COVID-19: Panic grips J&K after highest single-day deaths

SRINAGAR — A fresh wave of fear gripped Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday after the deadly virus claimed nine lives in a single day including five women, taking the total number of people, who died due to COVID-19 to 169 in the UT.

Officials said that nine patients who died due to COVID-19 include a 73-year-old male from  Pattan Baramulla, 55-year-old man from Bari Brahmana Jammu, 45-year-old man from Trehgam Kupwara, 24-year-old woman from Anantnag, 50-year-old man Baghat-e-Kanipora Budgam, 65-year-old woman from Habba Kadal Srinagar, 70-year-old woman from Nunar Ganderbal, 56-year-old woman from Shalimar and 77-year-old man from Hyderpora Srinagar, 58-year-old man from RS Pura Jammu, 70-year-old female from Magam Handwara in Kupwara district, 58-year-old male from RS Pura Jammu.

“Among nine patients, four including 73-year-old man from Pattan Baramulla, 77-year-old man from Hyderpora Srinagar, 70-year-old woman from Nunar Ganderbal and 56-year-old woman from Shalimar died at SKIMS hospital, two patients including 24-year-old woman from Hakoora Anantnag and 50-year-old man from Baghat-e-Kanipora died at SMHS Hospital, two patients including 45-year-old male from Trehgam Kupwara and 65-year-old woman from Habba Kadal Srinagar died at CD Hospital and 55-year-old male from Bari Brahmana Jammu died at GMC Jammu,” the officials said.

Dr Farooq Jan, Medical Superintendent at SKIMS, said that a 73 year old COVID-19 positive male from Pattan Baramulla, who was admitted on July 09, died at SKIMS on Saturday afternoon.

He said that the patient was suffering from COPD with Pancytopenia with bilateral lung infiltrates.

He said that a 77-year-old man from Hyderpora, Srinagar who was very sick and was on a ventilator in IDB block died at 7:45 AM. “Patient was a case of Carcinoma Urinary Bladder and was admitted with bilateral pneumonia with ARDS,” he added.

Prof. Jan said that a 70-year-old woman from Nunar Ganderbal who was admitted on Friday died at SKIMS on Saturday at 12:30 PM and was tested positive after death. He said that the patient was suffering from bilateral pneumonia, Type 1 respiratory failure and other ailments.

Jan further added that a 56-year-old woman from Shalimar who was admitted on July 06 and tested positive for COVID-19 died on Saturday at 05:10 PM due to cardiopulmonary arrest. “He said that the patient was suffering from bilateral pneumonia, hypertension and diabetes,” he said.

Dr Nazir Choudhary, Medical Superintendent at SMHS, said that a 24-year-old woman from Hakura, Anantnag who was admitted on July 03 died at SMHS on Friday late night.

He said that the patient was referred from Lal Ded Hospital after she had caesarean delivery and the patient was kept on ventilator, however, she had intracranial hemorrhage due to high blood pressure and died while her male baby is fine.

He said that a patient from Baghat-e-Kanipora died a few hours, he was admitted at SMHS and was tested positive after death. “Patient was suffering from bilateral pneumonia and other ailments,” Dr Choudhary said.

Dr Salim Tak, Medical Superintendent at CD Hospital, said that a 45-year-old man from Trehgam, Kupwara, who was referred from SMHS after testing positive for COVID-19 on July 04 died at CD Hospital on Saturday.

The patient was very sick and was suffering from bilateral pneumonia, hypertension and other ailments, he said.

He said that a 65-year-old woman from Habba Kadal who was admitted on July 08 died at CD Hospital on Saturday afternoon. “The patient was suffering from bilateral pneumonia, hypertension and ailments,” he said.

Dr Dara Singh, Medical Superintendent at GMC Jammu, said that a 55-year-old man from Bari Brahmana, who was admitted on June 29 died at GMC on Saturday afternoon. He said that the patient was suffering from diabetes, Carcinoma bladder and other ailments.

The 10th death was reported late evening at SMHS Srinagar of a 70-year-old female patient from Magam, Handwara, Kupwara, who was admitted on July 09. “Her sample was taken on July 09 and she died today morning. Her samples returned as positive for the virus,” Dr Nazir, Medical Superintendent SMHS, said.

The 11th death was reported from R S Pura, Jammu. A doctor at GMC Jammu said that the 58-year-old male from RS Pura, Jammu, was suffering from hypertension, liver disease and respiratory problem. “He was tested positive for COVID-19,” said a doctor at GMC Jammu.

With 11 more deaths, the death toll related to COVID-19 has reached 171 in J&K including 17 from Jammu division and 154 from Kashmir division.

Srinagar district with 43 deaths has the highest fatalities followed by Baramulla (32), Kulgam (18), Shopian (16), Anantnag (14), Budgam (11), Jammu (10), Kupwara (10), Pulwama (05), Bandipora (03), two each in Doda and Ganderbal while one death each has been reported from Poonch, Udhampur, Rajouri and Kathua.