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95% can be treated at home; deaths of unvaccinated, co-morbidities mostly reported

Srinagar, Jan 15: Amid the steep surge in Covid-19 cases in the past few days, doctors working at different hospitals of Jammu and Kashmir said that though cases have increased in the last 10 days, cases haven’t increased proportionally.

Professor and HoD Community Medicine GMC Srinagar Dr Muhammad Salim Khan told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that though cases have increased but hospitalization rates haven’t increased too much what were witnessed in second wave.

Khan said there are very mild symptoms and chest involvement is very minimal besides that severity is very low as of now.

A senior doctor from GMC Jammu said around 90 per cent of the patients are “asymptotic” and the rest are showing mild symptoms like “sore throat, low-grade fever and bodyache”.

He said that it took 25 days for daily cases to rise from 100 to 1000, during the second wave of Covid-19, the numbers were more than doubled in just 13 weeks in the third wave.

“Roughly double the number of cases is being recorded in half the time in the present Omicron wave,” he said. “The high infectivity rate of Coronavirus during the present wave should not be taken lightly and people must continue following Covid appropriate behaviour.”

Dr Naveed Nazir HOD at Chest Disease Hospital Srinagar told KNO that hospitalization hasn’t increased that much what we witnessed in the second wave and there is less severity as compared to the second wave.

Doctors from other hospitals also said that most patients have either no symptoms or mild symptoms, and are being discharged and recommended to remain in home isolation.

The official further said, “Though the cases have increased suddenly in Jammu and Kashmir but majority of them have mild symptoms and they can be treated in home isolation.”

He said that doctors are identifying patients with mild, moderate and serious symptoms and patients with mild symptoms with no co-morbidities and are advised to remain in home isolation so that proper care of patients with moderate and severity and patients with co-morbidities is admitted.

“We want to reduce bed occupancy so that the serious and moderate patients get better and timely treatment to decrease loss of life,” he added.

Meanwhile officials also said that most deaths which are being reported so far are of unvaccinated people or vaccinated people who have underlying problems.

“Vaccination is not going to protect you from getting the infection or transmitting it, but it will protect people from serious illness or death due to COVID-19. So everyone should get vaccinated,” officials said.

“Unlike the second wave, the hospitals are not seeing deaths of those without any pre-existing health conditions. Most of the patients dying now are people with comorbidities,” they said—(KNO)

Srinagar, Jan 15: The upsurge in Covid-19 infection continued unabated in Jammu and Kashmir as 3251 new cases have been reported while four persons succumbed to the virus in the last 24 hours, officials said on Saturday.

They said that 1129 of the cases were reported from Jammu Division and 2122 from Kashmir Valley, taking the overall tally to 355874.

There were also four deaths in the last 24 hours, two each from Jammu division and Kashmir Valley. So far 4561 people have succumbed to the virus and include 2218 in Jammu and 2343 in Kashmir.

Giving the district wise details of the fresh cases confirmed in J&K, the officials told GNS that Srinagar reported 624 , Baramulla 471, Budgam 416, Pulwama 67, Kupwara 137, Anantnag 228, Bandipora 117, Ganderbal 21, Kulgam 37, Shopian 4, Jammu 685, Udhampur 125, Rajouri 34, Doda 24, Kathua 59, Samba 93, Kishtwar 29, Poonch 35, Ramban 3 and Reasi 42.

