Category: Union Territory

The results of these tests take around 30 minutes

PTI

Kashmir has received the first batch of 9,600 rapid test kits as the valley is trying to ramp up testing in its fight to contain the spread of COVID-19, officials said on Sunday.

The rapid test kits help examine whether a person has developed antibodies in their blood stream to fight the novel coronavirus, which indicates whether a person has been exposed to or has COVID-19.

The results of these tests take around 30 minutes. Doctors and healthcare workers can then determine the number of people who could be infected in a population sample.

The kits would be used in the 83 red zones in the valley on a priority basis to help the administration expand the testing in these designated areas, the officials said.

We have received the first batch of 9,600 rapid testing kits, Director, Health Services, Kashmir, Dr. Samir Mattoo told PTI.

Mr. Mattoo said the kits were being dispatched to red zones in the valley and it would be distributed to each such containment zone.

The kits provide the results on the spot and would cut the time taken to determine the results, he said.

The process will be hastened as these kits provide the results in about half-an-hour only, the director added.

Health officials said the rapid testing kits would help in expanding the testing in the areas designated as red zones.

These kits would first be used to test people in each red zone and would also be used to test the frontline health workers, the officials said.

Afterwards, the testing areas will be increased with the increase in the number of kits, they added.

Complete restrictions on public movement and operation of business and other establishments to remain enforced across the district all through the extended period

Srinagar: District Magistrate Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary Sunday reiterated that complete restrictions as existing currently will continue to remain enforced across Srinagar till May 3.

He said the extension in existing restrictions and reasons therefor are noted in the order issued on April 16 — adding that the said order is in line with the revised lockdown guidelines in the MHA Government of India order issued on April 15 which excludes areas notified as COVID-19 containment zones from exemptions that it allows after April 20.

In the said order issued under Section 144 of CrPC the DM has instructed that in view of the situation in the district with various areas notified as COVID-19 containment or red zones which add up to large part of the district it is imperative that all ongoing restrictions remain enforced all through this extended period.

The order states that extension in all existing restrictions is also as per instructions of the J&K State Executive Committee which has issued a detailed SOP to follow in the COVID-19 containment zones.

The DM said that movement will be allowed on production of passes his office has issued to essential services departments and officials.

He said while healthcare officers and frontline workers associated with COVID-19 containment efforts in the district have been provided passes their movement as and when required will be allowed on production of valid IDs along with duty slips issued to them by their concerned HODs.

He said violations of instructions as given in the April 16 order will attract strict proceedings and action under Section 188 of IPC and Section 51 of NDMA.

New mother must practice respiratory hygiene, use face mask and should wash hands thoroughly before and after touching the baby.

Srinagar: Mother with coronavirus can breastfeed her baby but has to take some preventive measures, doctors say.

Many believe that any woman suffering from COVID-19 can’t breastfeed her baby.

However, doctors say that it is safe for any woman suffering from COVID-19 to breastfeed her baby.

Professor Dr Farhat Jabeen, Head of Department Gynecology and Obstetrics Government Medical College Srinagar said people should not be scared by COVID-19 instead take preventive measures.

Mother can breastfeed her baby. Her breast milk does not carry the infection. But they have to take some preventive measures. “Pregnant women should maintain social distancing, keep proper hygiene and cover their mouth with a mask”, she said.

She said, “During pregnancy, 80 to 90 percent patient suffering from coronavirus recover from this illness. But we should take measures that pregnant women do not get involved in this disease.”

She said pregnant women should utilise the health services in their own areas if they are not COVID-19 patients. “No one should hide his or her travel history,” she added.

Another doctor told news agency KINS that there is no evidence that pregnant women and new mothers are at higher risk of illness than the general population.

“World Health Organisation even says that the baby who has already been exposed to the coronavirus by the mother will benefit most from direct, continued breastfeeding. This is because breast milk provides protection against many illnesses and strengthen the baby’s immune function,” the doctor told Kashmir Indepth News Service (KINS).

The doctor however said women with COVID-19 should take precautions. “New mother must practice respiratory hygiene. They should wash hands thoroughly before and after touching the baby,” the doctor advised.

The doctor even said if a new mother has contracted the novel coronavirus and is not able to nurse the newborn because of the sickness, “she can squeeze milk out of her breast then store it and feed it to baby later”.

(KINS)

Srinagar: Sunday turned into fear and threat in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district as two postive cases of COVID-19 reported in a day.

After Sopore boy tested positve now a policeman of one of the villages of Baramulla tested postive which added more fear among residents in the district.

