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  • June-end to see sharp fall in Covid cases: Expert

    Says Covid to stay for generations

    BENGALURU: Like the flu, Covid-19 is here to stay for generations, according to the director of the Indian Institute of Public Health Hyderabad, professor GVS Murthy.
    Available data from different states suggests that June-end may see a significant downward spiral in Covid-19 cases in south and west India, he said.
    “In north and east India, it may be mid-July for a significant decrease in the cases”, Murthy said on Thursday.
    Allowing political, social and religious gatherings too early in the life of the pandemic is one of the prime reasons for the rapid fueling of cases in the second wave, according to him.
    Despite signals emerging from February that we could see an upswing of cases, prompt public health response was lacking, he said, adding this is because public health professionals have not been engaged in the response.
    “In all countries where the Covid-19 response was quick and need-based, there was authority and responsibility vested in the public health leadership. Unfortunately, the same was not seen in India where it was more of a non-public health or political response,” Murthy said.
    He said Covid-19 is here to stay with us for a long time.
    An infectious agent once introduced into the community, continues to simmer and lead to localised outbreaks.
    “Flu has been with us for generations now and the same will be the case with Covid-19,” he said.
    He is of the view that outbreaks will occur whenever a large number of people susceptible to the infection are available.
    “We know that post the Covid-19 infection, immunity is only for a short duration of 3-6 months, after which the same person is vulnerable to getting reinfected. The reinfection will depend on the viral load to which the susceptible person is exposed to.
    We have seen some chief ministers and national leaders also getting infected a second time. So nobody is permanently immune,” Murthy said.
    According to him, it will take five to six months for the next Covid-19 wave to occur as, by then, the population immunity will once again wane off.
    “So November could again be a worrying time”.
    In pandemics, it is the older and more infirm people who succumb first, but with each succeeding wave, more of the middle-aged and younger people, including children, get infected.
    This is the danger of the next wave, he said.
    “If the country can vaccinate more than 80 per cent of those above 30 years of age by November, we will be able to mount an effective challenge to the spread of Covid,” Murthy said.
    At the same time, efforts should be made to field-test available vaccines in children so that if possible, the vaccine can be added to the ‘Universal Programme of Immunisation’ in the country.
    He underlined that there needs to be a continued ban on large gatherings till February 2022 if we have to reduce the risk.
    Schools and offices can be opened up with adequate precautions.
    “If the country does not create a public health cadre with adequate decision-making authority being vested in them, from the district-level onwards, we will always be playing a catch-up game rather than planning proactively with adequate projections and data,” he said. PTI

  • Won’t leave any stone unturned to work for welfare of J&K people: CS Mehta

    Srinagar, May 27 (KNO): The newly appointed Chief Secretary of Jammu and Kashmir Dr. Arun Kumar Mehta on Thursday said that he will leave no stone unturned to work for the welfare of the people.

    In his first tweet after being appointed as Chief Secretary, Mehta as per the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) said that it is an honour for him to serve as Chief Secretary of J&K.

    “A chance to serve J&K as a chief Secretary is indeed an honour for me. I will leave no stone unturned to work for the welfare of people. Thanks everyone for your wishes and blessings,” Mehta tweeted—(KNO)

  • Shocker: Denied sex, man shoots wife, drowns 3 kids in Ganga

    In a shocking incident reported from Uttar Pradesh, the state police on Wednesday took a 35-year-old man into their custody for allegedly killing his 28-year-old wife and throwing his three minor kids into Ganga. The crime took place on Tuesday after the accused, identified as Pappu was denied sex by his wife Doli.

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    As per the police, Pappu started his spree on Tuesday, shooting Doli in the head after she denied to have sex with him afterwards he took his three kids Sania (5), Vansh (3) and Arshita (18 months old) to the Ganga canal and and pushed them into the river.

    Following that, the accused ran away, but the police succeeded in arresting him the following morning. The bodies of the minors are not yet found.

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    ‘The accused said that his wife was spreading his physical advances for the last 15 days, which made him angry. Pappu had warned his wife that he would kill her if she did not do it. When she refused again on Tuesday, Pappu allegedly shot in the head… After killing the wife the accused was worried what would happen to their children so he killed them too,’ a report by The Times of India quoted a police officer as saying.

    Citing sources, the report further stated that the woman victim had married Pappu’s elder brother around 10 years ago, and after he died, she tied the knot with Pappu.

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    In another horrifying incident reported from Nagpur’s Wakodi village, a 40-year-old daily-wage labourer allegedly killed his infant son, reportedly after an altercation with his wife.

