Restrictions intensified in Kashmir following detection of 4 more COVID-19 cases; total no. 11

SRINAGAR: The restrictions on the movement and assembly of people to contain the spread of the coronavirus were intensified in Kashmir on Thursday, in the wake of four more positive cases detected in the valley on Wednesday, taking the total number of affected persons to 11, officials said.
Of the eight persons who had earlier tested positive for COVID-19 in Jammu and Kashmir, one died on Thursday.

The restrictions on the movement and assembly of people continued for the eighth consecutive day on Thursday, the officials said.

They added that the authorities tightened the curbs across the valley as four more positive cases -- all from Bandipora district -- were detected on Wednesday.

The security forces sealed off many roads and erected barriers to check the movement of people across the valley.
Police vehicles fitted with public address systems went around the residential areas of the city and elsewhere in the valley late on Wednesday as well as on Thursday morning to announce that restrictions under section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) were imposed and advised people to stay indoors.

The police were also using drones to announce the restrictions on the movement of people in some parts of the city, the officials said.

While Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a countrywide lockdown on Tuesday evening, the Union Territory administration here had announced a lockdown across Jammu and Kashmir till March 31 on Sunday as part of its efforts to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

Essential services, including healthcare personnel, are exempted from the restrictions.

The administration has urged people for cooperation and warned them of action for violating the prohibitory orders.