A number of cases were confirmed at diagnostic laboratory of CD hospital here and include male (32) (NA) from Rawalpora, female (52) (NA) from Chewa bandipora, male (45) (NA) from Brain nishat, female (30) (NA) from Indranagar, male (24) (NA) from Baramulla, female (45) (NA) from Baramulla, male (50) (NA) from Balgarden, male (36) (NA) from Rainawari Sgr, female (33) (NA) from Peerbagh, female (20) (NA) from Sikkim, male (30) (NA) from Kulgam, female (35) (NA) from Tangmarg, male (45) (NA) from Sgr, female (57) (NA) from Sgr, male (58) (NA) from Sgr, female (41) (NA) from Sgr, female (26) (NA) from Sgr, male (62) (NA) from Sgr, female (33) (NA) from Batamaloo, female (32) (NA) from Sgr, female (28) (NA) from Karanagar, male (36) (NA) from Soura, male (36) (NA) from Qamarwari, male (53) (NA) from Lalbazar, female (47) (NA) from Lalbazar, female (30) (NA) from Lalbazar, male (38) (NA) from Batamaloo, male (38) (NA) from Batapora budgam, male (32) (NA) from Pathar masjid, female (51) (NA) from Bemina Sgr, male (56) (NA) from Shah mohalla Sgr, male (45) (NA) from Kulgam, male (35) (NA) from Lawaypora, male (70) (NA) from Budgam, female (13) (NA) from Handwara, female (18) (NA) from Vilgam, female (45) (NA) from Magam, female (36) (NA) from Sirajpora magam, male (15) (NA) from Ahgam rajwar, female (40) (NA) from Nutnusa, male (30) (NA) from Nishat, male (40) (NA) from Rainawari, female (36) (NA) from Lalbazar, male (34) (NA) from Khaniyar, female (55) (NA) from Jawaharnagar, female (29) (NA) from Baghat, male (64) (NA) from Baghat, male (25) (NA) from Nawakadal, female (36) (NA) from Habakadal, male (26) (NA) from Chattabal, female (30) (NA) from Sgr, male (35) (NA) from Sonwar, male (52) (NA) from Rajbagh, male (38) (NA) from Hawal, female (52) (NA) from Dalgate, male (34) (NA) from Baghat, male (42) (NA) from Lalbazar, female (27) (NA) from Rawalpora, female (46) (NA) from Rawalpora, male (54) (NA) from Sonwar, female (42) (NA) from Chadoora, male (42) (NA) from Bemina, male (25) (NA) from Sogam kupwara, male (60) (NA) from Pulwama, male (70) (NA) from Shangus anantnag, male (26) (NA) from Rawalpora, female (33) (NA) from Khrew, female (21) (NA) from Nowgam, male (56) (NA) from Shivpora, female (27) (NA) from Safakadal, male (40) (NA) from Bandipora, female (30) (NA) from Haft chinar, female (65) (NA) from Sgr, female (31) (NA) from Goggi bagh, female (25) (NA) from Sogam kupwara.

A number of cases were confirmed at diagnostic laboratory of District Hospital Pulwama and include female (24) from Heff shirmal, female (25) from Nowgam, female (30) from Wahipora pulwama, female (30) from Tikken pulwama, female (30) from Gongoo pulwama, female (30) from Khandaypora pulwama, female (35) from Tikken pulwama, female (43) from Karimabad, female (60) from Imamsahib shopian, male (55) from Poshwani pulwama, male (62) from Karimabad, male (40) from Karimabad, female (45) from Hyderpora Sgr, female (16) from Narbal pulwama, female (40) from Narbal Pulwama.

Besides, they said, 390 Covid-19 patients recovered during the time—239 from Jammu Division and 151 from Kashmir. So far 338453 people have recovered, leaving active case tally at 12860 —5690 in Jammu and 7170 in Kashmir.

They said there was no new confirmed case of mucormycosis (black fungus) reported today. So far 51 black fungus cases have been confirmed in J&K, the officials said.

They also informed that 62407 doses of covid-19 vaccine were administered during the time in J&K. (GNS)

Srinagar, Jan 15: Amid Covid-19 related lockdown, a heavy rush was witnessed today at railway station Nowgam here in Srinagar.

Eyewitnesses told news agency Kashmir News Trust that crowd of people were seen boarding and deboarding from the rail without following Covid related SOPs.

Government has already imposed lockdown on weekends. However, today, amid lockdown passengers flouted all the norms.

“There was huge rush. Some passengers were even not wearing masks at the railway station,” said an eyewitness adding that social distancing norms were forgotten with people crowding and jostling against each other to get in or down from the rail. (KNT)

Omicron infections are associated with a 91% reduction in risk of death compared to the Delta variant, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said on Wednesday (Jan. 12), citing a new Kaiser Permanente Southern California study that looked at 52,297 Omicron cases and 16,982 Delta cases in California between November 30 and January 1.

The study, which is yet to be peer reviewed, also showed that Omicron infections were also associated with a 74% reduction in risk of going to the ICU, as well as a 53% reduction in risk of being hospitalized, Walensky said. No patients with Omicron required mechanical ventilation.

Additionally, those with Omicron had a shorter duration in hospital stay compared to Delta patients: “The duration of hospital stays was approximately 70% shorter, with the median of stays being 1.5 days for Omicron, compared to about five days for Delta,” Walensky said.

