Strict lockdown restrictions were reimposed on Saturday in parts of Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri district following a spike in coronavirus cases, officials said. The entire Rajouri city and adjoining areas were sealed and people were asked to stay indoors as part of the efforts to slow the spread of the infection, they said. “The restrictions were reimposed as a precautionary measure after some locals were tested positive for COVID-19. While in most cases the source of the infection is known, there are some cases where the source is unknown,” Additional Deputy Commissioner, Rajouri, Sher Singh said.
He said the restrictions would continue till the completion of the contact tracing of all the positive cases, their sampling and receipt of the reports. “We have five active red zones and all the residents of these areas are being subjected to COVID testing,” Singh said. Meanwhile, the Government Medical College associated hospital in Rajouri town was closed till further orders following detection of a positive case among the inpatients, the officials said. However, the emergency services are functioning normally with doctors and paramedical staff taking all necessary precautionary measures against coronavirus, they said. Rajouri district, which falls in the Jammu region, had recorded the highest single-day spike of 51 cases on Friday. The district had so far recorded one COVID-19 related death among 240 cases, including 171 travellers. A total of 88 people have been cured of the disease so far.