The district administration has sealed Desert Box restaurant located at Karan Nagar for violating closure orders.
Three more eateries – all located at Batamaloo – sealed for violating closure orders. Operation of one drugstore named Ess Emm Medicos in the area also suspended for non-adherence to requisite guidelines specific to drugstores.
Srinagar, Mar 18: National Conference patron Dr Farooq Abdullah met his incarcerated son Omar Abdullah at Hariniwas Palace in Srinagar on Wednesday.
This was the second meet of Farooq Abdullah with his son after his release. He was accompanied by his wife Molly Abdullah and daughter Sofia Abdullah.
Official sources told Kashmir News Trust The 82-year-old leader had requested the Jammu and Kashmir authority for permission to see his son for the 2nd time in seven months and the same was granted, officials said, adding that the two were together for about an hour.
Sources added that Omar met his family and interacted with them for more than an hour.
Omar Abdullah is facing detention under Public Safety Act since August 5, when Government of India annulled the special status of Jammu and Kashmir. Another former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and seven other politicians including Shah Faesal, Nayeem Akhtar, Sartaj Madni, Hilal Akbar Lone, Ali Muhammad Sagar are also facing detention under Public Safety Act. (KNT)
Stark warning from state TV comes as death toll in the country nears 1,000, with at least 16,000 confirmed cases.
Iran has issued its most dire warning yet about the new coronavirus outbreak ravaging the country, suggesting “millions” could die in the Islamic Republic if people keep travelling and ignore health advisories.
A state television journalist, who is also a medical doctor, gave the warning on Tuesday citing a study by Tehran’s prestigious Sharif University of Technology, which offered three scenarios regarding the COVID-19 outbreak in Iran, one of the deadliest outside China, where the illness originated.
On Tuesday, 135 new coronavirus deaths took the country’s overall toll to 988, as it curtailed celebrations for a fire festival in a bid to contain the disease.
Dr Afruz Eslami said if people begin to cooperate now, Iran will see 120,000 infections and 12,000 deaths before the outbreak is over. If they offer medium cooperation, there will be 300,000 cases and 110,000 deaths, she added.
But if people fail to follow any guidance, it could collapse Iran’s already-strained medical system, Eslami said. If the “medical facilities are not sufficient, there will be four million cases, and 3.5 million people will die,” she said.
Eslami did not elaborate what metrics the study used, but reporting it on Iran’s tightly controlled state TV represented a major change for a country whose officials had for days denied the severity of the crisis.
At least 12 Iranian politicians and officials, both sitting and former, have now died of the illness, and 13 more have been infected and are either in quarantine or being treated.
Iran has been scrambling to contain the rapid spread of the coronavirus which so far has infected some 16,000, including 1,178 new confirmed cases in the past 24 hours, according to the health ministry.
It came as the public ignored repeated warnings and pleas from security forces. Iran has been urging people to stay home, but many have ignored the call.
Late on Monday night, angry crowds stormed into the courtyards of Mashhad’s Imam Reza shrine and Qom’s Fatima Masumeh shrine.
Crowds typically pray there 24 hours a day, seven days a week, touching and kissing the shrine. That has worried health officials, who for weeks ordered Iran’s Shia clergy to close them.
On Monday, the state TV had announced the shrines’ closure, sparking the demonstrations.
Police later dispersed the crowds, state media reported. Religious authorities and a prominent Qom seminary called the demonstration an “insult” to the shrine in a statement, urging the faithful to rely on “wisdom and patience” amid the closure.
Iran’s shrines draw Shias from all over the Middle East for pilgrimages, likely contributing to the spread of the virus across the region. Saudi Arabia earlier closed off Islam’s holiest sites over fear of the virus spreading.
In its latest attempt to contain the virus, Iranian police banned celebrations marking the traditional fire festival that comes before Nowruz – the Persian New Year.