An official told news agency KINS
that a 35 year old police cop was diagnosed positive. Official said that medical team is on the way to his home to track down the persons who may have come in contact with him.
The Officer further said that the cop was posted outside the district where he had came in close contact with a COVID-19 patient.

(KINS)

SRINAGAR: Three persons including a police personnel was tested positive for Covid-19 on Sunday.

Official sources told ANH, that three persons have tested positive for deadly novel #coronavirus on Sunday.

Among them one is said to be police personnel from Sheeri Baramulla, One from Gund Kaiser Bandipora and a lady from south kashmir’s Kulgam district.

Sources added, that a message has been dispatched to senior officials and those who have come in contact with these positive cases will be quarantined.

With surge in positive cases, CoronaVirus positive cases in Jammu and Kashmir climb to 346, morethan 60 have been discharged and 05 deaths have been reported across union territory.

(AsianNewsHub)

‘Force capable of fighting Covid and militancy at a time’

Srinagar: Inspector General of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) Rajesh Yadav on Sunday said that all security agencies are working the leads about the group responsible for Saturday’s attacked that left three CRPF men dead and revenge will be taken soon.

Talking to media persons on the side-lines of wreath laying ceremony at Humhama here, the IG CRPF Kashmir (for operations) said that CRPF has been enforcing strict lockdown across Kashmir and yesterday, CRPF men of 179 battalion were on ground to the same job. “Lockdown is being enforced across Kashmir and our boys are busy in that besides fighting militancy. Yesterday, I along with the IGP Kashmir (Vijay Kumar) went to the site of incident at Sopore,” he said.

He said security agencies are working on some leads about those behind the attack, jointly and “very soon revenge will be taken.” “Those responsible for the attack will be taken to task soon,” the IG said.

To a query whether enforcing lockdown and fighting Covid-19 pandemic was affected the anti-militancy operations, the IG said that in the recent days many successful operations were conducted including one at Pulwama and Shopian as well. “These are our responsibilities and we are capable of dealing with our all responsibilities professionally,” he said.

Asked whether they have nailed the outfit behind the attack, the IG said that “security agencies are jointly working on the certain leads.” “As I said, there will be revenge soon,” he said, as per news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO)

He said the militancy has been going on in Kashmir for the past 30 years and all the security agencies including CRPF are dealing with it professionally.

It may be recalled that on Saturday evening, militants fired indiscriminately at the CRPF men of 179 battalion at Ahadbab crossing at Sopore in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district leaving three CRPF men including a Head Constable and two Constables dead and two others including a Head Constable and a Constable/driver injured. The injured duo is being treated at the 92-base hospital Srinagar, where there condition is stated as stable — (KNO)

Sopore: A 20-year-old youth from Sopore was tested positive for Coronavirus on Sunday morning, taking the toll of cases in the area to 14.

Sopore Hospital authorities told news agency — Kashmir News Observer (KNO), that a young boy who was kept under quarantine from last two days in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district was tested positive for COVID-19.

Reports said that a young boy from Botingoo Sopore has a travel history. “He has returned from Delhi recently and was tested positive on Sunday morning in a Srinagar hospital,” the official said.

Police officials said, “A police team along with Medical department Sopore, MC Sopore workers with other officers have reached to his native place. The whole area has been declared red zone,” they said — (KNO)

Sopore: The Sunday morning adds more fear and threat among Soporians as a Baker tested postive for COVID-19.

An official told news agency KINS that a resident of Botingoo who was under home quarantine on Sunday tested positive, the victim as per officials had a travel history of Nizamuddin New Delhi and was working at Baker’s shop in the area.

The total number of positive cases in Sopore town now stands at 13 including a deceased.

Meanwhile, a police officer said that contact tracing and testing shall continue as a standard procedure in the town to safeguard the mankind.

(KINS)

Uri: A soldier died while an army porter was injured after they slipped from a ridge in Bijhama Sector of Uri.

Sources told KNT that an Army party belonging to 11 Mahar along with porters on way to their destination when a soldier and a porter slipped from the mountainous area in Mayan near forward post in Bijhama Sector of Uri in North Kashmir’s Baramulla district.

Sources added that soldier died on spot while porter has been shifted to hospital. Sources identified the deceased soldier as Naik Uttam Singh.

Meanwhile, people in Nowgam area of Achabal Anantnag found two rusty mortar shells in an orchard. Locals informed police while Bomb Disposal Squad destroyed both the shells. (KNT)