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COVID-19 rise: 90% cases due to Omicron variant, say experts

Srinagar, Jan 27: Third wave of Covid-19 in Jammu and Kashmir is driven by contagious variant Omicron and it is likely that over 90 percent cases in the UT are because of this variant, experts said on Thursday.

As per the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), they said that as per the data of the first week of January around 40 percent cases in J&K were because of Omicron but since then three weeks have passed and it is likely that presently over 90 percent cases in J&K are because of the new variant.

They further added that slowly Delta variant will disappear as it will be displaced by Omicron because it is four times more contagious than Delta.

They further added that we are about to reach the peak of the third wave in J&K and by the end of February this wave will be over.

Dr Salim Khan HOD Community Medicine at GMC Srinagar said that ending January or first week of February is expected to be the peak of this wave.

Experts said that ICMR has found that the antibodies developed after recovery from Omicron provide protection from other variants is very good news as people who recover from Omicron won’t get Delta infection—(KNO)

Srinagar, Jan 27: A tourist guide has reportedly gone missing in famous tourist destination Gulmarg – in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district on Wednesday.

Reports reaching GNS said a tourist guide namely Firdous Ahmad Bhat son of Ghulam Mohammad Bhat of Katipora Tangmarg went missing when accompanied by a group of tourists while they were on trekking from Kangdori towards Gulmarg.

The ‘guide’ has halted on way, while asking the tourists to continue the movement. The tourists, on not finding him, reached out to the police informing them of the person having gone missing.

Confirming it, a police official told GNS that on receiving the information, a rescue operation was launched to trace the missing person. “There are at least three police teams besides the army and locals involved in the search operation”, he said. (GNS)

Srinagar, Jan 27: Anjuman Auqaf Jama Masjid Srinagar  in collaboration with Mirwaiz Foundation, launched the yearly Calendar at the Anjuman headquarters today. The calendar for the year 2022-23 , includes Meeqat-us-Salaat , Wa Saum timings.(Daily Prayer and Fasting timings).
The calendar is adorned with beautiful pictures of the historic mosque highlighting it’s aesthetic beauty and minimalistic grandeur.
Anjuman presidential and Mirwaiz-i-Kashmir Molvi Umar Farooq who unveils the yearly Calendar at the Friday congregation in  the mosque , could not do so as the mosque is closed for prayers each Friday by the authorities and he himself continues to be under strict house arrest since August 2019.

As always The Anjuman is distributing the calendars free of charge . However those who want to contribute towards the upkeep of their great religious and cultural heritage are welcome , and can make their payment on the QR code of Jama Masjid account available on the calendar.

Due to unintentional omission in proofreading , in this year’s calendar, some important events and dates including the date of the martyrdom of Caliph Hazrat Ali (RA) have been missed for which the Anjuman apologises. However, a revised PDF of the calendar has been brought out.

Srinagar, Jan 27: Two militants including one foreigner, who were trapped in Shopian district on Wednesday, have managed to escape from the area, a top police official said on Thursday.

The police official told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that two soldiers have received bullet injuries in the initial exchange of fire in Check Nowgam area of the district.

He said two militants including one foreigner have managed to escape due to darkness and evacuation of civilians by the forces.

Pertinently, an official said that a joint team of Police, Army and CRPF launched a Cordon and Search Operation (CASO) on specific information about the presence of militants in the area on Wednesday evening.

He said that as the joint team of forces approached towards the suspected spot, the hiding militants fired upon them, which was retaliated, triggering a gunfight—(KNO)

Srinagar, Jan 27: After brief exchange of fire last evening, the militants have managed to give slip to the security forces in Check Nowgam area of South Kashmir’s Shopian district.

An official told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that a joint team of Police, Army and CRPF launched a Cordon and Search Operation (CASO) on specific information about the presence of militants in the area on Wednesday evening.

He said that as the joint team of forces approached towards the suspected spot, the hiding militants fired upon them, which was retaliated, triggering a gunfight.

He added that during initial exchange of fire, three soldiers were injured, however, militants managed to escape from the spot.

He added that cordon layers were tightened after initial exchange of fire, however, nothing has been found so far.

Identifying three injured soldiers as Somveer Kumar, Mayank Singh and Sunil Kumar, he said that trio was shifted to 92 base hospital Srinagar where they are undergoing treatment—(KNO)

Delta variant still around, reason likely behind rise in death rate: Health officials

Srinagar, Jan 26: The third wave of Covid-19 in J&K was triggered by a new variant Omicron and the wave is likely to reach peak in next one week, experts and health officials said on Wednesday.

Top health officials from J&K while talking with the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) said that the most predominant variant in J&K is Omicron which has triggered third wave, however, Delta variant is still around and there is no place for complacency.

They said that as per the data from genome sequencing labs, Omicron is found around 45 percent of the positive cases while Delta is found in around 30 to 35 percent cases.

They further added that data clearly indicates that Delta variant is around and people should continue to follow Covid appropriate behaviour in letter and spirit.

“Delta variant was behind the second wave and in the same month over 1600 deaths were reported in May month alone and it is likely that same variant continues to infect people and is the main reason behind rise in death rate,” they said.

Experts believe that Delta variants besides some other variants are still circulating and Omicron hasn’t completely replaced Delta and other variants yet.

They said that if Delta is even infecting 5 or 10 percent of the people it causes severe disease mostly affecting lower respiratory tract due to which Covid deaths are reported.

They further added that most people who have died in the third wave were having underlying problems and were tested positive for Covid-19 as well.

They further added that in next one week a third wave is likely to reach a peak in J&K after that plateau will start which too will be short unlike the second wave—(KNO)

Ganderbal, Jan 26: Amid the Covid-19 third wave, Muslims performed last rites of a Kashmiri Pandit who passed away in Watalbagh Ganderbal locality of central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district on Wednesday.

A Kashmiri pandit Mohan Krishna Matoo,72, breathed his last at SKIMS Soura in the wee hours plunging the whole locality in mourning, eyewitnesses told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO).

Soon after the news of Matoo’s death spread, local Muslims made special arrangements in performing his last rites. They also ferried firewood to help the family to cremate the deceased.

“It is our duty to help neighbours irrespective of their religion,” Shahbaz, a local resident, said

“He passed away in the morning. Keeping social distancing norms in mind, the local Muslims visited the bereaved family one by one and expressed their condolences,” Aijaz he said.

In Ganderbal locality around a dozen Pandit families are residing who did not migrate from Kashmir valley during the peak of militancy in 1990’s, instead decided to stay put. Since then the two communities have been living in the locality in bonhomie—(KNO)