An 18-year-oldcovid-19 patient from Handwara area in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district died atSMHS hospital here, officials said on Monday. The teenager is the youngestamong the 61 persons who have succumbed to the virus in Jammu and Kashmir sofar.

The teenager, whowas admitted to the hospital as a “medico-legal case” with a serious headinjury, died at 3 a.m., medical superintendent SMHS hospital, Dr NazirChoudhary, told news agency GNS. 

“He was admitted onJune 12 as a medico-legal case. His swab sample (for the novel coronavirus) wastaken next day. He had serious head injuries besides bilateral pneumonia,” DrChoudhary said, adding, “later his sample returned positive for the virus.”

The teenager is theyoungest to die of the covid-19. Till his death, the youngest victim was a27-year-old resident from Lolab area of the north Kashmir district whosuccumbed to the pathogen 13 days ago at the same hospital. The teenager’sdeath also takes the fatality count of Kupwara due to the virus to five. 

So far, 61 peoplehave succumbed to the virus in J&K—Seven from Jammu and 54 from Valley.Srinagar district with 15 deaths has the highest fatalities followed byBaramulla 11, Kulgam eight, Anantnag six, five each in Shopian and Kupwara,four in Jammu, two each in Pulwama and Budgam while one death each has beenreported from Bandipora, Doda, Udhampur and Rajouri.