Category: Union Territory

Srinagar, Mar 30, KNT: The woman patient, who was the first Covid-19 confirmed case in Kashmir has been tested negative. The patient, who hails from Khayam area of Srinagar city was tested positive for Covid-19 on 18 March and since then she was quarantined and put under observation.

The woman had travel history and had returned from Saudi Arabia after performing Umrah there. Before arriving Kashmir, she had stayed at number of place in different states of India.

A doctor at SKIMS Soura confirmed that woman patient who was earlier tested positive has recovered from Coronavirus infection and her test has been found negative now.

Nodal Officer for Coronavirus at SKIMS told Kashmir News Trust that this case is being handled by Director SKIMS himself and he is the person who can speak about it.

When contacted, Director SKIMS, Dr AG Ahangar told KNT that the woman patient is recovering and yes, her latest test has been found negative. “We can break the chain if we stay indoors and maintain social distancing,” he said

Dr Ahangar further said that the said woman patient is still quarantined but have recovered and right now she is not suffering from Coronavirus infection. (KNT)

Srinagar, March 30: A lady from Khanyar area of Srinagar, who was first positive case of Coronavirus with a travel history of Saudi Arabia has tested negative for Coronavirus.

Dr G H Yatoo Nodal officer for Coronavirus at SKIMS told wire service—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), that the samples of 67- year -old lady who was tested positive on 18th of this month were again taken and sent to viral Diagnostic and Research Lab, where sample results came as negative.

He said she is still at Institute and will be kept in quarantine for a period of 14 days after that it will be decided whether to discharge her.

She is fine and the anti- viral drugs recommend by World Health Organization has helped her to recover and is undergoing treatment at isolation ward, he added, Pertinently there are 41 cases of Coronavirus so far with two deaths and two recoveries—(KNO)

Salutes the endurance of all frontline workers fighting the spread of Covid 19 in J&K

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir National Conference Party President and Member of Parliament from Srinagar Dr Farooq Abdullah on Sunday released an additional amount of RS 1.5 Cr to Srinagar based hospitals. The amount is to be equally distributed to SMHS hospital, CD Hospital, and GB Pant Hospital in Srinagar.
A statement issued Reads Dr Farooq had earlier released an amount of Rs 1.5 Cr of which RS 50 lakh was earmarked for SKIMS and 25 lakh each was earmarked for Budgam, and Ganderbal hospitals along with Rs 25 Lakh later each to Kangan and Beerwah hospitals.
Party president while expressing grief on the loss of two precious lives in J&K due to Corona virus said, “Circumstances have put up a massive challenge before us. At present we are reeling under unprecedented circumstances, which require unprecedented response not just from government but from the people as well. I urge the people not to make light of the advisories issued by the government. At present times we all have to play our role to help combat the pandemic. It is a matter of life and death and countering it is our collective duty.”
He further added, “People on their part should refrain from spreading misinformation, and strongly abide by the COVID-19 prevention directives. Also the government too has to rise to the emergency by attuning the whole administration to the emergency demands of the people. The government’s response has to multipronged on one hand it has to face the situation medically and on the other look after the people who live by hand to mouth. As far as our party is concerned we are with the people in our collective fight against the COVID-19 threat. I salute the endurance of all frontline workers including doctors, para medical staff and others fighting the spread of covid 19 in J&K.”
Meanwhile party’s additional Spokesperson Sara Hayat Shah has urged the government to ensure that people don’t have to suffer from absence of essential commodities from markets. “The situation is different from anything which we have experiment in our life time. Informing people about the pandemic is challenging and difficult. However the effective use of mass media, social media can prove a great help. More to the point the misinformation making rounds on social media should be curbed in order to avoid any panicky during these trying times. The situation demands a community based response which will go a long way in helping the different government agencies in tackling the threat posed by covid 19.” It reads

PULWAMA, MARCH 29: Invoking prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC, Disaster Management Act and The Epidemic Disease Act, District Magistrate Pulwama said that there would be no inward and outward movement of any person from the villages declared red zones and the people would stay in their homes to ensure complete lockdown.

