Entire Village In Kashmir Quarantined After 30 Test Positive For Coronavirus

A remote and nondescript village in Jammu and Kashmir's Bandipora district, with a population of around 400, has emerged as the biggest coronavirus hotspot in the newly formed Union Territory.

The Danger Mohalla hamlet, with at least 30 COVID-infected patients, could be the Union Territory's first village where the entire populace has been quarantined to fight the spread of coronavirus.

Officials said while 30 have tested positive for the contagious virus in the village, the tests of another 400 are underway.

Authorities believe the highly contagious virus spread in the village from a man whose tests results came positive after his death. Until then, he had come in contact with a large number of people, including 11 members of his extended family who have also tested positive for coronavirus.

"The first death that was reported from this village had no travel or contact history. No one suspected that he could be a COVID-19 patient," said Shahnawaz Bukhari, Officer on Special Duty in the area.

"Since he was unwell for a long time, many people visited him, including his neighbours. He was reported to be a COVID-19 patient after his death," he said.

Security forces have now sealed the area and sanitation workers are fumigating the streets and houses in the desolate village. At least four neighbouring hamlets of Danger Mohalla have also been declared as red zones.

Bandipora district has reported 91 coronavirus cases - the highest in Jammu and Kashmir.

There is a Red Zone cluster in Kashmir's Hajin area with community spread now quite visible in the Danger Mohalla, officials said.

Doctors said that they are collecting maximum samples from the area for testing and that they have begun rapid testing to determine the magnitude of the spread.

"We tested 30 samples yesterday and we are expecting to test 60 more today and 150 samples the day after. Around 200 tests will be done to find the trend of this disease," said Dr Masarat, a medical officer.

Jammu and Kashmir received its first consignment of 12,000 rapid tests kits from the centre on Sunday which are being sent to all the red zones. Bandipora district remains the biggest challenge to flattening the curve in the Union Territory.