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“There is no evidence of a person being infected from the exposure to corpse who died from coronavirus,”

Srinagar: Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) on Wednesday said there is no risk to catch the infection from the bodies of persons who die from the novel coronavirus.
“Cadavers do not transmit disease,” said DAK President Dr Nisar ul Hassan.

“There is no evidence of a person being infected from the exposure to corpse who died from coronavirus,” he said.

Dr Nisar the main driver of transmission of COVID-19 is through respiratory droplets generated when an infected person coughs or sneezes.
“There is no chance of spread of infection from a dead person. The dead person won’t cough or sneeze,” he said.

“The virus doesn’t survive in the human body after death,” he added.
Dr Nisar said health care workers and family members should be sensitized that dead people cannot spread the novel virus and there is no reason to worry as long as standard precautions are followed.

“For health care workers, mortuary staff and others handling bodies, these standard precautions involve wearing PPE,” he said

“For family members, they involve not touching the body, wearing basic protective gear and not gathering in groups to pray,” he added.

Dr Nisar said persons preparing the deceased for burial should follow recommended standard protocols.

“The belongings of the deceased do not need to be burned or otherwise disposed of. Clothing and other fabric should be washed with water and detergent,” he said.

Dr Nisar said family and friends may view the body after it has been prepared for burial in accordance with custom.

“Religious rituals such as reading from religious scripts and any other religious rites should be allowed,” he said.

Dr Nisar said burials should take place in a timely manner, in accordance with local practices.

“However, the number of attendees in funeral should be restricted, so that social distancing measures could be followed among the individuals,” he said.

“While authorities should see to it that standard precautions are followed, they should also ensure that dignity of dead bodies is respected according to their cultural and religious traditions,” said Dr Nisar.

Srinagar: Police arrested a butcher for selling meat at exorbitant rate in Batamaloo area of Srinagar city.

Taking advantage of prevailing situation emerging out of Coronaviurs, vegetable sellers, vendors and butchers loot people at will while the lack of regulation has emboldened them. Almost every butcher is selling meat, on a rate of their own.

A police official told KNT that people complained that a butcher identified as Waseem Ahmed Shigan son of Manzoor Ahmed Shigan, a resident of SD Colony, Batamaloo is selling meat at Rs 600 per Kilogram.

A police team rushed to spot and found the complaints true. “The butcher was arrested and an FIR vide number 54/2020 under section 188, ¾ Essential Commodities Act was registered against him,” he said. (KNT)

Area being sanitized, people requested not to go closer to gunfight spot: Police

Shopian: Three militants were killed while as an army officer, a soldier and a civilian were injured in an encounter at Melhoora village of Zainapora area of South Kashmir’s Shopian district officials said.

The Mehloora gunfight started yesterday and all three militant bodies have been recovered while as a woman sustained injury. Pertinently, four militants of AGH were killed in an encounter with the forces in the same village last week.

An official told new agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), that three militants have been killed. He said an Army officer, a soldier and a woman also sustained injuries during the gunfight. The injured civilians were rushed to Srinagar hospital for treatment. The injured woman was identified as Shahnaza Bano.

Earlier, officials said that on specific inputs about the presence of militants, a Cordon and Search Operation (CASO) was launched in the area by joint team of forces including 55 RR and Shopian Police.

During the searches, the hiding militants fired upon the forces, which was retaliated, thus triggering an encounter, they said.

Meanwhile, security forces are sanitizing the area and have appealed the people not to go closer to the encounter spot till the site is properly sanitized—(KNO)

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Shopian: Two militants were killed while an Army man and a civilian sustained injuries in an ongoing encounter in Melhoora village of Zainapora Sub division of South Kashmir’s Shopian district on Tuesday afternoon, officials said.

Pertinently, four militants of AGH were killed in an encounter with the forces in Melhoora village last week.

An official told new agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), that two militants have been killed in an exchange of fire while as operation is still on in the area.

He said an Army man and a civilian also sustained injuries during the gunfight, who rushed to the hospital for treatment. Sources said that the injured civilian has been shifted to Srinagar’s SMHS hospital for advanced treatment.

Earlier, officials said that on specific inputs about the presence of militants, a Cordon and Search Operation (CASO) was launched in the area by joint team of forces including 55 RR and Shopian Police.

During the searches, the hiding militants fired upon the forces, which was retaliated, thus triggering an encounter, they said—(KNO)

Srinagar: An army soldier was injured in an ongoing encounter at Melhoora area of Shopian district in south Kashmir on Tuesday. Two civilians were also injured near the encounter site and one of them, a woman, was hit with a bullet in her leg.

Reports reaching GNS said that a soldier suffered bullet wounds in the operation. Two militants have also been killed during the initial exchange of fire.

Two civilians sustained injures near the site. Among them, a woman Shahnaza Bano wife of Farooq Ahmad Koka suffered bullet and was shifted to a nearby hospital wherefrom she was referred to SMHS hospital Srinagar.

Another civilian Asif Ahmad Reshi son of Nissar Reshi of Watchi according to reports suffered pellet wounds after police and paramilitary forces chased a group of youth near the encounter site. All the injured have been moved to different hospitals.

Earlier, a joint team of SOG and army’s 55 RR laid a siege in Melhora village.

A police officer said that the operation was launched following specific inputs about the presence of some militants.

The joint team of forces while intensifying the searches fired several warning shots towards the suspected spot, the militants hiding in the area opened indiscriminate fire triggering off a fierce gunfight, he said.

