Blog

The Week

In a new book that looks at warding off future pandemics post-COVID-19, Dr Michael Greger highlights the dangers of the poultry and meat industry, warning that a poultry-transmitted virus like H5N1 could be far deadlier than COVID-19 if it mutates to spread rapidly among human beings.

Greger, a nutritionist and author of How Not to Die, recently released How to Survive a Pandemic: Overcoming COVID-19 and Preventing the Next Deadly Outbreak. In it, he examines the scope of “treating the cause” of modern infectious viruses, many of which stem from animals.

Highlighting the unhygienic conditions in poultry farms, Greger warns that diseases like H5N1—which had a 50 per cent mortality rate—could prove far deadlier than COVID-19 if such viruses mutate to affect more people and grow more contagious.

While H5N1 was not as contagious between humans as COVID-19, strains of avian flu have been observed as mutating.

He highlights the immense infection potential of pig coronaviruses like Porcine deltacoronavirus and porcine epidemic diarrhoea virus, noting the growing emergence of new coronaviruses due in part to intensive farm management practices that place thousands of animals together in closed environments.

“With so many different coronaviruses circulating among so many different species, it is considered likely a matter of when, not if, the next recombinant coronavirus will emerge and burst into the human population,” Greggs writes.

“While global pangolin populations are in drastic decline, we produce and slaughter more than a billion pigs each year, nearly half in China along, raising the spectre that the next pandemic may arise from domestic rather than wild animals, an event that may actually have already happened.”

From the infectious potential of broiler chicken to the threats posed by wet markets, Gregg goes into the many ways animal-borne diseases can spread to humans due to current lifestyle practices.

Greger calls for reforming the way domestic animals are raised in a bid to stop the next killer flu.

Greger has long been critical of the health risks posed by meat-based diets and has prominently advocated for plant-based plants.

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

Srinagar: People’s Democratic Party Chief Mehbooba Mufti today said the purchases of Rs 82 lakh as revealed in an RTI has not been done for her personnel home but is a property of Hospitality and Protocol Department.

Talking to KNS, Mehbooba Mufti said that “All these purchases is for the Hospitality and Protocol department store not for my home . Secondly this department also caters to Deputy CM, Governor and other dignitaries.”

The RTI was filed by Jammu and Kashmir-based activist Inam-un-Nabi Soudagar(KNS).

Srinagar: The authorities on Tuesday said that the Jammu-Srinagar highway, the only road link connecting Kashmir Valley with the outside world, shall remain closed for traffic tomorrow as well due to the accumulation of snow around Jawahar Tunnel and landslides at several places en route the thoroughfare.

“On January 7, no vehicular movement shall be allowed on Jammu-Srinagar highway from Jammu towards Srinagar and vice-versa in view of snow accumulation around the Jawahar Tunnel, landslides/shooting stones/mudslides at Samroli, Dalwas, Cafeteria Morh, Sitaram Passi, Bai Nallah, Digdol Army Camp, Magerkot, Gangroo, Salad,” a traffic department official told GNS. Over 4000 vehicles are still stranded at several places along the highway, reports said.

Mughal road, connecting Shopian and Poonch districts, also remained closed. Srinagar-Leh highway has been officially closed on the orders by Divisional Commissioner Kashmir on December 30. (GNS)

Srinagar: With several Indian states reporting outbreak of bird flu, Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) on Wednesday said it is safe to eat properly cooked poultry meat.

“There is no risk to catch the disease from eating poultry or poultry products,” said DAK President and influenza expert Dr Nisar ul Hassan.

“Bird flu is not transmitted through cooked food,” he said.

“To date, there is no evidence that people have become infected after eating contaminated poultry meat that has been properly cooked.”

DAK President said in areas free from the disease, poultry can be prepared and consumed as usual.

“In areas experiencing outbreaks, poultry and poultry products can also be safely consumed provided these items are properly cooked and properly handled,” he added.

“Consumers need to be sure that all parts of the poultry are fully cooked (no “pink” parts) and that eggs, too are properly cooked (no “runny” yolks),” Dr Nisar said adding that “normal temperature used for cooking (70 degree Celsius in all parts of the food) kills the virus.”

“However, slaughtering, defeathering and eviscerating of diseased birds pose a risk to humans,” he said.

“Recently, the samples of dead migratory birds in Himachal Pradesh were tested positive for H5N1and another strain of bird flu H5N8 has been reported in Ducks in two districts of Kerala.”

Dr Nisar said the viruses usually do not infect humans, but there are chances.

“The migratory birds are natural reservoirs of the virus and Kashmir being the favorite destination of migratory birds during winter, the virus can be introduced in the valley through them,” he said

“Domesticated birds can become infected through migratory birds.”

“Poultry farmers need to be made aware about the sickness to ensure that no diseased bird enters the food chain.

The veterinarians must get activated for active surveillance, stockpile logistics like PPE and Tamiflu and prepare for worst, just in case,” said Dr Nisar.

Sd/

Dr Riyaz Ahmad Dagga

Spokesperson DAK

Srinagar: A bird flu alert has been sounded by Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) in Jammu and Kashmir, after many states including Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana and Gujarat have reported avian flu. The avian flu have left several states baffled as lakhs of birds have been found dead in the last 10 days.

President DAK, Dr Suhail Naik said that as bird flu cases have been reported from Himachal Pradesh and Haryana, it is high time to sound an alert and take optimal preventive measures.

Dr Naik further added that bird flu or avian flu viruses can infect domestic poultry and other birds and can jump to animal species. The disease is “zoonotic” and transmission of virus to humans can prove disastrous.

