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  • More men are dying in Kashmir from Covid-19 than women

    Srinagar: Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) on Tuesday said the novel coronavirus is killing more men than women in Kashmir valley.

    “More men are dying from Covid-19 than women,” said DAK President and influenza expert Dr Nisar ul Hassan.

    “Nearly 72 percent of those who died from Covid infection in the valley were men while women accounted for 28 percent of deaths,” he said

    Dr Nisar said based on our analysis from the data of all 88 deaths in Kashmir Valley as of June 30, 63 (71.60 percent) were men and 25 (28.40 percent) were women.

    “70 percent of men who died from the novel virus were above 60 years of age and the average age was 62,” he said.

    Dr Nisar said 86 percent of male deaths had preexisting medical conditions with high blood pressure in 18 (28.57 percent) followed by diabetes in 10 (15. 87 percent), chronic lung disease in 8 (12.69 percent), cardiovascular disease in 6 (9.52 percent), cancer in 4 (6.34 percent) and chronic kidney disease in 4 (6.34 percent). Two had brain hemorrhage, one had chronic liver disease and one had hematological condition.

    “9 (14.28 percent) had no underlying health issues and they were apparently healthy,” he added.

    Dr Nisar said our data is in line with the global trend. “A similar gender gap in mortality has emerged from countries like Italy, Spain, China, South Korea, France and Germany,” he said.

    “The pattern of greater male death rate was also seen in other two coronavirus outbreaks caused by MERS and SARS,” he added. Dr Nisar said the gender disparity in death could be biological or behavioral.

    “Women have more robust immune system than men and are able to fend off infection. The female sex hormone appears to play a role in immunity, as does ‘X’ chromosome which contains immune-related genes. Women carry ‘2X’ chromosomes, men only one,” he said.

    Dr Nisar said men smoke at higher rates than women that damages the lung defense and increases the risk of severe infection.

    “Males are more likely to have medical conditions that can make Covid-19 infection more fatal in them,” he added.

    “Being male is as much a risk factor for Covid as being old. People need to be aware that there is this pattern,” said Dr Nisar.

  • Sensex, Nifty end marginally lower

    PTI


    Mumbai    : Equity benchmark Sensex surrendered all its early gains to end 46 points lower on Tuesday as investors turned cautious ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s address to the nation.

    After jumping 272.39 points during the day, the 30-share index turned negative and settled 45.72 points, or 0.13 per cent, down at 34,915.80; while the NSE Nifty slipped 10.30 points, or 0.10 per cent, to 10,302.10.

    PowerGrid was the top laggard in the Sensex pack, shedding around 2 per cent, followed by Sun Pharma, ITC, ONGC, Bharti Airtel and Reliance Industries.

    On the other hand, Maruti, Nestle India, ICICI Bank and UltraTech Cement were among the gainers.

    Indian market pared intra-day gains as participants adopted a wait and watch approach ahead of Modi’s address.

    Concerns over rising COVID-19 cases and its impact on economic recovery remained a key factor for investors, analysts said.

    The number of cases around the world linked to the disease has crossed 1.03 crore and the death toll has topped 5.05 lakh.

    In India, the number of infections spiked to 5,66,840 and the death toll rose to 16,893.

    Meanwhile, bourses in Shanghai, Hong Kong, Japan and Seoul ended with significant gains.

    However, stock exchanges in Europe started on a tepid note.

    International oil benchmark Brent crude futures fell 1.36 per cent to USD 41.28 per barrel.

    On the currency front, the rupee settled 7 paise higher at 75.51 against the US dollar.

  • COVID-19 vaccination must be affordable, universal: PM

    PTI

    Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday reviewed India’s preparations for vaccinating its vast population against COVID-19 once a vaccine is available and asserted that vaccination must be affordable and universal.

    Modi chaired a high-level meeting to review planning and preparations for vaccination against the novel coronavirus.

    At the meeting, the current status of vaccine development efforts were also reviewed and the prime minister highlighted India’s commitment to play an enabling role in the vaccination efforts against COVID-19, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said in a statement.

    Prime Minister Modi noted that vaccination of India’s vast and diverse population will need to factor in issues, including those related to management of medical supply chains, prioritisation of at-risk populations, coordination between different agencies involved in the process, as well as the role of private sector and civil society, it said.

    The prime minister enunciated four guiding principles that will form the foundation of this national effort, the PMO said.

    He stated that vulnerable groups should be identified and prioritised for early vaccination, for example doctors, nurses, healthcare workers, non-medical frontline COVID-19 warriors, and vulnerable people among the general population.

    Another guiding principle enunciated by the prime minister was vaccination of anyone, anywhere should take place without imposition of any domicile related restrictions for getting the vaccine.

