Authorities in Jammu and Kashmir announced a six-day lockdown across the region except Bandipora after COVID-19 cases began rapidly rising again.

The move comes after 502 new cases were reported on Wednesday (July 22).

Footage recorded on July 23 shows armed troops patrolling the deserted streets on Srinagar.

There were 502 fresh cases of the coronavirus disease in the Kashmir Valley on Wednesday. The total number of Covid-19 cases in Jammu and Kashmir stands at 15,258.

The Jammu and Kashmir administration announced complete lockdown in areas of Kashmir zone which have been categorised as red zones due to spike in the number of Covid-19 cases.

According to news agency ANI, the complete shutdown will be observed in all such areas of the Kashmir zone, except Bandipora, from Wednesday to July 27. “The agriculture/horticulture and construction activities will continue during this period,” the Information and Public Relations department of Jammu and Kashmir said in an order.

Jammu district commissioner Sushma Chauhan has already announced partial lockdown beginning July 24.

The order on July 19 said that there will be complete restrictions on movement of individuals, vehicles and all activities within the jurisidiction of the Jammu district from 6 pm on all Fridays till 6 am on all Mondays, except the movement for emergency medical requirements for which no pass is required.

There were 502 fresh cases in the Valley on Wednesday.

Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday recorded 608 new Covid-19 cases, which took the infection tally in the union territory to 15,258, according to Union health ministry. Nine fresh fatalities pushed the death toll to 263. Out of these, 243 deaths have been recorded in the Valley and 20 from the Jammu region.

There are now 6,540 active cases in the union territory, while 8,455 patients have recovered from the infection.