“So far two militants were killed in the operation. The identities and group affiliation of the slain are being ascertained,” he said.

The officer said that the operation may stretch throughout the night even as lights have been already erected and exit points sealed with additional reinforcements. (GNS)

Rajouri: Advisor to Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor, Farooq Khan on Tuesday castigated Pakistan for repeated ceasefire violations along Line of Control and attempts to push in infiltrators amid Coronavirus pandemic across the globe.

Talking to media persons in Rajouri on the side-lines of his visit in Rajouri, Khan said that “Pakistan is not learning a lesson even after being bashed multiple times in past. They have been hit many a times in the past but the neighbour is not ready to learn a lesson.” Khan said.

“Presently at a time when entire world is suffering from Corona pandemic, our neighbour, Pakistan is carrying forward its nefarious designs,” Khan said as per news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) Correspondent, adding that these nefarious designs include ceasefire violation on Line of Control and attempts to push in militants. “Our forces are not sitting in a silent mode but are giving befitting reply to such nefarious designs.” Khan said.

Advisor Farooq Khan further said that “we are hopeful that losses suffered by Pakistan in present times may give a lesson to Pakistan.” –(KNO)

OPDs shut, surgeries on hold, large chunk of patients face serious health issues, Non-COVID patients get treatment normally, claims Div Com

Srinagar: As government focuses exclusively on Covid-19 pandemic with all its men and machinery fighting the deadly pandemic, non-covid patients have been left in lurch as many leading hospitals have been designated as covid-19 hospitals where only Coronavirus patients are being treated.

The closure of out-patients department (OPD) and putting the surgeries on hold has added to the problems of the patients who have health issues other than Covid. In order to contain the situation and avoid the spread of covid-19, authorities shut OPDs in major hospitals and dedicate their men and machinery to fight the deadly pandemic.

As several major hospitals were turned into covid-19 quarters and OPDs were closed, the non Covid patients in Jammu and Kashmir are facing immense hardships.

“My wife is a suffering from Asthma and was getting treated at CD hospital since many years ” said Shabir Ahmad a resident of Pulwama told news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), adding that as CD hospital has been designated as covid hospital, he is in a dilemma where to take his wife for treatment.

“The doctor who was treating her was aware about her history of ailment and I fail to understand how a new doctor can treat her,” he said. Ghulam Nabi, another patient from Bijbehara area of Anantnag district having chest ailments said that he was being treated at GMC Anantnag however, GMC Anantnag is specially now only for covid-19, he is unable to get treatment.

“Since OPD at GMC Anantnag has been closed, we were now planning to take him to SKIMS or SMHS but there are no transport facilities available,” said son-in-law of Ghulam Nabi

With most doctors are busy in dealing with covid-19, dozens of families with ailing patients are finding themselves at the crossroads of the health crisis. “People suffer from lot of life threatening diseases here,” said a doctor, adding that they need regular checkups and follow-up but government is asking such patients to consult the doctors online.

“How is it possible to treat critical ailments over a phone call, that too by a doctor who isn’t aware about medical history of the patient,” the doctor said.

“There are hundreds of patients who are unable to contact doctors online and mostly doctors are being contacted, their numbers usually come busy,” he said.

Another doctor at JVC Bemina said that most non-covid patients who were being treated at JVC Bemina, CD hospital Srinagar, JLNM Srinagar and other major hospitals are still unaware where they have go for treatment.

He said that one who was getting treatment at CD hospital is of the opinion that he won’t get treatment anywhere till CD hospital won’t be reopened for all patients after covid-19 pandemic will be over.

“It is very important that government is focusing on covid-19 but that doesn’t mean we can let it overshadow non covid patients,” Doctors association Kashmir president Dr Nisar Ul Hassan told KNO.

He said that there are dozens of deaths every day in valley due to non covid ailments but that is not reported as “our whole focus is on covid-19 due to which out of around 600 patients, 7 have died with all of them were having other ailments.”

Doctors at SMHS hospital said that they are hardly receiving 20 to 30 percent patients of that they were receiving before covid-19. There should have been huge rush of patients at SMHS as all other major hospital have been kept for covid-19 patients but only critical patients come to hospital, they said.

Patients are facing lot of inconveniences in terms of getting pass, transport facility and other issues, due to which most patients are avoiding check-ups and follow-ups which otherwise is very important for them.

Meanwhile, Division commissioner Kashmir PK Pole told KNO that non-covid patients are being treated at Primary health centres, sub district hospitals and if there is any critical case they are being shifted to SKIMS or SMHS.

“Every facility including all medicines are available for non-Covid patients. We have directed private hospitals to resume their work as well so that non-covid patients won’t suffer any more,” he said.

Government Medical College (GMC) Srinagar Principal Dr Samia Rashid told KNO that every day hundreds of non-covid patients are being treated at SMHS, LD and GB Pant including cancer patients.

Asked OPDs have been closed, she said that OPDs are closed but hundreds of critical patients are being admitted in emergency every day and are accordingly being shifted to other wards.

Dr Farooq Jan Medical Superintendent SKIMS told KNO that due to lock down the patient rush has decreased by 40% but every non-covid patient is being treated at SKIMS normally.

“We never closed OPD or emergency ward at SKIMS, he said, adding that since covid started in Kashmir, over 45000 patients were treated at SKIMS.

He further added that over 400 major surgeries were also conducted at SKIMS since first case of covid-19 was tested positive in valley,” he said—(KNO)