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  • Since Covid outbreak in 2020, over 83 lakh people undergo testing in J&K

    ‘2,78,859 people test positive, 43,892 active positive in UT till May 26’

    Srinagar, May 26 : Since the outbreak of COVID-19 in Jammu and Kashmir, over 83 lakh people have been tested across the Union Territory for the virus of which over 80 lakh were detected negative till May 26, 2021 (Wednesday).

    Official figures available with the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) reveal that 2,78,859 people have been tested positive across Jammu and Kashmir till May 26 (Today).

    Of 2,78,859 cases, 43,892 are active positive cases in J&K, the figures further revealed, adding that 21,420 out of the total cases are travelers and 2,57,439 are others.

    According to the official figures, a total of 83,59,251 tests have been conducted since the outbreak of the disease while 80,80,392 samples have been tested as negative till 26thMay, 2021.

    Figures suggest that a total of 2,31,265 people who were tested positive since the outbreak of the disease in J&K have recovered while 3,702 out of the total cases have died.

    Of total 3,702 fatalities till May 26, 1,784 belong to Jammu division while 1,918 are from Kashmir division.

    Pertinently, J&K, like other parts of the country, is grappling with the second wave of the COVID-19, which led to a steep surge in the positive cases from last one month. However, the figures suggest that the daily positive cases are declining with each passing day from the last nearly one week across the Union Territory.

    On Tuesday, the Union Home Secretary, Ajay Kumar Bhalla while chairing a high-level meeting to review the management of the COVID-19 pandemic across all Union Territories, was informed that through the Government’s timely response, the daily number of COVID-19 cases in J&K has reduced from an all-time high of 5500 to 2200 in two weeks. The same period also witnessed a reduction in the case positivity rate from 13% to 6.2%, Chief Secretary B V R Subrahmanyam had informed the chair—(KNO)

  • After immunization 45 days old baby dies in Central Kashmir’s Budgam

    ‘Baby dies of convulsion disorder: BMO 

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    Budgam, May 26: A 45 days old baby died after being vaccinated at a Primary Health Centre in Soibugh area of Central Kashmir Budgam.

    A family from Damipora Soibugh told news agency Kashmir News Trust that they took their 45 days old baby for immunization at Primary Health Centre Soibugh but the condition of the baby deteriorated and he died within couple of hours.

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    Mir Showkat, the father of the baby said that his 45 days old baby Ziyan Ahmed Mir died due to reaction.

    “We had taken the baby to PHC Soibugh for immunization. After getting injected, we left for home but the baby developed reaction and his condition deteriorated. We took him back to PHC where some employees fled away after sensing trouble,” he said.

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    Mir further said that one of the employees at PHC examined the baby and asked them to take the baby to GB Panth hospital without wasting any time. Doctors at GB Panth hospital declared the baby dead,” he said.

    Mir said they have registered a case at police post Soibugh and hopefully the ‘erring’ doctors will be held accountable.

    When contacted, Block Medical Officer said that family has convulsion disorder history. “The cause of the death is convulsion disorder,” he said.

    A convulsion is a medical condition where body muscles contract and relax rapidly and repeatedly, resulting in uncontrolled shaking. (KNT)

  • Traders coordination committee demands unlock in Kashmir

    Srinagar: The Joint Coordination Committee of City Center Traders has appealed the Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha to opt for unlock as otherwise many would be left to starvation.

    In a statement,President Kashmir Retailers Association and General Secretary JCCCC said the lockdown has badly affected livelihood of lacks of people who along with their families have been left at the verge of starvation.
    He said from traders to transporters, the business community is badly affected especially for the city center shopkeepers, where no shop has been able to open for the last over a month.
    He said let the government call a joint meeting of stakeholders and medical health experts to decide about the protocol for the unlock.
    He extended full support to the adherence of such prospective protocol of SOPs as would be set by the government.

    Kitab also sought relief package for traders community and said the process should start with amnesty on payment of service bills like electricity,sanitation,Special extension of the statutory dates of GST , exemption of interest and penalty for not filing the return by the statutory date and six month moratorium on bank interest and EMI without interest.

  • Can dead COVID-19 patients transmit virus?

    Coronavirus doesn’t remain active in nasal and oral cavities 12 to 24 hours after the death of an infected person as a result of which the risk of transmission from the deceased is highly unlikely, AIIMS Forensic Chief Dr Sudhir Gupta said.

    A pilot study was conducted over the last one year in the Department of Forensic Medicine at AIIMS on COVID-19 positive medico-legal cases which were subjected to post-mortem.

    ‘Around 100 bodies were re-tested for coronavirus infection in an interval of 12 to 24 hours after death and the result was negative. The virus does not remain active at all in nasal and oral cavities 24 hours after death,’ Dr Gupta told PTI.

    ‘The risk of transmission of coronavirus 12 to 24 hours after the death of an infected person is highly unlikely,” he said.