However, since it announced its first two deaths in the holy city of Qom last month, Iran has yet to impose any lockdowns and the outbreak has spread to all 31 of the country’s provinces.
15 million screened State TV reported that Iran had deployed teams to screen travellers leaving major cities in 13 provinces, including the capital, Tehran.
The teams will check travellers’ temperatures and send those with fever to quarantine centres.
Apparently, in a bid to curb the spread of the virus, Iran released 85,000 prisoners on temporary leave, judiciary spokesman Gholamhossein Esmaili said on Tuesday. He said that the order included half of all “security-related” prisoners, without elaborating.
Among those released is Mohammad Hossein Karroubi, son of opposition leader Mehdi Karroubi, who was in jail for nearly two months.
Health ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour said more than 15 million Iranians have been screened for symptoms,
According to the health ministry, the trend of rising reported infections is due to the increasing number of tests being carried out.
Roughly nine out of 10 of the more than 18,000 cases of the new virus confirmed across the Middle East have come from Iran.
Countries across the Middle East have imposed sweeping travel restrictions, cancelled public events and called on non-essential businesses to close for the coming weeks.
(This story has not been edited by Kashmir Today staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
Kulgam, March 18: Security forces on Wednesday afternoon busted a militant hideout in Devsar area of South Kashmir’s Kulgam district, official sources said.
Official sources told wire service—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), that on a credible input, security forces including 09 RR and Jammu and Kashmir Police personnel busted a militant hideout in Akhal area of Devsar.
Superintendent of Police Kulgam, Gurinderpal Singh confirmed to KNO that a militant hideout was busted in Devsar area.
“During search operations Gas Cylinder – 01, Arty Shell – 01, Blanket – 03,Plates – 06,Glass – 01,Spoon – 02,Refined Oil – 03 Pkt, Salt Packet – 01, Rice, Turmeric powder were recovered, official added—(KNO)
Srinagar, Mar 18: Director SKIMS Dr AG Ahangar Wednesday said that out of 41 samples sent for Coronavirus test from Kashmir, 40 have been found negative only one report is awaited and hopefully that will also turnout negative.
Ahangar, who was flanked with a team of doctors was addressing a press conference here at Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences Soura.
He said people don’t need to panic but at the same time take precautionary measures. “We monitored every patient with a travel history and took their samples. A total of 41 samples were taken, 40 are negative while the report of one case is awaited,” he said.
He said that SKIMS is now one of the 19 designated testing centers for carrying out the tests after it received approval from National Institute of Virology.
Dr AG Ahangar according to KNT said that novel Coronavirus can be stopped. “Cover your mouth with handkerchief or tissue while coughing or sneezing. Wash your hands frequently with soap and water. We should refrain from touching our hands with eyes, nose and mouth after sneezing. It is advised to take plenty of hot or lukewarm water,” he said.
He appealed people to refrain from visiting hospitals these days. In response to a question, Dr Ahangar said that all the patients who are being quarantined at SKIMS have travel history and all of them are recovering. “We should desist from spreading rumours but believe in facts only. The fact is that there is no Coronavirus case in Kashmir,” he said.
He said that quarantine has been made mandatory for people returning from the countries affected by Coronavirus, even if they exhibit no symptoms.
He said that over 40 are still under home quarantine. Talking on the sidelines of the press conference, Ahangar said that in a place like Kashmir, when a person returns from abroad, the family members and relatives hoard the home. This needs to change in present circumstances. “We need to take precautions at any cost,” he added. (KNT)
Shopian, March 18: Amid growing scare and increase in number of positive cases for coronavirus in India, administration in Anantnag has imposed restrictions over the gathering of more than 05 persons at any public place with immediate for the period of one month.
The restrictions have been imposed under section 144 CrPc and sources said that other Deputy Commissioners of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir will also issue the similar orders.
