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  • Four more tested positive in Kashmir, toll mounts to 45 in JK

    Srinagar, Mar 30 (KNO): Four more persons have been tested positive for deadly Coronavirus in Kashmir, taking the total toll of cases to 45 across Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory.

    According to wire service—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), government spokesman Rohit Kansal in a tweet informed that four persons were tested positive in Kashmir Valley, adding that two among them are resident of Srinagar while the other two are from South Kashmir’s Shopian district.

    “Four more cases detected positive in Kasmir. 2 each from Shopian and Srinagar. All contacts of previous positive cases. Contact tracing working on ground,” Kansal tweeted.

    Earlier in the day, three people in Jammu division were tested positive, which took to the toll to 41. With more four persons tested positive, the total toll of positive cases across the Union Territory has mounted to 45

    – (KNO)

  • Israeli PM’s aide tests positive for COVID-19

    Rivka Paluch, adviser on ultra-Orthodox affairs, reportedly spent last few days in vicinity of Netanyahu, Knesset members

    JERUSALEM | AGENCIES

    Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s adviser on ultra-Orthodox affairs, Rivka Paluch, has tested positive for the novel coronavirus, local media reported Monday.

    Paluch reportedly spent the last few days “in the vicinity” of Netanyahu, Knesset members and other advisers, The Jerusalem Post reported.

    Israeli Channel 12 reported that Netanyahu will act according to the Health Ministry’s guidelines.

    Paluch tested positive hours after her husband was hospitalized with the virus, said Channel 12.

    The number of deaths in Israel from the virus totals 15 while the number of cases has surpassed 4,000 and 132 people have recovered.

    As part of measures to curb the virus, all schools in the country have been closed and all meetings in public, open or closed areas with more than 10 people have been banned.

    All trading firms except supermarkets, pharmacies, gas stations and banks have been closed since March 15.

    The novel coronavirus, officially known as COVID-19, was first detected in Wuhan, China in December. There are currently more than 721,000 cases worldwide and nearly 34,000 deaths with over 151,000 recoveries, according to U.S.-based Johns Hopkins University.

    Despite the severity of the virus, most people experience mild symptoms and recover.

    (This story has not been edited by Kashmir Today staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

  • Forces flex muscles on KNO staffer at Qazigund

    Qazigund , Mar 30: Kashmir News Observer staffer was ruthlessly thrashed by forces in Qazigund area of south Kashmir on Monday morning.

    According to wire service—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), Umaisar Gul who reports from Kulgam was ruthlessly thrashed by the forces while on way back to his home from Qazigund hospital early today morning.

    Narrating his ordeal, Umaisar said that he was on way back to home from the hospital when a few CRPF and police personnel stop him and petrol pump in Qazigund and thrashed him without any provocation.

    He said that the forces personnel pounced on him and beat him ruthlessly, injuring him badly. Umaisar has received severe injuries in his left arm and has been given first aid at nearby hospital. Umaisar said that he was not stopped by the forces when he was going toward Qazigund hospital from home.

    “But when I was returning back I was stopped by them and thrashed without any provocation. They didn’t even listen to me. They also didn’t even let me show my ID card. The incident happened at around 10:30 am, “he said.

    Meanwhile, Kulgam journalist association has condemned the force’s brutality and demanded a strong action against the personnel involved in this — (KNO)

  • Six Coronavirus patients among 37 people admitted in isolation wards of SKIMS

    Srinagar, March 30: At least 37 people including six coronavirus patients are admitted in isolation wards of Shar-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) Soura.
    Official said 181 samples of suspected people have been tested at SKIMS Soura. However reports of 31 people are awaited.

    “Thirty seven patients are in isolation wards including six patients whose tests have been tested positive for coronavirus,” Medical Superintendent SKIMS Soura Dr Farooq Jan told Kashmir Indepth News Service.
    Similarly, he said 65 people are in quarantine at SKIMS Soura. (KINS)

  • Coronavirus: Kashmir Muslim woman donates savings for Hajj to RSS affiliate

    Agencies

    NEW DELHI, March 30: A Muslim woman from Jammu and Kashmir has donated her savings of Rs 5 lakh, meant for the Hajj pilgrimage, to the RSS-affiliated ‘Sewa Bharati’ after apparently being “impressed with the welfare work” done by the outfit amid the lockdown due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.Khalida Begum, 87, who saved Rs 5 lakh for Hajj, was forced to defer her plans for the pilgrimage due to the lockdown.Hajj is the annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia, the holiest city of Muslims.

    “Khalida Begum ji was impressed with the welfare work done by the Sewa Bharati in Jammu and Kashmir during the tough time the country is passing through due to sudden outbreak of COVID-19 and decided to donate Rs 5 lakh to the organisation,” Arun Anand, head of RSS media wing Indraprastha Vishwa Samvad Kendra (IVSK), said.

    The woman wants that this money should be used by the community service organisation Sewa Bharati for the poor and the needy in Jammu and Kashmir. She had saved this amount for performing Hajj, plans for which she deferred due to the present situation, Anand said.

    “Khalida Begum ji was among the first few women in Jammu and Kashmir who got educated in a convent. She is the daughter-in-law of Colonel Peer Mohd Khan, who was president of the Jana Sangh,” he said.

    Jana Sangh was also an associate of RSS and later became the Bharatiya Janata Party.

    Anand said despite her age, she had been very active in welfare works for the women and the downtrodden in Jammu and Kashmir. Her son, Farooq Khan, a retired IPS officer, is presently serving as an adviser to the Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor.

    Meanwhile, since the lockdown was announced, Sewa Bharati volunteers across the country have been providing food and other essential items to the needy. The Sangh-affiliate’s volunteers were seen on Saturday managing crowd and providing food to them at the Anand Vihar bus terminal in Delhi.

