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  • U.S. wants to send team of experts inside China for COVID-19 probe: Trump

    Describing the coronavirus as a plague, Mr. Trump, during his White House news conference on Sunday, said that he is not happy with China where the pandemic emerged in December last year in the central Chinese city of Wuhan.

    PTI

    The U.S. wants to send a team of experts to China to investigate coronavirus, President Donald Trump has said, a day after he warned Beijing of “consequences” if it was knowingly responsible for the spread of COVID-19 which has killed more than 165,000 people globally, including over 41,000 in America.

    Describing the coronavirus as a plague, Mr. Trump, during his White House news conference on Sunday, said that he is not happy with China where the pandemic emerged in December last year in the central Chinese city of Wuhan.

    We spoke to them (Chinese) a long time ago about going in. We want to go in. We want to see what’s going on. And we weren’t exactly invited, I can tell you that, the President told reporters.

    I was very happy with the (trade) deal (with China), very happy with everything and then we found out about the plague and since we found out about that I’m not happy, he said.

    The US has launched an investigation into whether the deadly virus “escaped” from the Wuhan Institute of Virology.

    He has repeatedly expressed disappointment over China’s handling of the coronavirus disease, alleged non-transparency and initial non-cooperation from Beijing with Washington on dealing with the crisis.

    Based on an investigation, we are going to find out, Trump told reporters.

    A day earlier, he warned China that it should face consequences if it was “knowingly responsible” for the spread of the novel coronavirus, upping the ante on Beijing over its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.

    If they (China) were knowingly responsible then there should be consequences. You’re talking about, you know, potentially lives like nobody’s seen since 1917, Trump said on Saturday.

    The opposition Democratic Party said that Trump has falsely claimed he acted early by restricting travel from China when it was little too late and he continued to downplay the virus throughout February.

    The number of COVID-19 deaths in the US crossed 41,000 and the total infections were more than 764,000 so far.

    New York, the epicentre of the deadly COVID-19 in the US, has 2,42,000 cases and over 17,600 fatalities so far. It has registered a 50-percent decline in new cases over an eight-day period.

    The novel virus, which emerged in China in December last year, has killed over 160,000 and infected more than 2.3 million people worldwide.

  • 1-and-a-half-month-old baby dies of COVID-19 in Delhi

    A one-and-a-half-month-old baby has died of coronavirus infection at a hospital in Delhi, officials said on Sunday, in perhaps the first fatality of an infant due to COVID-19 in the national capital.

    PTI

    The baby died at Kalawati Saran Children’s Hospital attached to the Centre-run Lady Hardinge Medical College.

    “The baby was brought to the hospital a few days ago. He tested positive for COVID-19. The child was admitted to SARI (Severe Acute Respiratory Illness) ward and died yesterday,” a doctor at the hospital said on the condition of anonymity.

    The surveillance team has been informed for contact tracing, he said.

    The total number of coronavirus cases in the national capital has climbed to 1,893, according to the Delhi government.

    As per the age profile of COVID-19 victims in Delhi shared by the health department, of the total 43 fatalities, 24 were above 60 years.

    Nine were aged between 50-60 and 10 were aged below 50, officials said.

    Meanwhile, at least two doctors and six nurses at the Lady Hardinge Medical College have tested positive for coronavirus, sources said.

    They were all deployed at the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit of the hospital.

    The hospital has initiated a contact tracing to find out who all had come in contact with them in the last few days.

    According to a doctor, a 10-month-old baby who was recently brought to the emergency department with respiratory problems had tested positive for COVID-19.

    Now, the entire Paediatric ICU is being sanitised, the doctor said.

  • Policeman shot dead in Hiller Anantnag

    Srinagar, April 19: A policeman was killed after fired upon by suspected militants at his residence in Hiller Shahabad area of south Kashmir’s Anantnag district on Sunday.

    A police officer told GNS that the militants opened fire upon the policeman namely Manzoor Ahmad Dar at Hiller village at around 9:35 pm. The officer also confirmed that the policeman was at home when the attack took place.

    Dar, a Selection Grade Constable and working as Munshi at Police Station Larnoo was removed to nearby hospital where he succumbed to injuries.