    According to the police, on Tuesday, Bhajan Metab Kawreti, the accused asked money from his wife to buy liquor. When she refused, an argument broke out. During the course of the argument, Kawreti picked up his one-year-old son and smashed him against a boulder killing him.

    TNN

  • Lockdown Shouldnot Be Lifted By Public Pressure: Doctors Association Kashmir

    Srinagar, May 27: The Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) on Thursday urged administration to ensure that reopening criteria are met before lifting lockdown in Kashmir.

    “The decision to ease out restriction should be determined by the criteria,” said DAK President and influenza expert Dr Nisar ul Hassan.

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    Dr Hassan said the first and foremost criterion for reopening of economic activities is that there should be a two-week drop in Covid cases indicating that the virus is actually abating

    “A simple reduction in cases compared to two weeks prior isn’t enough. It has to be a significant drop and it has to be sustained over two weeks,” he said.

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    “There should be at least 10 percent drop in daily new cases compared to two weeks prior and at least 5 percent drop compared to one week prior,” he added.

    “Reported cases are a reflection of testing capacity. More testing will pick up more cases and less testing will pick up fewer,” Dr Hassan said.

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    “So, it is important that the decrease in cases occur while the testing is being done sufficiently – at least 150 new tests per 100,000 people per day,” he said.

    The DAK President said it is not enough for daily new Covid cases to drop, even for weeks, cases should fall below a certain level before it can be deemed truly safe to relax.

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    “While there is no universally acceptable number, 4 daily new cases per 100,000 people is a reasonable ceiling,” he said.

    “A positive rate for tests below 5 percent is another critical indicator,” said Dr Nisar.

    He said it is vitally important that the number of hospitalizations and deaths are coming down.

    “There should be at least 40 percent of ICU beds free to actually treat an influx of people stricken with Covid should it be necessary,” he said.

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    Dr Nisar said reopening should be driven by data rather than by public pressure or economy.

    “If relaxation is done without criteria, Covid-19 could bounce back and we may end up in another severe outbreak because not enough people are vaccinated yet to give population protection against the virus,” he said.

  • Vaccine Ready For 12+, Pfizer Tells Centre, Seeks Fast-Track Approval

    NEW DELHI: Pfizer has told the government its Covid vaccine shows “high effectiveness” against the India-dominant variant of the virus experts believe is behind the devastating second wave of infections and deaths in the country.
    Sources said Pfizer also told the government its vaccine had been proven suitable for everyone over the age of 12 and, crucially, can be safely stored for a month in cold storage facilities with a temperature range between two and eight degrees Celsius.
    The American pharma giant is in talks with the government fast-track approval and roll out five crore doses between July and October – if it receives significant regulatory relaxations, including indemnification, or protection from compensation claims in case of adverse events.
    The two sides have held a series of meetings over the past few weeks, some of which also involved Pfizer Chairman and CEO Albert Bourla, to resolve issues, including grant of legal indemnity.
    None of the three vaccines currently approved for use in India – Covishield, Covaxin or Sputnik V – have been given such protection. Pfizer has insisted on this, which it has been given by other countries that use the drug, including the United States and several European nations.
    According to news agency, sources told the Indian government it should “rely on the 44 authorisations, including WHO approval (to) facilitate emergency use authorisation…” The company, however, is open to considering surveillance of the first 100 subjects to get its vaccine.
    “The current situation in India, and across the world, is not ‘business as usual’ and we must not respond to it with processes as usual too,” Pfizer told the government, according to news agency.
    Pfizer, sources told news agency, has shared the most recent data points regarding trials, efficacy rates and approvals from various countries and by the World Health Organization (WHO).
    Other issues key to accelerating approval for the Pfizer vaccine are procurement through a central government pathway and regulatory requirement for post-approval bridging studies.
    Pfizer (and Moderna, another US pharma giant with a Covid vaccine) was last week approached by the Delhi government, which was looking to buy vaccines directly from them. The offer was rejected; Pfizer cited company policy to say it would only deal with the centre.
    Moderna cited similar policies to refuse the Punjab government.
    India has administered over 20 crore vaccine doses so far, but is still a long way short of vaccinating a significant-enough proportion of its 130-crore population.
    A shortage of vaccine doses is one of the primary reasons for the recent slowdown, with several states flagging low stocks and being forced to suspend vaccination for the 18-44 age group that government data says accounts for nearly 26 per cent of all new Covid cases this month.
    India is currently using mainly two ‘made-in India’ jabs – Covishield, manufactured by the Serum Institute, and Covaxin of Bharat Biotech – and Russian-made Sputnik V at a smaller scale to inoculate its population, all of which are approved only for those aged 18 years and above.
    Covaxin is expected to shortly start trials for the 2-18 age group. (Agency)

  • Another baby dies after immunization at PHC Soibugh

    Family registers police case

    Budgam, May 27: Another family from Central Kashmir’s Budgam district has alleged that they lost their 45 days old baby after immunization at Primary Health Centre Soibugh.