“Looking at all hospital admissions for Omicron, 90% of patients were expected to be discharged from the hospital in three days or less,” she added.

⬇️53% less risk of symptomatic hospitalization
⬇️74% less risk of ICU admission
⬇️91% less risk of death
0️⃣Omicron patients required mechanical ventilation

The study was done with CDC collaboration and funding.

Weekend lockdown returns; Night curfew to remain in force

Srinagar: Amid increase in COVID-19 cases, the Jammu and Kashmir government on Saturday announced that there will be complete restrictions on non—essential movements during weekends in the entire Union Territory.

In an order, the state executive committee, has announced that there will be complete restrictions on non—essential movements during weekends in entire J&K.

“Night curfew shall continue to remain in force in all districts from 9 pm to 6 am with complete restriction on non—essential movement,” reads the order, a copy of which is in possession of news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO)

Srinagar, Jan 14 : As per the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) national task force, the prevalence of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) among Kashmiri women is above 30 percent by Rotterdam Criteria, which probably is the highest percentage globally.

As per the official figures available with the News Agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), Kashmiri women have 33.3 percent by Rotterdam Criteria of PCOS, which means out of these three, anovulation, hyperandrogenism or polycystic ovaries, two must be present on ultrasound of the woman with PCOS.

The data further reveals that prevalence of PCOS among Kashmiri women is 28.9 percent by National Institute of Health (NIH) criteria, which is the criteria earlier used to diagnose PCOS in women.

The NIH criteria are based on hyperandrogenism and chronic anovulation or on Sonographic findings of polycystic ovaries in women.

As per ICMR, 34.3 percent by Androgen Excess (AE)-PCOS criteria of PCOS is prevalent in Kashmiri women. AE-PCOS criteria of PCOS is the presence of hyperandrogenism (clinical and/or biochemical), ovarian dysfunction (oligo-anovulation and/or polycystic ovaries), and the exclusion of related disorders in the women with PCOS.

ICMR national task force defines all the three criteria of PCOS present in Kashmiri women, probably the highest percentage globally.

Pertinently, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a long-term, highly prevalent, complex endocrine disorder characterised by a multitude of metabolic and reproductive disorders. It affects 6-23 percent of reproductive age women globally, though the estimated frequency can rise up to 33 percent depending on the diagnostic criteria used—(KNO)

Srinagar, Jan 14: Police on Friday arrested Mohammad Ahsan Untoo, chairman International Forum for Justice and Human Rights Jammu and Kashmir (IFJHRJK), for “spreading false propaganda, disinformation campaign and hate speech through these social media spaces.”

“It was reliably learnt that Mohd Ahsan Untoo son of Late Ghulam Hassan Untoo resident of Diver Lolab Kupwara A/P Kursoo Rajbagh, a proactive secessionist is an active participant and speaker at Twitter spaces titled “Radio Resistance Kashmir” led by two known secessionists namely Muzammil Ayyub Thakur and Dr. Asif Dar,” a police spokesman said in a statement issued here to GNS.

He said these “known secessionists, who are accused in several cases along with Ahsan Untoo are actively spreading hatred against the Union of India on the social media platform.”

“By spreading false propaganda, disinformation campaign and hate speech through these social media spaces, Ahsan Untoo is not only threatening to disturb the prevailing peaceful atmosphere of UT of J&K but spreads disaffection, ill-will and disharmony against the Union of India,” the spokesman said, adding, “He is also actively spreading the terrorist secessionist agenda and is thus inciting youth to resort to violence and indulge in unlawful activities.”

The activities by Ahsan Untoo, he said, “amounts to commission of cognizable offence by him.”, “Accordingly Srinagar Police while taking the cognizance matter registered a case against him under relevant sections of the law,” the spokesman said, adding, “The investigation into the matter has been initiated and accused has been arrested who is on Police remand. Further action under law shall follow.” (GNS)

Srinagar, Jan 14: Advisor to Lieutenant Governor, Farooq Khan, on Friday said that doing Surya Namaskar is not necessary for any government employee.

Talking to reporters, Khan said that Surya Namaskar is a part of yoga and it should not be mixed with any religion. “There is no force in anything,” he said.

“It is not that if employees do not do Surya Namaskar then he or she is doing a crime and will be terminated. Whosoever wants to do it can do it as it is a part of yoga,” he said.

Khan added that due to the title of Namaskar it has been portrayed as religious connotation otherwise it is just a part of yoga exercise.(KNS)