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  • Kashmir Dairy Farmers Dump Milk In Drains As Covid Curbs Hit Demand

    Srinagar, May 24: Dairy farmers in Kashmir are dumping thousands of litres of milk down the drain due to lowered demand, which they blame on the COVID-19 lockdown.
    In Pulwama, the highest milk producing district in the region, distressed farmers brought truckloads of milk cans to Industrial Estate Lassipora and threw it in a drain.

    They didn’t find buyers after dairy plants at the Industrial Estate refused to buy milk citing subdued demand due to lockdown.

    “For over last one month we are selling only 40 per cent of the milk. There are no buyers because of lockdown,” said Rafiq Ahmad, a dairy farmer.

    Mr Ahmad has 40 cows and his inability to sell milk has hit his livelihood. The cows are at the verge of starvation, he said.

    “I don’t have money to buy fodder for my 40 cows. I earn by selling milk, feed my family and cows. Now I’m dumping 60 per cent of the milk produced every day,” he said.

    At Lassipora Industrial Estate, Zum Zum milk processing plant was buying 22,000 litres from dairy farmers before the lowdown. Today it has dropped to just 10,000 litres.

    “We purchase milk and process it in the unit based on demand in the market. Since our sales have lowered after corona curfew, we are forced to limit our procurement to 50-60 per cent,” said Shafat Shah, owner of the dairy plant.

    Turned away from various dairy plants, dozens of farmers decided to dump milk and emptied vessels in a drain. Farmers say it’s painful to throw milk away but they have been left with no option.

    “We don’t know how we and our cows will survive in such a situation. We appeal to the Governor to intervene and save and us and our cows,” said Zahoor Ahmad.

    The farmers say educated youth have chosen dairy farming as a means of employment but because of lockdown and no access to market, many are selling their cows.

    “I spent over Rs 300 to feed a cow daily. How can I feed her if I can’t sell milk. I have taken loan from a bank and set up my dairy farm. The government should intervene and come to our rescue,” said Sajad Ahmad, a dairy farmer. — (NDTV)

  • J&K Reports 20 More Covid-19 Deaths, Toll 3584

    Srinagar, May 24: Jammu and Kashmir reported at least 20 more covid-19 related deaths since last evening, officials said on Monday, taking the fatality count to 3584.

    They said seven deaths were reported from the winter capital of J&K, mainly at GMC Jammu, while 13 patients succumbed in various hospitals in Kashmir.

    Among others, the officials told GNS that a 70-year-old woman from Kralpora Budgam died five days after she was admitted to SKIMS Bemina.

    A 65-year-old man from Jawalpora Budgam died at the hospital, 14 days after remaining admitted there, they said.

    An 80-year-old woman Hazratbal Srinagar died at the facility, two day after she was admitted there, they said.

    A 52-year-old woman from Nowgam Wanbal Budgam, they said, also died at the facility, three weeks after she was admitted there.

    They said a 60-year-old woman from Saida Pora Arihal died 18 days after she was admitted to District Hospital Pulwama, they said.

    A 60-year-old woman from Murran Hardpora died at the hospital on the same day of her admission, they said.

    A 52-year-old from Zadoora also died at the hospital on the same day of his admission to the facility, they said.

    They said a 55-year-old woman from Gojwara Srinagar and another same aged woman from Ishbar Nishat Srinagar besides a 75-year-old woman from Tailbal Srinagar died at JLNM hospital Rainawari.

    A 76-year-old man from Humhama and a 57-year-old from Kunzer Tangmarg died at SMHS hospital, they said. One death was reported from GMC Anantnag, they added. (GNS)

  • J&K declares black fungus as an epidemic disease

    Srinagar, May 24: The administration of Jammu & Kashmir Union Territory on Monday declared black fungus or mucormycosis as an epidemic disease under the Epidemic Diseases Act- 1897.

    Officials told news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that the UT’s Health and Medical Education today issued a notification to declare black fungus as an epidemic disease.

    The move comes days after the Government of India directed the states and Union territories to make black fungus a notifiable disease under the Epidemic Diseases Act.

    Jammu and Kashmir reported its first death due to black fungus on Friday after a 40-year-old Covid-19 recovered patient died of mucormycosis at Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Jammu.

    According to officials of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, Government Dental College Srinagar, GDC Srinagar, one case of mucormycosis was successfully was operated in the institution in Nov 2020 and another strong suspect case is admitted in there—(KNO)

  • Govt extends Corona Curfew across J&K till May 31

    Srinagar, May 22 : Jammu and Kashmir administration on Saturday extended Corona Curfew across the Union Territory till May 31, 2021.

    The Corona Curfew, which was imposed across J&K since April 29 evening, was extended for the fifth time in one month.

    In a tweet, as per the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), Directorate of Information and Public Relations (DIPR) announced the extention of Corona Curfew in all 20 districts of J&K till May 31, 2021 morning.
    “COVID CONTAINMENT
    Corona Curfew imposed in all 20 distts of J&K till 7 am on Monday,24/5/21 is extended further till 7 am on Monday,31/5/21. Curfew will be strict except for a few essential services. DCs being given limited flexibility to ensure economic activities do not suffer,” DIPR-J&K tweeted—(KNO)

  • Black fungus: DAK warns against irrational use of steroids in Covid-19 patients

    Srinagar, May 22: The Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) on Saturday has warned against the irrational use of steroids in Covid-19 patients.

    “Indiscriminate use of steroids can trigger deadly black fungal infection, called mucormycosis which has reached to epidemic proportions in several states of the country,” said DAK President and influenza expert Dr Nisar ul Hassan.

    Dr Hassan said steroids are life-saving drugs in severe Covid patients who have respiratory distress or need oxygen or ventilation.