    Pertinently, yesterday 45 years old baby Ziyan Ahmed Mir died after vaccinated at the same Health Centre at Soibugh area of Budgam.

    Family had said that after immunization, baby developed some reaction and after a couple of hours when taken to GB Panth hospital for children on the advice of PHC Soibugh, doctors declared the baby dead. The baby Ziyan Ahmed Mir was the resident of Damipora Soibugh.

    Doctors had claimed that baby died because of convulsion disorder.

    After the death of the baby, another family from Soibugh has alleged that their 45 days old baby Naveen Kumar died after immunization at PHC Soibugh.

    Bilal Ahmed Kumar who is the father of the baby and a resident of Soibugh told Kashmir News Trust that after vaccination, his baby lost conscience and developed some reactions. “We shifted him to GB Panth Hospital where he breathed his last on Wednesday night,” he said.

    “This was the second baby that died in a single day after immunization. There is something wrong and it must be probed,” Kumar said adding that they have lodged a report at police post Soibugh.

    When this Reporter called the concerned doctor for the comments, she banged the phone after listening the story and didn’t later respond to repeated phone calls.

    Chief Medical Officer Budgam, Dr Tajamul Hussain told KNT that he is in Pethkoot area to assess the Covid-19 situation. (KNT)

  • Global Covid-19 caseload tops 168.1 mn; Deaths surge to more than 3.49 mn

    Washington, May 27: The overall global Covid-19 caseload has topped 168.1 million, while the deaths have surged to more than 3.49 million, according to the Johns Hopkins University.

    In its latest update on Thursday morning, the University’s Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) revealed that the current global caseload and death toll stood at 168,181,146 and 3,494,001, respectively.

    The US continues to be the worst-hit country with the world’s highest number of cases and deaths at 33,190,016 and 591,947, respectively, according to the CSSE.

    In terms of infections, India follows in the second place with 27,157,795 cases.

    The other worst countries with over 3 million cases are Brazil (16,274,695), France (5,683,143), Turkey (5,212,123), Russia (4,968,421), the UK (4,486,168), Italy (4,201,827), Germany (3,667,041), Spain (3,657,886), Argentina (3,622,135) and Colombia (3,294,101), the CSSE figures showed.

    In terms of deaths, Brazil comes second with 454,429 fatalities.

    Nations with a death toll of over 100,000 are India (311,388), Mexico (221,963), the UK (128,010), Italy (125,622), Russia (117,595) and France (109,185).—(IANS)

  • Over 250 Kashmiri doctors working abroad provide free 24×7 telemedicine consultation to patients

    Srinagar May 26 : Atleast 250 Kashmiri doctors serving abroad are providing free telemedicine consultation 24×7 to people in the valley since last year amid the pandemic.
    These Kashmiri doctors who are serving in Saudi Arabia, US, UK, Canada, started this initiative in July last year and named it as Kashmir Health Care Support Group. These doctors ranging from general physicians, cardiologists, chest specialists, orthopaedists to paediatricians to general surgeons and pathologists have collaborated for this with an NGO Ehsaas International for using their toll free helpline to receive calls from patients.
    A Senior Consultant Cardiac Anesthesiologist, who is a Kashmiri doctor based in Gulf said first they had a small group of doctors then others also joined them from Gulf, US, UK, Canada, Australia New Zealand. Many doctors who are serving in Jammu and Kashmir are also part of this endeavor, he said.
    He said they took this initiative as it was not possible for patients to visit the hospitals amid the pandemic. “We provide medical advice, create awareness among patients and even provide prescriptions called e-prescription wherever needed. We keep all records of a patient so next time the same doctor follows this particular patient,” he told news agency Kashmir Indepth News Service (KINS).
    “We receive most calls related to COVID, kidney ailments, diabetes, blood pressure, psychiatric issues,” he said.
    Sharing her experience of how she got benefited by this service, Farah Jan, 27, a resident of Srinagar’s Rajbagh area, started cough and fever in the first week of April. After taking medicines for two days, there was no improvement in her condition. Eventually, she got her COVID-19 test done which came positive.
    “It was not possible for my old parents to take me to the hospital as I feared they might catch infection. I called the toll free number of Ehsaas International where I was connected to a doctor in Saudi Arabia. The doctors gave me online advice for two weeks, prescribed few medicines, advised to be in home isolation and boosted my morale. I was told to check my oxygen saturation level and should remain above 90,” Farah said.
    After 10 days, she got cured and her COVID test also came negative. “I felt as doctors were available for me 24×7 as I would call them any time,” she said.
    Hakim Mohammad Ilyas, a representative of the Ehsaas International said they have made rosters of these doctors who remain available 24×7.
    “Initially, this service was only for Kashmiris and now people across the country call on our toll free number and get required advice from the doctors, who are serving abroad,” Ilyas said. (KINS)

