Jammu: Eighteen pilgrims on Thursday tested COVID19 positive in Katra town of Reasi district as the count continued to mount in Jammu division thus forcing authorities to take measures to contain spread of the deadly virus.
“During sampling of the pilgrims, we found 18 pilgrims COVID19 positive at Katra. Thus we sent them back to their native places by road via Lakhanpur in a bus,” an official in the health department said.
He stated that the testing had been intensified and no one was being allowed to enter the holy town without sampling. “All the pilgrims, coming from outside J&K, have to undergo testing for COVID19,” the official said.
Meanwhile, the district administration Jammu designated six hotels as COVID care centres for foreign travellers coming to the winter capital.
Nodal Officer Jammu, Satish Kumar Sharma on Wednesday issued an order in this connection. “To cope up with the emergent situation arisen by COVID19, six hotels have been declared as COVID care centres for foreign travellers coming to Jammu district,” read the order.
As per the order, hotel Vivek at Bus Stand in Jammu with a capacity to accommodate 15 travellers, hotel Premier at Residency Road with a capacity of 20, hotel Amrita at Vivekanand Chowk with a capacity to accommodate 30 travellers, hotel KC Residency with a capacity of 30, hotel Lords Inn with a capacity to accommodate 20 travellers and hotel City Top with a capacity for 15 travellers have been notified.
As per the order, Inspector State Taxes Department, Jammu, Dheeraj Kumar will be the nodal officer.
Meanwhile, Jammu district on Thursday detected 15 COVID positive cases and all of them were locals. The total COVID positive count was 37 in Jammu division, including 15 cases in Jammu district, 1 traveller in Udhampur, one case in Kathua and 2 cases in Poonch.