  • Director SKIMS confirms | First Covid-19 patient recovers, tests negative

    Srinagar, Mar 30, KNT: The woman patient, who was the first Covid-19 confirmed case in Kashmir has been tested negative. The patient, who hails from Khayam area of Srinagar city was tested positive for Covid-19 on 18 March and since then she was quarantined and put under observation.

    The woman had travel history and had returned from Saudi Arabia after performing Umrah there. Before arriving Kashmir, she had stayed at number of place in different states of India.

    A doctor at SKIMS Soura confirmed that woman patient who was earlier tested positive has recovered from Coronavirus infection and her test has been found negative now.

    Nodal Officer for Coronavirus at SKIMS told Kashmir News Trust that this case is being handled by Director SKIMS himself and he is the person who can speak about it.

    When contacted, Director SKIMS, Dr AG Ahangar told KNT that the woman patient is recovering and yes, her latest test has been found negative. “We can break the chain if we stay indoors and maintain social distancing,” he said

    Dr Ahangar further said that the said woman patient is still quarantined but have recovered and right now she is not suffering from Coronavirus infection. (KNT)

  • Covid-19 in UAE: 102 new cases, 1 death confirmed on Sunday

    UAE confirmed 102 new coronavirus (Covid-19) cases on Sunday, along with three new recoveries.

    (File)

    According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Health and Prevention, 102 new cases were confirmed, taking the total cases in the country to 570.

    The three new recoveries takes the total tally of recoveries to 58.

    The statement said that the newly recovered nationals included one person from the Philippines and two people from India.

    Another person died from the virus, taking the toll to three in UAE, until March 29.

    The new cases are nationals of the following countries:

    • One from New Zealand, Slovakia, Morocco, Greece, China, France, Germany, Algeria, Iraq, Colombia, Venezuela, Poland
    • Two people from Brazil, Sweden, Australia, Ethiopia, Canada, Lebanon, Sudan, Saudi Arabia and Portugal
    • Three cases from Italy and Ireland
    • Six people from Egypt
    • Seven people from the UAE and the Philippines
    • 16 people from Britain
    • 30 people from India.

    All cases are stable and getting the necessary health care, the statement added.

    The dead person was identified as a 47-year-old Arab woman, who was suffering from chronic diseases. Her case became further complicated due to the coronavirus, which resulted in her demise.

    The Ministry expressed its regret and sincere condolences to the family of the deceased, and wished a speedy recovery for all the infected individuals.

  • Number of coronavirus cases in Qatar rises to 634

    Health Ministry confirms 44 new cases

    DOHA

    Qatar’s Health Ministry confirmed 44 new cases of the novel coronavirus Monday, bringing the country’s total to 634.

    In a statement, the ministry said that while some of the cases originated from abroad, others were contacts of people who had been diagnosed with the virus.

    On Saturday, Qatar confirmed the first death in the country from the coronavirus.

    The novel coronavirus, officially known as COVID-19, was first detected in Wuhan, China in December. There are currently more than 721,000 cases worldwide and nearly 34,000 deaths with over 149,000 recoveries, according to U.S.-based Johns Hopkins University.

    Despite the severity of the virus, most people experience mild symptoms and recover.

  • Coronavirus: China reports 4 deaths, 31 new cases

    The four deaths were reported from the virus epicentre Hubei province

    PTI

    China has reported 31 new cases of coronavirus including 30 imported ones while the death toll reached 3,304 with four more fatalities, health officials said on Monday.

    The country’s National Health Commission (NHC) in its daily report said 31 new confirmed COVID-19 cases on the Chinese mainland were reported on Sunday, of which 30 were imported, taking their total number to 723.

    A new domestic case was reported in Gansu province, it said.

    The four deaths were reported from the virus epicentre Hubei province, it said.

    The overall confirmed cases on the mainland has reached 81,470 by the end of Sunday. This included 3,304 people died of the disease, 2,396 patients still being treated and 75,770 patients discharged after recovery, the NHC said.

    It said that 168 people were still suspected of being infected with the virus, 165 of whom were from abroad.

    By the end of Sunday, 641 confirmed cases including four deaths have been reported from Hong Kong, 38 confirmed cases in Macao and 298 in Taiwan including three deaths.

    A total of 118 patients in Hong Kong, 10 in Macao and 39 in Taiwan have been discharged from the hospital after recovery.

    China on Sunday resumed domestic flights in the coronavirus epicentre Hubei province, except for its capital Wuhan, as part of a plan to ease the lockdown in the region following a steep decline in the number of confirmed cases.

    Hubei’s capital Wuhan, which bore the brunt of the vicious virus for over two months, would begin its air services from April 8.

    China began to ease its lockdown of Hubei province, home for over 56 million people, from March 25 by resuming local transport services followed by relaxation of travel for people tested negative for coronavirus.

    According to Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Centre, more than 32,000 people have died of coronavirus and 684,652 have been infected globally.

  • No plan to extend 21-day lockdown: Government

    “There are rumours & media reports, claiming that the Government will extend the #Lockdown21 when it expires. The Cabinet Secretary has denied these reports, and stated that they are baseless,” it said.

    PTI

    The government on Monday said there was no plan to extend the 21-day lockdown which came intro force on Tuesday midnight.

    The Press Information Bureau (PIB) of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting tweeted, saying Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba has denied media reports claiming that the government will extend the lockdown.

    “There are rumours & media reports, claiming that the Government will extend the #Lockdown21 when it expires. The Cabinet Secretary has denied these reports, and stated that they are baseless,” it said.

    The 21-day lockdown is aimed at checking the spread of the coronavirus.

    Following the lockdown, there has been a massive exodus of migrant workers from big cities to their villages after being rendered jobless.