100-yr-old dies in Coronavirus quarantine in J&K's Udhampur; COVID-19 test report negative

A 100-year-old man has died in a quarantine centre in Udhampur district of Jammu and Kashmir but his COVID-19 test report has come negative, a senior government official said on Sunday.

The man and his brother were shifted to a quarantine facility a few days ago as a precautionary measure after it came to light that they had come in contact with a person in Magheni village who had tested positive for coronavirus, District Development Commissioner of Udhampur Piyush Singla said.

"He breathed his last on Saturday night and his body was subsequently shifted to the district hospital according to protocol since his test report was awaited. The report was received on Sunday morning and it came negative," he told PTI.

Jammu and Kashmir has so far recorded two coronavirus deaths, while 90 people -- 69 in Kashmir and 21 in Jammu -- have tested positive. Three patients have recovered and discharged from hospital.

"The man was asymptomatic and was shifted to one of the best available quarantine facilities given his age and close contact with the positive case. He did not have any major health problem except old-age related issues," Singla said.

Three persons from Narsoo village in Udhampur tested positive for coronavirus on Saturday. Following this, the district magistrate declared Narsoo and Chunti villages as red zones and their surrounding villages as buffer zones.

"There shall be no inward or outward movement of any person from these villages and people shall stay at their homes. There shall be complete lockdown. That there shall be no vehicular movement on internal lanes or roads connecting these villages," Singla said in an order and warned of stern action against violators.

He also directed the officers concerned to ensure supply of essential commodities to the villages in accordance to the protocols.