Restrictions on the movement of people in Kashmir to containthe spread of coronavirus completed one month on Friday, even as the number ofred zone areas in the valley has risen to 80, officials said.
They said the security forces have sealed off main roads inmost places in the valley and erected barriers at several other places to checkthe unwanted movement of the people and to enforce the lock down.
Only persons with valid passes were allowed to move, theyadded.
The declared containment or red zones across the valley havebeen sealed to ensure strict adherence to the standard operating procedure.
The officials said there were 80 red zones in the Kashmirvalley and all such areas would remain as red zones up to 42 days, unless nonew positive case of COVID-19 is detected.
If any new case is detected in those areas, then from thatdate, the area will again remain a red zone for another 42 days, they added.
They said those areas have been sealed off and strictrestrictions would were being implemented there.
The officials said rapid anti-body testing would beinitiated in red zones very soon and Jammu and Kashmir will be among the fewstates in the country to do that.
Meanwhile, the markets across the valley were shut andpublic transport was off the roads with only pharmacies and groceries allowedto open, the officials said.
Educational institutions across Kashmir are closed, whileall public places including gymnasiums, parks, clubs and restaurants were shutdown more than a week before the nationwide lock down announced by PrimeMinister Narendra Modi.
While the Prime Minister announced the country-wide lockdown on the evening of March 24, the union territory administration here had onMarch 22 announced a lock down across Jammu and Kashmir till 31 March as partof its efforts to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
The administration said the essential services includinghealthcare personnel have been exempted from the restrictions.
Restrictions were first imposed in many parts of the valleyon March 19 to contain the spread of the virus infection. The measures weretaken after the detection of the first positive case of coronavirus in thevalley.
The total number of positive cases in the union territoryhas risen to 314. Four patients have died in Jammu and Kashmir and 36 haverecovered.
More than 58,000 people have been kept under surveillanceincluding those who are either in government established quarantine facilitiesor in home isolation.
Till date 58076 travellers and persons in contact withsuspected cases have been put under surveillance which include 7463 persons inhome quarantine including facilities operated by government, 265 in hospitalquarantine, 272 in hospital isolation and 29366 under home surveillance.Besides, 20706 persons have completed their surveillance period, the officialssaid.