    For safety purposes, he said, nasal and oral cavities should be plugged to prevent leakage of body fluids or other orifices or punctures resulting from removal of catheter, drains, tubes should be disinfected.

    Also as a precautionary measure, people handling such bodies should wear protective gear such as masks, gloves and PPE kits.

    ‘Collection of bones and ashes is completely safe as there is no risk of transmission of infection from the mortal remains,’ Gupta said.

    ‘The study was conducted in the interest of preserving the dignity of the dead,’ he stated.

    The ICMR in its ‘standard guidelines for medico-legal autopsy in COVID-19 deaths’ issued in May, 2020 advised that invasive techniques should not be adopted for forensic autopsy in COVID-19 deaths as mortuary staff are exposed to potentially dangerous health risks due to organ fluids and secretions even after taking the highest precautions.

    The waiving of a post-mortem will prevent the spread of infection to doctors, mortuary staff, police persons and all the people involved in the chain of dead body disposal.

    Non-invasive autopsy techniques, as described in guidelines, should be used, if at all required, to prevent the risk of spreading the infection to mortuary staff, police personnel and contamination of mortuary surfaces, the guidelines stated.

    ‘If the autopsy surgeon feels that he will not be able to conclude cause of death or any other related issue without dissection, then he can proceed with minimal invasive/limited internal dissection. ‘However, the dissection has to be performed keeping in mind that the conduction of autopsy is a high-risk procedure which is potentially as hazardous as any other procedure performed on the body of a COVID-19 patient,’ the guidelines said, listing the precautions to be followed while conducting an autopsy by adopting proper infection control measures.

    According to the procedure of conducting forensic autopsy, ‘…along with external examination, multiple photographs and verbal autopsy (as depicted by WHO)…the post mortem should be conducted strictly avoiding any invasive surgical procedures and avoiding splashing of body fluids contact for staffs, body handlers and doctors conducting post mortem.’

    With PTI inputs

  • Cow dung, urine may give you black fungus, Warn Doctors

    A video from Gujarat recently went viral in which some men were seen applying cow dung on their bodies, believing it to be a cure for COVID-19.

    Gautam Manilal Borisa, associate manager at a pharmaceuticals company, believes the practice helped him recover from COVID-19 last year. He was quoted as saying in a Reuters article, “…even doctors come here. Their belief is that this therapy improves their immunity and they can go and tend to patients with no fear.”

    At the Shree Swaminarayan Gurukul Vishwavidya Pratishthanam Gaushala, on the outskirts of Ahmedabad, people reportedly smear their bodies with cow dung and urine mixture and let it dry as they hug and honour cows and practise yoga, after which the packs are washed off with milk or buttermilk.

    cow dung therapy, covid 19
    People praying after cow-dung therapy at the Shree Swaminarayan Gurukul Vishwavidya Pratishthanam Gaushala. (Source: Reuters)

    Doctors, however, say there is no evidence to prove cow dung can cure COVID-19.

    “As far as evidence-based scientific understanding is concerned, there is no basis in the claim that cow dung prevents or cures COVID-19 — treatment of COVID-19 is still symptomatic and COVID-appropriate behaviour (proper mask-wearing, hand hygiene, and physical distancing) is still the only way to prevent an infection,” Dr Gyan Bharti, Pulmonologist, Columbia Asia Hospital, Ghaziabad, tells indianexpress.com.

    https://twitter.com/yadavakhilesh/status/1392377613780279297

    In fact, doctors warn that such practice may result in the onset of black fungal infection. “Cow dung cannot cure covid. It a misconception and is misleading. Please do not fall for such a myth. It can result in the onset of the black fungal infection, mucormycosis, and must not be engaged in. The only way to handle the pandemic is to get vaccinated, wear a mask, practice social distancing, and wash hands,” Dr Vikas Maurya, director-pulmonology, Fortis Hospital, Shalimar Bagh, added.

    With inputs from The Indian Express

  • FAKE NEWS | WhatsApp hoax claims Nobel laureate said all vaccinated people will die within 2 years

    New Delhi: The Press Information Bureau of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on Tuesday (May 25) said that the claim made in a post circulating on social media about COVID-19 vaccination is fake.

    Screengrab of the WhatsApp message. Credit: Facebook/@AssamPolice

    The post shows an image of French Nobel Laureate Luc Montagnier making a claim that all people who have been vaccinated against COVID-19 will die within two years.

    The PIB urged people to not forward the post.

    “An image allegedly quoting a French Nobel Laureate on COVID-19 vaccines is circulating on social media. The claim in the image is FAKE. COVID-19 vaccine is completely safe. Do not forward this image,” tweeted PIB.

    Montagnier has reportedly promoted several controversial and unverified claims surrounding COVID-19 and vaccinations in recent times.

    The Indian government has time and again asserted that vaccines are completely safe and are crucial in the fight against the pandemic.

