Srinagar, Jul 16 (IANS): After 13 patients died of Covid-19 in Kashmir on Wednesday, authorities have warned heads of various testing hospitals in the Valley not to share details with the media.

A total of 13 coronavirus patients succumbed in various hospitals of the Valley on Wednesday as the total number of people killed by the dreaded virus reached 208 in Jammu and Kashmir.

In an order issued by the financial commissioner for health and medical education, Atal Dulloo said, "It has been observed that all the institutions at their own are giving official statements to the press/electronic media separately regarding the COVID lab testing conducted at their respective institutions, as a result, there is every likelihood of confusion on the exact number of total lab tests being carried out, in all labs of the UT".

The order further directs all heads of the institutions to ensure that no such press briefing on COVID related activities including lab testing are given.

The duty of compiling and reporting COVID related data has been assigned to mission director, national health mission, J&K who has been authorised to give the details to the press.

For the first time since the outbreak of the pandemic, UT's information and public relations department did not issue any statement regarding the COVID situation till the filing of this report.