    He said that a police team has been rushed to the spot and further investigations are underway. (GNS)

  • Cop shot dead in Anantnag

    Anantnag, Apr 19: Suspected militants on Sunday evening shot dead a policeman in Kokernag area of South Kashmir’s Anantnag district.

    Reports reaching news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) said that a head constable, identified as Manzoor Ahmad Dar, son of Mohammad Akbar Dar of Hiller Bahai, was at home when gunmen opened fire on him, leaving him critically injured.

    A police officer confirmed the incident and said that the constable was immediately rushed to nearby hospital where he succumbed to his injury.

    Meanwhile, the area has been cordoned off to the nab the attackers—(KNO)

  • No relaxation in Kashmir from April 20 : Div Com Kashmir

    Srinagar, April 19: Divisional Commissioner Kashmir P K Pole today said that all the restrictions that have been put in place will continue from April 20 as well.

    “Relaxations are for carrying out agriculture, horticulture sector activities and related activities like juice manufacturing, rice mill operations or operation of essential commodities,” he told KNS.

    Clarifying that no relaxation has been given in any district of Kashmir, Divisional Commissioner said, “all the 10 districts have one or more positive covid 19 cases. All commercial establishments will remain closed.” (KNS)

  • Air India opens bookings on select domestic routes from May 4, international from June 1

    While ministry of Civil Aviation issues circular for all airlines to refrain from booking tickets.

    India has been under lockdown since March 25 to curb the spread of novel coronavirus

    PTI

    Air India on Saturday announced it has opened bookings on select domestic and international routes from May 4 and June 1, respectively.

    “In the light of the ongoing global health concerns, we have currently stopped accepting bookings on all domestic flights for travel till May 3, 2020, and on all international flights for travel till May 31, 2020,” a notification on Air India’s website said on Saturday.

    “Bookings for select domestic flights for travel from May 4, 2020, and for international flights for travel from June 1, 2020 onwards are open,” it stated.

    India has been under lockdown since March 25 to curb the spread of novel coronavirus. The first phase of the lockdown was from March 25 to April 14. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 14 extended the lockdown till May 3.

    All domestic and international commercial passenger flights have been suspended during this period.

    On April 3, Air India had said it has stopped bookings, both domestic and international, till the end of the month.

  • COVID-19: First batch of 9,600 rapid test kits arrive in Kashmir valley

    The results of these tests take around 30 minutes

    PTI

    Kashmir has received the first batch of 9,600 rapid test kits as the valley is trying to ramp up testing in its fight to contain the spread of COVID-19, officials said on Sunday.

    The rapid test kits help examine whether a person has developed antibodies in their blood stream to fight the novel coronavirus, which indicates whether a person has been exposed to or has COVID-19.

    The results of these tests take around 30 minutes. Doctors and healthcare workers can then determine the number of people who could be infected in a population sample.

    The kits would be used in the 83 red zones in the valley on a priority basis to help the administration expand the testing in these designated areas, the officials said.

    We have received the first batch of 9,600 rapid testing kits, Director, Health Services, Kashmir, Dr. Samir Mattoo told PTI.

    Mr. Mattoo said the kits were being dispatched to red zones in the valley and it would be distributed to each such containment zone.

    The kits provide the results on the spot and would cut the time taken to determine the results, he said.

    The process will be hastened as these kits provide the results in about half-an-hour only, the director added.

    Health officials said the rapid testing kits would help in expanding the testing in the areas designated as red zones.

    These kits would first be used to test people in each red zone and would also be used to test the frontline health workers, the officials said.

    Afterwards, the testing areas will be increased with the increase in the number of kits, they added.

  • All existing restrictions to remain enforced till May 3: DM Srinagar

    Complete restrictions on public movement and operation of business and other establishments to remain enforced across the district all through the extended period

    Srinagar: District Magistrate Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary Sunday reiterated that complete restrictions as existing currently will continue to remain enforced across Srinagar till May 3.

    He said the extension in existing restrictions and reasons therefor are noted in the order issued on April 16 — adding that the said order is in line with the revised lockdown guidelines in the MHA Government of India order issued on April 15 which excludes areas notified as COVID-19 containment zones from exemptions that it allows after April 20.

