Category: Union Territory

Srinagar, Jan 14 : As per the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) national task force, the prevalence of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) among Kashmiri women is above 30 percent by Rotterdam Criteria, which probably is the highest percentage globally.

As per the official figures available with the News Agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), Kashmiri women have 33.3 percent by Rotterdam Criteria of PCOS, which means out of these three, anovulation, hyperandrogenism or polycystic ovaries, two must be present on ultrasound of the woman with PCOS.

The data further reveals that prevalence of PCOS among Kashmiri women is 28.9 percent by National Institute of Health (NIH) criteria, which is the criteria earlier used to diagnose PCOS in women.

The NIH criteria are based on hyperandrogenism and chronic anovulation or on Sonographic findings of polycystic ovaries in women.

As per ICMR, 34.3 percent by Androgen Excess (AE)-PCOS criteria of PCOS is prevalent in Kashmiri women. AE-PCOS criteria of PCOS is the presence of hyperandrogenism (clinical and/or biochemical), ovarian dysfunction (oligo-anovulation and/or polycystic ovaries), and the exclusion of related disorders in the women with PCOS.

ICMR national task force defines all the three criteria of PCOS present in Kashmiri women, probably the highest percentage globally.

Pertinently, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a long-term, highly prevalent, complex endocrine disorder characterised by a multitude of metabolic and reproductive disorders. It affects 6-23 percent of reproductive age women globally, though the estimated frequency can rise up to 33 percent depending on the diagnostic criteria used—(KNO)

Srinagar, Jan 14: Police on Friday arrested Mohammad Ahsan Untoo, chairman International Forum for Justice and Human Rights Jammu and Kashmir (IFJHRJK), for “spreading false propaganda, disinformation campaign and hate speech through these social media spaces.”

“It was reliably learnt that Mohd Ahsan Untoo son of Late Ghulam Hassan Untoo resident of Diver Lolab Kupwara A/P Kursoo Rajbagh, a proactive secessionist is an active participant and speaker at Twitter spaces titled “Radio Resistance Kashmir” led by two known secessionists namely Muzammil Ayyub Thakur and Dr. Asif Dar,” a police spokesman said in a statement issued here to GNS.

He said these “known secessionists, who are accused in several cases along with Ahsan Untoo are actively spreading hatred against the Union of India on the social media platform.”

“By spreading false propaganda, disinformation campaign and hate speech through these social media spaces, Ahsan Untoo is not only threatening to disturb the prevailing peaceful atmosphere of UT of J&K but spreads disaffection, ill-will and disharmony against the Union of India,” the spokesman said, adding, “He is also actively spreading the terrorist secessionist agenda and is thus inciting youth to resort to violence and indulge in unlawful activities.”

The activities by Ahsan Untoo, he said, “amounts to commission of cognizable offence by him.”, “Accordingly Srinagar Police while taking the cognizance matter registered a case against him under relevant sections of the law,” the spokesman said, adding, “The investigation into the matter has been initiated and accused has been arrested who is on Police remand. Further action under law shall follow.” (GNS)

Srinagar, Jan 14: Advisor to Lieutenant Governor, Farooq Khan, on Friday said that doing Surya Namaskar is not necessary for any government employee.

Talking to reporters, Khan said that Surya Namaskar is a part of yoga and it should not be mixed with any religion. “There is no force in anything,” he said.

“It is not that if employees do not do Surya Namaskar then he or she is doing a crime and will be terminated. Whosoever wants to do it can do it as it is a part of yoga,” he said.

Khan added that due to the title of Namaskar it has been portrayed as religious connotation otherwise it is just a part of yoga exercise.(KNS)

Srinagar, Jan 14: Anjuman Auqaf Jama Masjid Srinagar said that today again the authorities, while demonstrating their dictatorship and arbitrariness, hurt the people’s sentiments by preventing them from fulfilling their religious obligation of praying at the J&K’s largest spiritual centre and place of worship – the historic Jama Masjid Srinagar.

In a statement, the Anjuman said it is the 24th consecutive Friday when the pulpit and mihrabs of the Jama Masjid were kept silent and also the religious obligation like Jummah prayers could not be performed.

The Anjuman termed it highly unfortunate that while Friday prayers are allowed in all mosques, Khanqahs and imambarahs Jama Masjid continues to be selectively targeted while barring Juma Pearys’ which is a tragedy.
This double standard of the rulers is beyond the comprehension of the people, it added.

Expressing strong resentment over the continuous incarceration of its head and the topmost leader of the people, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq who is under house arrest since 5 August 2019, the Anjuman said such an act is not only a gross violation of human rights but also an extreme lawlessness.

The Anjuman has appealed to all civilized nations to use their influence to pressurize the Government of India to open the Jama Masjid of Kashmir for Friday prayers and to ensure the release of Mirwaiz-e-Kashmir. (KNT)

Srinagar, Jan 14: With Omicron driven third Covid wave raging in Kashmir,” Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) on Friday said the actual number of Covid positive cases in the valley is higher than what is being reported.

“The official count is an underestimate as many Covid cases go unreported,” said DAK President and Influenza expert Dr Nisar ul Hassan.