  • Covid Wave-2: Use of masks, hand sanitizers, other precautionary tools up by 60 per cent than previous year

    Srinagar, May26 : Amid surge in Covid-19 cases in the prevailing second wave of the deadly pandemic, the use of masks, hand sanitizers and other precautionary tools has gone up by 60 percent as compared to the first wave of the pandemic in March 2020 last year.

    The news agency—Kashmir News Agency (KNO) spoke to several pharmacists and chemists to understand the nature and use of the safety tool kits among the people in the Valley.

    Irfan Mir, a social worker from Chanapora who deals with the medicine works too told the news agency— Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that from first Wave-I of the pandemic to the second wave, a lot of positive changes have been observed among the general public, most of the people are taking all possible precautions and that is already seen on the ground level.

    “There is a certain group of people that are still arrogant in taking precautions. Government is doing their job; people should also do their job and should help the authorities help to get rid of this grave situation. They still think that this pandemic is a myth or hoax. This category of people is an equal threat to the society,” Irfan said.

    He said the people have got activated in taking precautions in the deadly second wave of the pandemic. They have understood the threat of the Covid-19 both physically and mentally.

    “Gathering should be avoided as much as possible, if one person is infected with the Coronavirus, the whole society gets involved, no one is safe until everybody is safe,” he said.

    Irfan said that the priority based vaccination held by the Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) is an excellent step where shopkeepers, vendors, barbers etc are getting vaccinated. These are the people with whom the general public comes in contact on a daily basis.

    Meanwhile the chemists from the countryside opine that the people in rural areas are less informative about the virus as compared to the masses of urban areas.

    One of the chemists from central Kashmir’s Budgam district Ashraf Bhat told KNO that the literacy rate of the people in the region is less as compared to the people of urban areas.

    Ashraf, a pharmacist who runs two medical shops in two different areas of the region including Chadoora and Srinagar areas said that he witnesses two different behaviors among the people.

    “At the Srinagar outlet, people on daily bases buy masks and hand sanitizers and other safety items while in Budgam people still lack awareness about the Covid-19,” he said.

    He, however, said that at Budgam shop he has procured ten hand sanitizers that are yet to be sold even after passing more than a month.

    “Even very few people wear masks in this area. There is no hike in purchasing masks and hand sanitizers in this area of the region,” Ashraf said.

    He said that social media plays a vital role in disseminating information about Covid-19. “People use different social media platforms to get themselves aware of the day to day situation. However, not every person can have access to such advantages,” Ashraf added—(KNO)

  • Covid-19 resurgence: Govt places journalists under ‘High Risk Group’ category

    Amid spike in Covid-19 cases and prevailing global pandemic situation, the Government of Jammu and Kashmir has categorized the media persons under ‘High Risk Group’, after keeping in view the nature of their duties.

    A top official while confirming the development to the news agency- Kashmir News Observer (KNO), the government recently took a decision to keep media persons in the High Risk Group, after it was observed the nature of their duties in view of the prevailing Covid-19 pandemic.

    “Journalists are more vulnerable to get infected with the virus as they are always on run and come in contact with many people. So DIPR today held a vaccination drive for left out journalists at the directorate office Srinagar, before that two vaccination drives were held in collaboration with Kashmir Press Club (KPC),” an official said.

    An official said that they have directed all the District Information Officers to conduct the vaccination drive for journalists, and so far the vaccination drive has been carried at district Anantnag, District Budgam and District Baramulla.

    On considering media men as frontline warriors, the official said, “We know the Journalists are at the frontline, and delivering their duties professionally, that is why the government has categorized them under the High Risk Group.”

    “The matter will be looked into and taken up with the higher ups, whether there is any such policy decision to designate the journalists as frontline warriors, but the Journalists have been officially recognized now as ‘High Risk Group,” an official said.

    During the inoculation drive at DIPR complex on Wednesday, Media Coordinator Shabir Ahmad and Bilal Ahmad said, after the directions were passed to coordinate with the Journalists who are yet to get vaccinated, many Journalists from print and electronic media came and took the jab.

    “If there is still any left out journalist who hasn’t taken the vaccine can contact us during the office hours,” they said—(KNO)