The total number of coronavirus positive cases Friday crossed 20,000 mark  while a senior Kashmir Administrative Services Officer (KAS) along with 12 others died taking the total death toll to 377 in Jammu & Kashmir.

Sharing the news on his twitter handle, Deputy Commissioner Srinagar Shahid Iqbal Choudhary wrote, “I find it difficult to share, our colleague Tasaduq Jeelani has lost the battle against Covid. He had responded well, tested negative too but couldn’t overcome post Covid complications. May his soul Rest In Peace”.

Jeelani was said to be recuperating from the disease after a policeman donated plasma to him.

Meanwhile,  8 personnel of the Special Security Force (SSF) deployed in Raj Bhawan, Srinagar also tested positive on Friday.

Several staff members and senior officers, posted in Raj Bhawan Jammu were advised to go into home quarantine after two media professionals from Delhi, working on the Coffee table book of achievements of J&K government tested positive.

According to official sources, around 40 guests and staff members were expected to undergo mandatory screening to confirm whether they have contracted the virus while attending meetings and presentations with these media  professionals.

According to the media bulletin, out of 490 new positive cases, 143 were reproted  from Jammu division and 347 from Kashmir division, taking the total number of positive cases in Jammu & Kashmir to 20,359. Also 12 Covid-19 deaths have been reported; 02 from Jammu division and 10 from Kashmir Division.

Moreover, 375 more Covid-19 patients have recovered and discharged from various hospitals, 78 from Jammu Division and 297 from Kashmir Division.

According to the daily Media Bulletin, out of 20,359 positive cases, 7,765 are Active Positive, 12,217 have recovered and 377 have died; 28 in Jammu division and 349 in Kashmir division.

The bulletin further said out of 6,37,515 test results available, 617156 samples have been tested as negative till July 31, 2020.