Youth NC leader dies of COVID-19

Jammu, July 10: A Youth National Conference leader died on Thursday night due to COVID-19 at the Government Medical College (GMC) hospital here, officials said.

However, other details about Rohit Kirni, the Jammu district Youth NC president, like his exact age and medical history were not immediately known.

With his death, a total of six people died due to COVID-19 in the Union Territory on Thursday

Sadly we lost Rohit a few minutes ago. He had been put on a ventilator but the medical teams, in spite of their best efforts, couldn't stabilise him. He leaves behind a wife & two young kids. May his soul rest in peace. #Covid_19 kills. Taking it lightly is suicidal, former chief minister and NC leader Omar Abdullah wrote on his twitter handle at 7.42 pm.

Before that, around 5.20 pm, Abdullah had tweeted, My young colleague Rohit Kirni has been found Covid-19 positive & is in a serious condition in hospital in Jammu. The entire @JKNC family joins me in praying for his speedy & complete recovery. Rohit's condition drives home the point that youth is no safeguard against COVID.

National Conference President Farooq Abdullah also expressed deep grief over the passing away of Kerni, describing his death as a great loss to the party.

Provincial President Devender Singh Rana, Provincial Youth National Conference President Ajaz Jan and senior leaders also expressed grief and shock over the demise of Kerni.

The government, meanwhile, said that 240 new positive cases of novel coronavirus were reported Thursday -- 55 from Jammu division and 185 from Kashmir division -- taking the total number of positive cases in Jammu and Kashmir to 9,501, officials said.

Five COVID-19 deaths were reported from Kashmir division, they added.

Moreover, 128 more COVID-19 patients have recovered and discharged from various hospitals -- 54 from Jammu Division and 74 from Kashmir Division.

According to the daily Media Bulletin on novel coronavirus, out of 9,501 positive cases, 3,652 are active cases, 5,695 have recovered; and 154 have died --14 in Jammu division and 140 in Kashmir division.