    In the said order issued under Section 144 of CrPC the DM has instructed that in view of the situation in the district with various areas notified as COVID-19 containment or red zones which add up to large part of the district it is imperative that all ongoing restrictions remain enforced all through this extended period.

    The order states that extension in all existing restrictions is also as per instructions of the J&K State Executive Committee which has issued a detailed SOP to follow in the COVID-19 containment zones.

    The DM said that movement will be allowed on production of passes his office has issued to essential services departments and officials.

    He said while healthcare officers and frontline workers associated with COVID-19 containment efforts in the district have been provided passes their movement as and when required will be allowed on production of valid IDs along with duty slips issued to them by their concerned HODs.

    He said violations of instructions as given in the April 16 order will attract strict proceedings and action under Section 188 of IPC and Section 51 of NDMA.

  • It’s safe for mother with COVID-19 to breastfeed her baby, say Docs

    New mother must practice respiratory hygiene, use face mask and should wash hands thoroughly before and after touching the baby.

    Srinagar: Mother with coronavirus can breastfeed her baby but has to take some preventive measures, doctors say.

    Many believe that any woman suffering from COVID-19 can’t breastfeed her baby.

    However, doctors say that it is safe for any woman suffering from COVID-19 to breastfeed her baby.

    Professor Dr Farhat Jabeen, Head of Department Gynecology and Obstetrics Government Medical College Srinagar said people should not be scared by COVID-19 instead take preventive measures.

    Mother can breastfeed her baby. Her breast milk does not carry the infection. But they have to take some preventive measures. “Pregnant women should maintain social distancing, keep proper hygiene and cover their mouth with a mask”, she said.

    She said, “During pregnancy, 80 to 90 percent patient suffering from coronavirus recover from this illness. But we should take measures that pregnant women do not get involved in this disease.”

    She said pregnant women should utilise the health services in their own areas if they are not COVID-19 patients. “No one should hide his or her travel history,” she added.

    Another doctor told news agency KINS that there is no evidence that pregnant women and new mothers are at higher risk of illness than the general population.

    “World Health Organisation even says that the baby who has already been exposed to the coronavirus by the mother will benefit most from direct, continued breastfeeding. This is because breast milk provides protection against many illnesses and strengthen the baby’s immune function,” the doctor told Kashmir Indepth News Service (KINS).

    The doctor however said women with COVID-19 should take precautions. “New mother must practice respiratory hygiene. They should wash hands thoroughly before and after touching the baby,” the doctor advised.

    The doctor even said if a new mother has contracted the novel coronavirus and is not able to nurse the newborn because of the sickness, “she can squeeze milk out of her breast then store it and feed it to baby later”.

    (KINS)

  • Fear more harmful than coronavirus itself, says DAK

    “Fear is putting people at greater risk of developing physical and mental health issues,”

    Srinagar: With people in Kashmir valley under constant fear of the novel (new) coronavirus, Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) on Sunday said fear is taking a heavy toll on people’s heath than the virus itself.

    “Fear is putting people at greater risk of developing physical and mental health issues,” said DAK President Dr Nisar ul Hassan.

    “Fear causes stress and when we are stressed the hormones cortisol and adrenaline increase and they suppress the effectiveness of the immune system. The suppression of immune system leaves the body vulnerable to disease and infection,” he said.

    Dr Nisar said if you have intact immune system, you will get over the novel virus, but with fear you are at risk of developing a severe disease.
    “With weakened immunity, you are also susceptible to other viral and bacterial infections,” he added.

    Dr Nisar said studies have shown that stress increases the risk of heart attacks and strokes. “The stress hormones narrow the blood vessels, and make the blood stickier and thicker and increases the likelihood of blood clotting.”

    He said adding that “stress makes other risk factors like high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol worse.”

    Dr Nisar said we are seeing lot of functional gastrointestinal disorders like irritable bowel syndrome nowadays, and stress is the factor. He said there has been a tremendous aggravation in people with preexisting mental health issues like anxiety and depression.

    We have found a high rate of relapse of mental health issues in patients who were completely cured and were off medicine.

    “Even those without any history of mental health issues have started suffering from anxiety, restlessness and sleep disorders,” he added.

    “We have seen people coming with respiratory problems, though their lung functions are perfectly normal. The delusion of being infected is leading to respiratory issues – which is psychological,” said Dr Nisar.