“While taking cognizance regarding prevailing health emergency of NOVEL CORONA VIRUS (COVID-19) which has affected several countries of the world wherein few cases have also been spotted in India. Accordingly an advisory was issued wherein the public was advised to refrain from venturing outside in large numbers and avoid mass gathering, crowds, congregations, functions etc.,” reads an order issued by Bashir Ahmad Dar, District Magistrate Anantnag.
The order further reads that necessary precautions with regard to prevention and control of NOVEL CORONA VIRUS (COVID-19) have already been undertaken by the District Administration in co-ordination with Police and Health authorities.
“COVID-19 has pattern of transmission of rapid rate, in case prescribed preventive protocols including avoiding mass gathering etc. are not strictly followed”.
“Now, therefore in view of the above mentioned facts, I, Bashir Ahmad Dar, KAS, District Magistrate Anantnag in exercise of the powers vested in the under section 144 of Cr.P.C do hereby impose restriction/ban over the assembly/gathering of more than 05 persons at any public place of entire Anantnag District which includes all towns and villages with immediate effect for a period of one month,” reads the order, a copy of which lies with GNS.
Any violation of this order by any person shall invite action under IPC, the order added.
Last week, the Deputy Commissioners of Budgam, Kishtwar, Kupwara, Budgam had also imposed the similar restrictions. (GNS)
Srinagar: Out of 41 samples taken from patients with Coronavirus sympots have all turned negative, people should not worry but take precautions says Director SKIMS AG Ahanger.
People should not unnecessarily crowd hospitals. Minimise visits, People travelling from abroad must stay at home don’t approach hospitals unless there are symptoms, he said.
AVOID social gathering, AVOID public transport, AVOID cash transactions, he said.
Leh, Mar 18: The authorities in Union Territory of Ladakh Wednesday said two more patients have been tested positive for novel corona-virus, taking the total toll to 8, while many under active surveillance were departed from hospital.
According to wire service — Kashmir News Observer (KNO), Commissioner Secretary Ladakh and official spokesperson Rigzin Samphel said two more patients were rested positive, taking the total toll to 8.
Samphel said that “we have received test results of 34 more patients out of which only two have been tested positive. “They are the wife and son of a patient, who was already tested positive,” he said.
Medical Superintendent of SNM hospital Leh told—KNO that the two patients who were tested positive for corona-virus are son and wife of the patient Sajad Ali who was tested positive some days back.
He said that the other suspects kept under active surveillance have been discharged after they were tested negative for corona-virus —(KNO)
‘Decision to stop landing flights from Leh baby of Govt’
Srinagar, Mar 18: Airport authorities at Srinagar have refuted the reports that it didn’t allow a flight from Leh to land at Srinagar Airport on Wednesday.
Director Srinagar Airport, Santosh Dhoke told KNT that AI 448 flight from Leh to Srinagar has infact landed at Srinagar Airport on Wednesday. He said that no flight has been diverted.
The Director added that staffers present at Airport associated with Health, Municipality and other agencies are capable enough to screen the passengers and recommend quarantine for those who are infected with virus.
He said that it is the baby of the government to decide whether flights from Leh are allowed at Srinagar Airport or not.
An official said that a decision in this regard will be taken soon but as of now, flight from Leh has landed at Srinagar Airport.
Pertinently, 8 cases of Coronavirus have surface in Ladakh region so for while on Wednesday morning it was also confirmed that a solider from Indian Army has been tested positive in Ladakh. (KNT)
Pulwama, Mar 18: Government Forces fired warning shots during a cordon and search operation in a Pulwama village of South Kashmir.
Official sources told KNT that after receiving inputs about the presence of militants, Government Forces including soldiers from 50 Rastriya Rifles, 183 Battalion CRPF and SOG of Jammu Kashmir Police cordoned off Laroo village.
A thorough search operation was conducted during which soldiers fired a couple of shots in air that created panic in the area.
Sources added that there was no contact with the militants while search operation was still underway till the filing of this report. (KNT)