In this regard District Magistrate today issued order according to which Khaigam, Sangerwani, Abhama villages of tehsil Rajpora and Gudoora, Chandgam, Pinglena and Parigam of tehsil Pulwama fall in red zone category while adjoining villages of these tehsils have been declared buffer zones, for the of safety and well being of general public.

According to an order issued by the District Magistrate, a person hailing from District who attended a religious congregation at Gudura has tested positive for COVID-19, has moved to various villages including his native village Khaigam.

The order further reads that there would be no vehicular movement on the Pulwama-Chakoora ,Newa – Parigam and Pulwama – Keller road.

The District officials said, “the area has become more vulnerable as far as further transmission of the COVID-19 virus is concerned. It is necessary to break further transmission of the disease in the area and it becomes imperative to take stringent precautionary measures like declaring concerned villages as red zones and other villages of tehsil Pulwama and Tehsil Rajpora as a buffer zone,”.

DM directed the officials concerned to ensure supply of essential commodities as per laid down protocols in the villages covering both local residents and outside labourers and warned of stern action against anyone who tries to violate orders.

Srinagar, March 29 (KNS): Srinagar Municipal Corporation has developed an in-house Incinerator for waste disposal of quarantine facilities.

Sources said that the Incinerator which has been setup in an isolated place in Srinagar-two kms away from any inhabitation was designed and developed by SMC engineers.

An official of SMC said it was a challenge for the administration to dispose off the waste from quarantine sites.

“There is very likely that some of them can be positive cases. So we cannot mix his waste with normal waste,” he told KNS.

He added that SMC sprays 60 quarantine locations with disinfection every day.

“We have kept separate bags for collection of this waste. Proper personal safety gear is worn by SMC men for collecting and disposing of the waste. Every day they have to change safety gear and burn the old one daily in insulator,” he said.

When contacted SMC Commissioner Gazanfar Ali, he confirmed the dispose of waste of quarantine facilities in a separately on scientific lines.

“We also carry out the spraying of disinfection of 300 meters in localities wherever any positive Covid19 case is reported,” he said. (KNS)

Srinagar, March 29: A 10-year old boy, who had hugged a Tableegi Jamaat member from Bemina in a local masjid at Eidgah on March 23, has been put under home isolation after showing symptoms of Covid-19.
His family moved from pillar to post, dialed all help line numbers, took him to SMHS, Chest Disease hospital, JLNM and also SKIMS Soura, where doctors at the end told boy’s family to put him under home quarantine instead of taking his samples.

“On March 23, our son came in contact with a person, a resident of Bemina area of Srinagar, who was part of Tableegi Jammat, and was camping in Shaheed-e-Milat Masjid at Eidgah. My son hugged and handshake this Tableegi Jamaat man from Bemina, who was tested positive recently,” the boy’s father told Kashmir Indepth News Service (KINS) over Phone.

He told KINS that since March 23, his son showed no symptoms and on March 28, he showed symptoms like cough and high fever.

The boy was shifted to SMHS, where doctors as per prescription available with the KINS, clearly states “handshake with Covid-19 positive case” refer to CD hospital. Ironically, when the boy was taken to CD hospital, the doctors referred him to Jawhar Lal Nehru Memorial hospital Rainawari.

The prescription of CD hospital while verifying the boy has had a handshake with the Covid-19 positive case, reads: “due to non-availability of the beds, we are referring the patient to JLNM Rainawari… Advice: Covid screening.”

At JLNM, the patient is referred to SKIMS for screening. According to family members, at SKIMS, doctors told them to keep the boy under home isolation. “Patient asymptomatic. Two weeks home quarantine, wash hands, maintain hygiene,” reads SKIMS prescription.