    As part of the nationwide vaccination drive, the Centre has been supporting the states and UTs by providing them COVID vaccines free of cost.

    The Centre has so far provided, both through the free of cost category and through direct state procurement category, more than 21.80 crore vaccine doses to states and UTs.

    – Agencies

  • One more case of Black Fungus reported in GMC Jammu: Official

    One more case of Black Fungus reported in GMC Jammu: Official

    Further details awaited

  • Grenade attack in Tral, No injury reported

    Srinagar, May 25: Suspected militants lobbed a grenade on security forces in Tral area of South Kashmir’s Pulwama district here on tuesday.

    Official sources told GNS that militants attacked 180 BN of CRPF with a grenade. However in this incident no injury has been reported so far.

    Meanwhile whole area has been cordoned off to nab the fleeing militants, they said.(GNS)

  • White fungus could be deadly in Covid-19 patients: DAK

    Srinagar, May 25: The Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) on Tuesday said Aspergillosis, commonly known as white fungus could be deadly in Covid-19 patients.

    After black fungus, several cases of white fungus have been reported in Uttar Pradesh among recovered Covid-19 patients.

    “White fungus could be just as fatal as black fungus in Covid-19 patients,” said DAK President and influenza expert Dr Nisar ul Hassan.

    Quoting a study of 186 Covid-19 patients who had Aspergillosis, he said more than 50 percent of them died and one-third of these deaths were linked to the Aspergillus fungus.

    Dr Hassan said Aspergillus is ubiquitous and is found in soil, air and rotting food.

    “Despite being common in the environment, it usually does not cause infection in healthy individuals,” he said.

    “When the body’s defenses get weakened, the fungus gets a chance to infect with devastating results,” he added.

    Dr Hassan said Covid depletes immune cells leaving patients vulnerable to opportunistic fungal infection.

    “The virus damages the cells lining the lung that impairs the organ’s ability to clear out the respiratory pathogens like Aspergillus,” he said.

    The DAK President said the drugs that are used to treat Covid-19 heighten the risk of Aspergillus infection.

    “Use of steroids leaves door open for the fungal infection in Covid-19 patients,” he said.

    “After inhaling fungus from the air, the fungal infection goes to the lungs and causes pneumonia,” Dr Nisar said.

    “The symptoms of Aspergillosis include fever, cough and shortness of breath that are similar to Covid-19 which means healthcare professionals don’t think of the diagnosis and many patients may be dying undiagnosed,” he said.

    “A high degree of suspicion should be there for the doctors treating Covid-19 patients because early detection and treatment with antifungal drugs holds the key,” said Dr Nisar.

    “Recently, in The Lancet, an international group of physicians and medical mycology societies laid down recommendations for diagnosing Aspergillus infections in COVID-19 patients, including doing lung imaging scans and taking samples from the lungs at regular interval for testing. The guidelines will help doctors treating Covid-19 patients know whether they’re battling one deadly pathogen, or two,” he added.

  • Mecca Grand Mosque pulpit attacker claims to be awaited ‘Imam Mahdi’

    Saudi suspect in his 40s was arrested while attempting to attack imam at mosque

    Dubai: Initial investigations conducted by Mecca police have revealed that the suspect who attacked Mecca’s Grand Mosque imam pulpit is a Saudi man claiming to be the awaited Mahdi, local media reported.

    The armed man, in his 40s, was detained after attempting to attack the imam in on Friday.

    According to Saudi media, the public prosecution was notified of the incident and launched immediate investigation to discover the motives behind the attempted attack.

    The man has also subjected to medical examinations to check his mental abilitity.

    Who is the awaited Mahdi?

    In Islam, the anticipated Mahdi is the prophesied redeemer of Islam who will rule for seven, nine or nineteen years (according to various interpretations) before the Day of Judgment and will rid the world of evil.

    All Islamic groups agree that Mahdi will appear at the end of time to fill the world with justice and equity and establish the government of righteousness over all parts of the earth.

    1979 siege of Mecca
    It is not the first time that a man has claimed to be the Mahdi. In the early hours of November 20, 1979, some 50,000 faithful from all over the world gathered for dawn prayers in the huge courtyard surrounding the sacred Kaaba in Mecca, Islam’s holiest place. Among them mingled 200 men led by a charismatic 40-year-old preacher called Juhayman Al Otaybi.

    As, the imam finished the prayers, Juhayman and his followers pushed him aside and seized the microphone.

    They had placed closed coffins in the centre of the yard, a traditional act of seeking blessings for the recently deceased. But when the coffins were opened, they revealed handguns and rifles, which were quickly distributed among the men.

    One of them began to read a speech: “Fellow Muslims, we announce today the coming of the Mahdi who shall reign with justice and fairness on Earth after it has been filled with injustice and oppression.”

    The siege lasted more than two weeks before special forces broke into the mosque. Many people were killed; Al Otaybi and at least 66 others were later executed in public.

    Gulf News