    The third principle enunciated by the prime minister was that vaccination must be affordable and universal and no person should be left behind, according to the PMO.

    According to the fourth principle, the entire process from production to vaccination should be monitored and supported in real time with the use of technology.

    Prime Minister Modi directed officials to evaluate in a broad manner available technology options that can form the backbone of the national endeavour to vaccinate all in the most efficient and timely manner.

    The prime minister directed that detailed planning for such large scale vaccination should be undertaken immediately.

  • Rivers in Bihar flowing above danger level, flood threat looms large in most north districts

    The State meteorological department has predicted that heavy rain would continue till July 2

    With four rivers flowing above danger level, the threat of flood looms large in parts of north Bihar.

    The State meteorological department, meanwhile, has predicted that heavy rain would continue till July 2..

    Rivers Kosi, Bagmati, Kamla Balan and Mahananda were flowing above danger level at many places on Monday, threatening to inundate several parts of north Bihar districts such as Muzaffarpur, Katihar, Purnia, Jhanjharpur in Madhubani and Sitamarhi.

    The water level in the Ganga too is gradually increasing, according to officials.

    The Central Water Commission on Monday tweeted to say that “river Bagmati at Benibad in Muzaffarpur district of Bihar continues to flow in severe situation”.

    NDRF, SDRF deployed

    Meanwhile, in view of the flood threat, the State government has deployed several teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) in these areas.

    As many as 13 teams of the NDRF and 14 teams of the SDRF have been deployed in sensitive areas of districts such as Katihar, Purnia, Araria, Supaul, Kishanganj, Darbhanga, Muzaffarpur, Gopalganj, East Champaran, Nalanda, Saran, Bhagalpur, Madhubani, Samastipur, Sitamarhi, Saharsha, Madhepura and Buxar, said a senior official of State Disaster Management Department.

    “Besides, some home guard personnel too have been deployed there to make villagers aware of how to protect themselves in the time of flood and COVID-19,” said the official not wanting to be named.

    “Though, situation is under control now, with heavy rain in catchment areas of Nepal and in the State as well, the threat of flood looms large in these areas of north Bihar districts,” he added.

    With inputs from The Hindu

  • Arnab Goswami gets interim relief from arrest

    Court stays 2 FIRs filed against him for alleged communal coverage of Palghar lynching case and an incident of migrants gathering outside Bandra station.

    The Bombay High Court on Tuesday granted interim relief from arrest to journalist Arnab Goswami and stayed both the FIRs against him for alleged communal coverage of Palghar lynching case and an incident of migrants gathering outside the Bandra station.

    A division bench of Ujjal Bhuyan and Riyaz Chagla said prima facie no case had been made out against Mr. Goswami. It said no coercive steps should be taken against him.

    Republic TV editor and owner Arnab Goswami.
    Republic TV editor and owner Arnab Goswami. | Photo Credit: Salman Ansari

    The court was hearing a criminal petition filed by Mr. Goswami seeking to quash the FIRs against him registered at the NM Joshi Marg and the Pydhonie police stations.

    Earlier on, senior counsel Harish Salve for Mr. Goswami submitted that multiple FIRs had been filed across the country for the same incidents and as per a Supreme Court order multiple FIRs in different States for the same incident were not sustainable and hence the FIR filed against Mr. Goswami should be quashed.

    With inputs from The Hindu

  • Recovery rate of COVID-19 patients nearing 60 per cent

    PTI

    New Delhi: The recovery rate of COVID-19 patients in the country is fast approaching 60 per cent, with the Union Health Ministry attributing it to collective and focussed efforts of the Centre and states for containment and management of the pandemic.

    As on date, there are 1,19,696 more recovered patients than COVID-19 active cases.

    The number of active COVID-19 cases stands at 2,15,125, while 3,34,821 patients have been cured/discharged. A total of 13,099 COVID-19 patients have recovered in the last 24 hours, the ministry said.

    “This has resulted in the recovery rate amongst COVID-19 patients further improving to 59.07 per cent,” it said on Tuesday.

    The number of diagnostic labs is continuously increasing and India now has 1,049 labs dedicated to COVID-19. These include 761 labs in the government sector and 288 private labs.

    According to the ICMR, a cumulative total of 86,08,654 samples have been tested up to June 29 with 2,10,292 samples tested on Monday.

  • Infiltration foiled in Kupwara: Army

    “The intruders group was challenged at Parkian Gali along the LoC but it fled away taking advantage of darkness”, the Army said.

    The Army on Tuesday said it foiled an infiltration by at least 6 to 8 armed men from across the Line of Control (LoC) in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district on the intervening night of Monday-Tuesday.

    “The intruders group was challenged at Parkian Gali along the LoC but it fled away taking advantage of darkness”, the Army said.

