75 new Coronavirus cases reported in Ladakh, voluntary lockdown extended

Ladakh: As 75 new COVID-19 cases have been detected in Ladakh, the normal life remained disrupted in Leh town for the eighth consecutive day on Monday with a civil society group extending the voluntary lockdown aimed at containing the spread of coronavirus till December 6.

The Union Territory recorded 75 fresh cases over the past 24 hours, taking the confirmed COVID-19 cases in the region to 8,403, officials said.

Ladakh has so far recorded a total of 116 coronavirus-related deaths, while 7,409 patients have been cured of the contagion since the outbreak of the disease in March.

Thanking the people for the voluntary week-long lockdown on its call, the civil society group, which consists of religious heads, traders, transporters and restaurant owners, has extended the self-imposed lockdown till December 6.

"The decision to extend the voluntary lockdown was taken at a meeting of the stakeholders and medical experts, a spokesperson of the group said, requesting the people not to move out of their homes unnecessarily.

The main markets in Leh and adjoining areas wore a deserted look as people responded positively to the call.

All shops and business establishments, except pharmacies, remained closed, while the public and private transport also remained off the roads for the eighth consecutive day on Monday.

According to a bulletin issued by the directorate of health services, a total of 75 people tested positive for COVID-19 during the past 24 hours.

These included 57 cases in Leh and 18 in Kargil.

It said 67 infected patients were discharged in Leh and another 15 in Kargil after successful treatment, raising the number of cured persons in the Union Territory to 7,409, which is 88 per cent of the total cases.

The number of active cases dropped to 878 -- 767 in Leh and 111 in Kargil, the bulletin said.