    They are not indicated for those patients who are not having respiratory distress and are not having any kind of need for oxygen.

    He said Recovery trial in the UK showed that steroids reduce the mortality in severe Covid-19 patients. But they increase the mortality when given to patients with mild disease.

    “We are seeing steroids being prescribed to patients with mild Covid disease,” Dr Nisar said.

    “People are using steroids on their own when they do not need them.”

    He said the recovery trial recommends that steroids should be given for 10 days and at a lower dose.

    But much higher doses are given and for a longer duration.

    The DAK President said Covid-19 is a biphasic illness. The first week of Covid is the viral replication phase. That is not when you should be using steroids

    “It is in the later stages (second week) steroids are to be given to counter the body’s hyper-inflammatory response what is widely referred to as cytokine storm,” he said.

    “But steroids are prescribed to patients at the very onset of the disease,” said Dr Nisar.

    He said giving steroids too early, too much and far too long can make Covid patients susceptible to black fungus.

    “Chances of fungal infection increase in those Covid patients who are diabetic and are taking steroids,” he said adding that “one way to stall the possibility of the fungal infection is to make sure that Covid patients are given steroids at the right dose, at the right time and for the right duration.”

    “So far, India has reported over 8,800 cases of black fungus and more than 200 people have died due to this deadly disease,” said Dr Nisar.

  • Now, white fungus, which is more dangerous, hits India

    White Fungus infection is more dangerous than black fungus infection because it affects lungs as well as other parts of the body.

    Amid the rising cases of Black Fungus infection in several states of India, four cases of White Fungus infection have been reported from Patna in Bihar. It is to be noted that White Fungus is considered more dangerous than Black Fungus. One of the infected patients is a famous doctor from Patna.

    White Fungus infection is more dangerous than black fungus infection because it affects lungs as well as other parts of the body incuding nails, skin, stomach, kidney, brain, private parts and mouth.

    Doctors said that white fungus also infect the lungs and an infection similar to COVID-19 is detected when HRCT is performed on the infected patient.

    According to Chief of Microbiology at PMCH, Dr S N Singh, all the four persons infected by White Fungus showed coronavirus-type symptoms but they were not COVID-19 positive. Singh added that but there lungs were found infected and after tests when they were given anti-fungal medicines then they recovered.

    Dr Singh noted that just like Black Fungus, White Fungus is also more dangeorus for those who have weak immunity. Diabetes patients and those who are taking steroids for a long period of time are more at risk of getting infected with White Fungus.

    White Fungus is also affecting those coronavirus patients who are on oxygen support. The white fungus is directly affecting the lungs of these patients. According to doctors, cancer patients took remain on alert against White Fungus. The White Fungus also infects children and woman and according to doctors it is the main reason of Leucorrhoea.

    Dr Singh said that it is easy to prevent White Fungus infection by sanitising the oxygen or ventilator properly.

    – DNA India

  • China to provide ₹7,29,10,500.00 to Palestine as humanitarian aid

    China will provide a cash transfer of 1 million U.S. dollars to Palestine as an emergency humanitarian aid, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said on Friday.

    Another 1 million U.S. dollars and 200,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines will also be donated to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, Zhao told the press.

    Tian Lin, a spokesperson for the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA), earlier announced that China will provide humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian government for treating the injured and relocating the homeless.

    China launched an emergency response mechanism for humanitarian assistance on Thursday.

    Smoke rises following Israeli airstrike, in Gaza City, May 20, 2021. /CFP

    Israel and Hamas have accepted an Egyptian-brokered deal to cease fighting at 2 a.m. Friday local time (2300 GMT Thursday) to end the 11-day bloodshed.

    Israel has been launching massive raids on the Palestinian enclave with airstrikes, artillery shellings and drone attacks since May 10. The response comes to counter rockets fired by Palestinian militants in Gaza to retaliate for Israel’s violation of the sacred Islamic holy site of Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.

    The escalation had led to the heaviest fighting between Israel and Gaza militants since 2014, killing 232 Palestinians, including 65 children and 39 women, and 12 Israelis.

    (With input from Xinhua)

    (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Kashmir Today staff and is published from a syndicated feed.).

  • Teen injured during scuffle at Safa Kadal, shifted to SMHS hospital

    Srinagar, May 21: A 19-year-old boy was injured during a scuffle between two groups in Safa Kadal area of Srinagar on Friday evening.

    Official sources told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that the boy identified as Faisal Najar son of Ghulam Qadir Najar, a resident of Chattabal was injured in the scuffle when two groups fought over some issue near Safa Kadal.

    They said that soon after the incident, he was referred to SMHS hospital Srinagar for advanced treatment.

    Meanwhile, police took cognisance of the incident and have started investigation into the matter—(KNO)

  • J&K Records First Death Of Patient With ‘Black Fungus’

    Srinagar/Jammu, May 21: A 40-year-old patient infected with Mucormycosis – Black Fungus – having recently “recuperated” of COVID-19 infection, has died at Government Medical College Jammu, making it the first fatality of its type in J&K.

    Principal GMC Jammu, Dr Shashi Sudan told GNS that the person was under observation for last two days and subsequently succumbed this afternoon at the health facility. “The patient had recently recovered from Covid-19 and was now suffering from uncontrolled diabetes”, she said. “The patient had Mycormycosis apparently due to long term use of steroid drugs.”

    Meanwhile it has been learnt that the deceased, a resident of Poonch district, was admitted to the health facility on May 19. (GNS)

  • Israeli police, Palestinians in fresh clashes at Al-Aqsa compound.

    UPDATE: Fresh clashes between Palestinians and Israeli police broke out at Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa mosque compound on Friday, two weeks after unrest at the sensitive religious site triggered deadly hostilities in Gaza