinagar/Jammu/ Leh, Mar 7: There has been a spike in COVID-19 cases in Kashmir with 93 testing positive for Corona today taking the number of cases in Jammu and Kashmir to 127044 while one death has been reported in the Valley taking the death toll in J&K to 1962.
And administration in Kashmir closed three schools in Budgam district and a College in Srinagar after students and teachers tested positive for COVID-19 while no night long prayers would be held on Shab-e-Meraj (PBUH).
The authorities in central Kashmir’s Budgam district today ordered closure of three schools for at least three days after some teachers and students were tested positive for Coronavirus.
Nodal Officer COVID-19 mitigation cell Budgam, Aadil Bashir has asked the heads of these three educational institutions – Hanjiguru Budgam, IEI school Budgam and Mazaharul Haq High School Budgam-to close down the school premises’ immediately for a period of not less than 3 days after detection.
“In view of detection of COVID-19 positive cases from your schools in mass/random sampling and as a prophylactic measure you are advised to close the school premises immediately for a period of not less than 3 days,” read the letter.
It further stated that moreover, all the primary and secondary contacts of the affected teachers and students are advised to self-isolate and quarantine themselves. “Testing for all the contacts will be undertaken in due course of time,” it further read.
He said that in Government Middle School Hanjiguru and IEI school a few teachers have tested positive while in Mazaharul Haq High School a teacher and a student tested positive for COVID.
Islamia College of Science and Commerce in Srinagar been closed for five days after two faculty members tested positive for COVID-19.
“In view of the two faculty members reporting COVID-19 positive, College will remain closed for the students from March 8th to 13th. During this period, all UG and PG classes will be conducted in online mode only through LMS,” read an order issued by the institution. “Normal offline classwork will start from 15th March onwards.”
In the meantime, no night-long congregational Shab-e-Meraj prayers will be held at Hazratbal shrine due to COVID. However, Holy relic will be displayed after every prayer on March 12, 13 and also on Friday following Merajun Nabi (PBUH)’
The management decided that in view of the COVID-19 pandemic, it won’t be feasible to allow night-long prayers at the shrine on the eve of Shab-e-Meraj.
And one person died of Coronavirus in Kashmir today taking the number of deaths in J&K to 1962.
Moreover, 101 more COVID-19 patients have recovered and were discharged from various hospitals including 75 from Kashmir division.
Meanwhile, 19 persons tested positive for pathogen in the Jammu region including 15 in Jammu district, two Poonch and one each in Udhampur and Reasi districts. No new cases were reported in rest of the six districts.
Twenty six persons recovered from the virus in the Jammu region, the highest being 24 in Udhampur district and two in Jammu.
Rajouri, Doda and Ramban districts don’t have any active positive Coronavirus cases at present.
Jammu region now has 52102 Corona cases. Of them, 181 are active positives while 51194 have recovered from the virus and there have been 727 casualties in the region.
Among 727 casualties, maximum 375 have been reported in Jammu district followed by 64 Doda, 57 Udhampur, 55 Rajouri, 53 Kathua, 40 Samba, 24 Poonch, 22 Kishtwar, 21 Ramban and 16 in Reasi district.
Meanwhile, the Union Territory of Ladakh today reported four new Corona positive cases—three in Leh and one in Kargil district.
Ladakh has 9830 Corona cases but only 44 are active positives as 9656 have been treated.
There have been 130 Corona fatalities in Ladakh including 86 in Leh and 44 in Kargil.