    Their suspicious movement was spotted on June 29-30 in two groups and “our own troops challenged the infiltrators with fire. The infiltrators ran away taking help of darkness”, the Army said.

    With inputs from The Hindu

  • A group of monkeys had an intense fight in Rashtrapati Bhavan

    PTI

    New Delhi: A group of monkeys had an intense fight in Rashtrapati Bhavan premises, seriously injuring one of them who had to be rescued, an NGO said on Tuesday.

    A high-pitched cry of the primates drew the attention of maintenance staff, who rushed to the terrace and repelled the monkeys. They later found a macaque, a medium-sized, chiefly forest-dwelling Old World monkey with a short tail, under a water tank in a semi-conscious state on Sunday evening, said an official of the non-profit Wildlife SOS.

    The Rashtrapati Bhavan staff immediately contacted Wildlife SOS and kept a close watch on the injured monkey until a two-member team from the NGO arrived.

    “The monkey suffered severe wounds on his hind and forelimbs and is undergoing treatment. It will be released back into its natural habitat when certified fit for release,” said Wasim Akram, deputy director of special projects at the NGO.

    Kartick Satyanarayan, Wildlife SOS co-founder and CEO, said, It was heartening to see the staff at President’s Estate go to the extent of caring for the welfare of animals in distress.”

    The Rashtrapati Bhavan is part of the President’s Estate, which is spread over 330 acres and has a number of fruit trees, including mango and jamun.

    It is located right next to the natural habitat of the central ridge, which has a large population of monkeys. Often, they venture into Rashtrapati Bhavan in search of food, a Wildlife SOS official said.

  • 4 Deaths In A Day Take Covid-19 Toll To 100 In J&K

    Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday reported four deaths due to covid-19, taking the number of people succumbing to the virus in J&K to 100.

    Among the fresh fatalities, three were reported from Kashmir Valley while one was from Jammu division’s Kathua district.

    Two of the deaths in Valley took place in CD hospital here—one of them a 23-year-old man from Shopian and another, a 65-year-old woman, from Bhagat Barzulla.

    Talking to GNS, Medical Superintendent CD hospital, one of the exclusive facilities for the management of covid-19 patients said that the 23-year-old man was shifted from SHMS hospital yesterday.

    “He was having head injury was in serious condition,” he said, adding, “The 65-year-old woman from Bhagat Barzulla was on ventilator. She was hypertensive, diabetic and had other ailments.”

    Earlier, an 85-year-old woman from Basohli area of the Kathua district died at GMC Jammu.
    The octogenarian was the first covid-19 victim in the district.

    “She was suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and was on oxygen since admission. She died at 7.30 a.m. today,” Dr. Nasib Chand Digra, Principal Dean Government Medical College Jammu, told GNS.

    With history of travel, she was admitted to the JMC on June 25 and was on oxygen support since, a senior doctor of the hospital said.
    Later in the day, a 55-year-old covid-19 positive patient from Baramulla district died at a hospital here.

    A resident of Dewan Bagh Baramulla, the 55-year-old businessman was admitted to SKIMS Bemina on June 27, hospital’s Medical Superintendent Dr Shifa Deva told GNS. “He was suffering from pneumonia,” she said.

    With these deaths, 100 people so far have succumbed to the virus in J&K— 88 from the Valley and 12 from Jammu division.

    Srinagar district with 23 deaths has the highest fatalities followed by Baramulla (16), Kulgam (13), Shopian (12), seven each from Jammu and Budgam and Anantnag and Kupwara (5), Pulwama (four) while one death each has been reported from Bandipora, Poonch, Doda, Udhampur, Rajouri and Kathua. (GNS)

  • Aamir Khan’s staff tests positive for COVID-19

    PTI

    Mumbai: Superstar Aamir Khan on Tuesday said that some members in his staff have tested positive for coronavirus.

    The 55-year-old actor said he and the other members of his family have tested negative for COVID-19 but he is awaiting the reports for his mother’s test.

    “This is to inform you that some of my staff have tested positive. They were immediately quarantined, and BMC officials were very prompt and efficient in taking them to a medical facility. I would like to thank the BMC for taking such good care of them, and for fumigating and sterilising the entire society, Aamir said in a statement.

    The rest of us have all been tested and found negative. Right now, I am taking my mother to get her tested. She is the last person in the loop. Please pray that she is negative, he added.

    The Dangal star also thanked the doctors and nurses at Kokilaben Hospital for taking care of his family and staff during the testing process.

    On the work front, Aamir will next be seen Laal Singh Chaddha , an official remake of Tom Hanks’ 1994 feature “Forrest Gump”.

    The film is being directed by Advait Chandan and Kareena Kapoor Khan is playing the female lead.