General Secretary DAK, Dr Owais H Dar said that there is possibility that the avian flu might jump to humans and then it will be very difficult to break the chain of transmission. The bird flu may come as a double whammy for us as we are already fighting a long drawn battle against covid 19 Pandemic. He further added that unexplained deaths of birds in any locality need to be reported to the concerned Veterinary and Health authorities immediately so that optimal preventive measures are taken.

Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) advised people to stay alert and recommended that people should maintain good hygienic practices to reduce exposure to the virus. People are advised not eat raw poultry parts and or raw eggs. Though cooking poultry meat thoroughly at temperatures more than 70 degree centigrade will inactivate the virus, it is better to avoid poultry and its products till flu is eliminated in birds.

Many states have already imposed a ban on the sale and use of poultry meat and other related products in the regions where bird flu deaths have been detected. Government authorities are requested to take optimal precautionary steps and keep close vigil on the emerging situation.(KNS)

The farmers from different parts of the country camping at various border points of Delhi for more than a month now have been given around 50 Kangris brought by a Delhi-based NGO from Jammu and Kashmir to give some respite to elderly farmers from the chilling cold.

Kangri is an earthen pot woven around with wicker, filled with hot embers, and it is used by Kashmiris under the traditional long cloth Phiran or inside a blanket to warm the body.

“Last week, I was approached by some people that they need Kangris. They were in hurry. I am not dealing with the Kangri trade. I am in the business of handicrafts. I was surprised why someone in Delhi needs such a number of kangris. Initially, they were reluctant to say anything but I insisted and they said they need them for farmers. I thought I should help them. I feel for farmers particularly elderly farmers and got Kangris from different traders against reasonable cost and dispatched them to the concerned NGO in Punjab,” says the trader, whishing anonymity.

He said buses directly don’t go to Punjab from Jammu. “Due to the Covid-10 restriction the buses usually change at Madavpur in Punjab and it became one of the hurdles. It took time to find a bus that was directly going to Delhi. Once I found it, I dispatched Kangris to them it,” he said.

He said the first consignment was about 50 kangris which would be used on an experimental basis. “The concerned NGO informed me elderly farmers are suffering from chilling cold and they need something to warm themselves. They were informed by some Kashmiris that Kangri could help,” he says. The NGO also said if the farmers could feel better using Kangri, they would get more from Kashmir.

With inputs from Outlook

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

Jammu: As neighbouring Himachal Pradesh reported cases of bird flu, Jammu and Kashmir has sounded an alert and started collecting samples to check the health of the winged guests flocking the Union territory during winters, officials said.

The joint teams of Animal Husbandry and Wildlife departments on Tuesday visited Gharana wetland in the outskirts of Jammu and collected 25 bird droppings for testing to ascertain whether any of the birds is infected with the dreaded avian influenza, the officials said.

The J&K government has sounded an alert following reports of bird flu cases in Himachal Pradesh and issued certain guidelines as a precautionary measure, Wildlife Warden, Jammu, Anil Atri told PTI.

Atri, who along with Dr Ranjit Katoch of the Wildlife department joined the Animal Husbandry team at Gharana wetland, said all the birds present in the wetland looked healthy.

Gharana Wetland Conservation Reserve in R S Pura sector near the International Border was notified in 1981 and is home to more than 170 species of birds like bar-headed geese, gadwalls, common teals, purple swamp hens, Indian moor hens, black-winged stilts, cormorants, egrets and green shanks.

During the winter, the wetland is visited by thousands of birds from Central Asia and some of the migratory bird species visiting this wetland are endangered.

The team of Animal Husbandry Department, Jammu collected the bird dropping samples for testing, he said, adding there is no need for alarm as this is being done just as a precautionary measure in view of reported cases in HP, Rajasthan, Kerala and Madhya Pradesh to keep the wetlands safe and check the spread of the H5N8 virus.

We have alerted our staff and the public in accordance with the government guidelines like avoiding touching any animal with symptoms and wearing of proper personal protective kits. They were also asked to report immediately if they see any change in the behavior of the birds, Atri said.

Asked about the number of birds present at the wetland, he said the figure fluctuates between 1,000 and 2,000.

The number does not remain static and keeps changing as the migratory birds move from one wetland to another including those across the border. Bar-headed geese outnumber other migratory birds at the wetland,” he added.

Dr Katoch said the sampling team of the Animal Husbandry Department collected the samples which would be tested in Jalandhar.

So far, no death of any migratory or local bird was reported from the wetland. We have checked the birds and all are healthy, he said.

He added that observatory staff has been alerted to keep an eye on the birds.(PTI)

Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir Bank had put the hard work of hundreds of aspirants of Banking Associates in waste and their career in jeopardy by holding the exams on schedule on tuesday despite heavy snowfall which has disrupted road connectivity in Kashmir valley.

While the University of Kashmir and JK Board of School Education have postponed Tuesday’s scheduled examination due snowfall, the Bank has gone ahead with the exam.

According to news agency Kashmir Dot Com- (KDC) hundreds of aspirants from Kashmir valley are aghast at the bank for going ahead with the exams despite disruption in road connectivity due to snowfall.

The Valley has been receiving heavy snowfall since Monday which has closed highways and other internal roads of the districts.

The government has also sounded alert in hilly districts.

Aspirants said that this is callousness of the bank authorities to go ahead with the exam and it seems a way to facilitate exams of one region and deprive Valley aspirants of the opportunity.

“How can we reach exam centers on time when there is no transport due to heavy snowfall? We won’t be able to avail this opportunity despite us having spent months for preparation. It seems JK Bank is depriving Kashmiri aspirants of this job opportunity. There is a design in it,” several aspirants told Kashmir Dot Com.

The aspirants have urged LG administration to intervene and immediately defer the exams till weather improves in Kashmir. (KDC)