Dr Hassan said use of home test kits and rapid antigen test kits has seen a massive jump since the Omicron surge began.

“While many people test positive by these kits, they do not report to the authorities,” he said.

“Many people also do not get tested worrying that they will be taken to the Covid camps,” he added.

The DAK President said even though RT-PCR test is the gold standard for detecting Covid-19 and its variants, a negative test does not exclude the possibility of infection as the test can miss more than 30 percent of positive cases.

“We see many patients who test negative on RT-PCR test, but show CT features consistent with Covid-19, and they are not reported,” he said.

“Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) in its new guidelines has waived off testing requirement for many categories including contacts of confirmed Covid positive cases, unless they are in the high risk categories,” said Dr Nisar.

“Besides, it has also exempted asymptomatic patients undergoing surgical or non-surgical invasive procedures including pregnant women hospitalized for delivery unless warranted or symptoms develop,” he said.

“When testing is curtailed, we won’t know the exact burden of the disease in the community,” he said.

General Secretary DAK Dr Arshad Ali said accurate data is critically important for appropriate response which holds key to mitigate further disaster.

“To deal with the problem, we must understand how bad it is,” he said.

Spokesperson DAK Dr Riyaz Ahmad Dagga said poor quality data equals poor decision which in turn leads to lost opportunity to improve population health in a crisis.

“Without accurate tallies, response won’t be enough to defeat the outbreak,” he said.

Bag has pressure cooker fitted with wires, checking whether it is IED: police

Srinagar, Jan 14: A suspicious bag with pressure cooker fitted with wires was detected at Khawjabazar area of Nowhatta area of Srinagar on Friday after which Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) was called to the spot.

Officials told news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that panic gripped the Khawjabazar, Nowhatta area of City after a supicious bag with pressure cooker fitted with wires was detected.

A top police offical told KNO that a suspicious bag containing pressure cooker with some wires coming out from the bag is lying at Khwaja Bazar Chowk. Pertinently routine deployment in view of Friday is a practice. BDS informed. Checking whether it’s IED or not,” he said—(KNO)

Kulgam, Jan 14: A lineman, working on daily-wages in Power Development Department, succumbed to injuries which he had sustained after falling from an electric pole in Bogund in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district.

Reports reaching to GNS said that the lineman namely Shabir Ahmad Dar son of Mohammad Ismail Dar was repairing electric line when he fell from the electric pole at his native village Bogund on January 9.

He was shifted to district hospital Kulgam from where he was referred to Srinagar hospital for advanced treatment. However, he succumbed to his injuries this morning, an official here said. (GNS)

There are around 4 to 5 Western Disturbances expected during the next 17 days. However, none of them seem to be strong enough to bring heavy snowfall in plains.

The first Western Disturbance is expected around 16 January. It won’t be an active one, mostly cloudy weather is expected along with light rain/snow at a few places in higher reaches.

It may be followed by one or two active Western Disturbances. Light to moderate rain/snow is expected at most places. Chances of heavy snowfall in plains look bleak.

Although it is too early to predict clearly and further watch will be kept regarding any changes, however looking at previous many model runs, no hope for heavy snow in plains is there.

Regards: Kashmir Weather

Once delta variant will be replaced by Omicron, COVID will reach to endemic: Dr Nisar Ul Hassan

Srinagar, Jan 13: Omicron is the most infectious variant of the Covid-19 so far which has triggered a surge in cases in the rest of the world along with Jammu and Kashmir, experts said on Thursday.

Renowned Gastroenterologist and Chairman Covid Advisory Committee Jammu and Kashmir Dr M S Khuroo told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that Omicron is four times more infectious than Delta and has potential to infect persons who have either recovered from Covid-19 or have taken both sides of vaccine.

Khuroo said that Omicron has a shorter incubation period and infects the upper respiratory tract that is the nose and lungs, however, disease behaves milder and chances of death are less than Delta.

Dr Nisar Ul Hassan, President Doctors Association of Kashmir and flu expert while talking with KNO said that Omicron is the most infectious variant of Covid-19 found so far and once any variant is so infectious it spreads swiftly and involves a large section of the population in a week or few days.

“Covid-19 behaves differently at different places and in different individuals. We are still learning about this and we have to see how it behaves in elderly and Immunocompromised people besides that in the unvaccinated section of people that are children below 15,” he said.

“Omicron is so infectious that it won’t spare anybody and we should presume that it will infect everybody but the good thing is it has a mild impact among around 95 percent of the people infected,” Hassan said.

“Most people have hardly any symptoms or mild symptoms,otherwise the positivity rate at this stage will be more as compared to the official figures,” he said.

Hassan said then when a mild variant is replacing the one which was causing severity, “it may change Covid-19 from pandemic zone to endemic zone.”

Hassan said that the third wave has erupted and being more infectious we will have a peak, plateau and decline in just a few weeks time unlike delta which took time in reaching peak and then decline.

He said that symptoms of Omicron include fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat congestion or runny nose nausea or vomiting, diarrhoea, hoarse voice and even laryngitis.

“People must continue with CAB, and go for vaccination and booster doses,” he said—(KNO)