“Our son is under stress as he often says why nobody goes closer to him. We wonder why our son wasn’t tested for Covid-19. I urge the health department to send a team and take samples of my son before it is too late,” said boy’s father.

He said that since the news that the boy has been put under home quarantine has spread in the area, the Shaheed-e-Milat Masjid where the boy came in contact with the positive case of Tableegi Jamaat, has been locked and no one even goes there to give prayer call (Azaan). “I request health department and those at the helm, to send teams to my house and take samples of my son for Covid-19 testing,” the father, who was sounded upset, said.

Meanwhile when KINS informed authorities they said they will look into the matter.

(KINS)

Poonch, Mar 29 (KNO): Amid prevailing scare over Coronavirus pandemic in entire country, the India and Pakistan armies deployed along Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch sector.

According to wire service—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), officials said that the armies exchanged gunfire on Sunday with intermittent firing. The firing was going on when last reports were received.

Officials said that in Shahpur area of Poonch sector on Line of Control, ceasefire violation started at about 4 PM on Sunday evening after Pakistani Army troops resorted to small arms firing on Indian Army posts in many forward areas of the Shahpur in Poonch sector.

Indian Army troops retaliated the firing with equal intensity, said officials told—KNO, adding that after initial exchange of fire for two hours, intermittent firing is still going on while as no reports of loss or injury to life was received so far—(KNO)

Srinagar Mar 29: As the second COVID-19 death in Kashmir valley had no history of travel or contact, Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) on Sunday said it is possible this could be an instance of community spread of the novel virus.

“This may be the first case to have contracted the infection from community exposure,” said DAK President Dr Nisar ul Hassan.
He said the elderly male hailing from Tangmarg area of Baramulla district had developed respiratory symptoms few days back and was admitted in SMHS hospital on Wednesday with Pneumonia. His test result came positive for the novel virus and was shifted to the designated COVID-19 center at Chest Disease hospital where he died on Sunday morning because of respiratory failure.

Dr Nisar said the deceased had no history of travel or contact with any positive case of novel coronavirus.
“This is significant because it means it is possible that the infection is spreading untraced in the local community,” he said adding that “it is also possible patient contracted the virus from someone who brought the infection back from another country.”
“But, at this time, the deceased exposure is unknown,” Dr Nisar said.
“We believe this to be a case of community transmission,” he added.

Dr Nisar said community transmission means when a person contracts the virus from an unknown source. The individual picks up the infection without having travelled to countries where the virus is circulating or having been in contact with a confirmed case.

He said the need of the hour is swifter and wider testing that should not be limited to those who travelled abroad or their direct contacts.

“This would be important for determining if there is an actual burden of community transmission that would allow us to take the right decision regarding our response going forward.”

“The testing should be available for people who have severe respiratory illness and hospitalized patients with pneumonia irrespective of history of travel or contact.”

“Right now, we have a very restrictive testing criterion.

While the testing rate in South Korea is 6,931 tests per one million people, the testing rate in India is just 18 tests per million people,” said Dr Nisar.

Only five people attended funeral of deceased, protocol followed for burial

Sopore, March 29 (KNO): Only five people attend the last rites of Covid-19 first victim in Sulanda Village of Tangmarg north Kashmir’s Baramulla district on Sunday.

According to wire service—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), the deceased was the second death case of Covid-19. Before him, a Tableegi Jamaat member from Sopore died in a Srinagar hospital recently.

Witnesses said that only five people, all close relatives of the deceased, attended his funeral prayers after wearing a protective equipment, who also accompanied the body to the graveyard for burial.

As per the guidelines laid by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), no bathing, kissing and hugging of deceased Covid-19 patient is allowed and same was followed in this case also.

The deceased was admitted in a Srinagar hospital two days ago after he was tested positive. He had a travel history of being part of a Tableegi Jamaat and had attended many religious gatherings outside the country—(KNO)