460 new positive cases, 95342 recovered so far

Nadeem Nadu

Srinagar, Nov 15: Jammu and Kashmir reported eleven more deaths due to novel coronavirus in last 24 hours, taking the fatality count to 1591, officials said on Sunday.

Seven among those who succumbed to the virus belonged to Kashmir Valley while four others to Jammu region, the officials said.

Regarding the victims from Valley, they said, five were from Srinagar and one each from Budgam and Ganderbal districts.

They said a 61-year-old from Shalimar Srinagar died a fortnight after being admitted to SKIMS Bemina, one of the exclusive facilities for the management of the covid-19 patients in the Valley.

A 70-year-old woman from Bemina Srinagar also died at the same hospital, four days after being admitted there, they said.

A 75-year-old woman from Draigam Budgam died three days after being admitted with bilateral Community Acquired Pneumonia at SMHS hospital on November 12, they said.

A 70-year-old woman from Lal Bazar died two days after being admitted to CD Hospital, also among exclusive facilities for the management of covid-19 patients.

Three other persons died at SKIMS Soura hospital and include a 55-year-old woman from Lalbazar who succumbed to the virus twelve days after being admitted to the tertiary care hospital; a 62-year-old man from Khrew Srinagar who was admitted on November 8 and a 50-year-old man from Kachan Ganderbal who died a week after he was admitted.  The victims from Jammu belonged to winter capital of the J&K, they added.

Srinagar district with 396 deaths tops the list followed by Jammu (280), Baramulla (157), Budgam (97), Pulwama (84), Kupwara (78), Anantnag (75), Doda (50), Rajouri (48), Kulgam (48), Bandipora(48), Shopian (36), Ganderbal (37), Udhampur (35), Kathua (33), Samba (25), Poonch (22), Ramban (18), Kishtwar(16), and Reasi (8). (GNS)

Meanwhile, 460 new positive cases of Coronavirus were reported in J&K today. Of them, 189 were in Jammu division and 271 from Kashmir division.

Moreover, 491 more COVID-19 patients have recovered and discharged from various hospitals including 162 from Jammu Division and 329 from Kashmir Division.

According to the daily Media Bulletin on novel Coronavirus (Covid-19), out of 102619 positive cases, 5688 are active positive.

The Bulletin further said that out of 2645975 test results available, 2543356 samples have been tested as negative till November 15, 2020.

Till date 714414 persons have been enlisted for observation which included 24462 persons in home quarantine including facilities operated by government, 5688 in isolation and 41083 in home surveillance. Besides, 641592 persons have completed their surveillance period.

New Delhi, Nov 15:  India has reported 41,100 new cases of Covid in the past 24 hours, while 42,156 new recoveries were registered leading to a further contraction of the active caseload.

For the eighth consecutive day, there were less than 50,000 new daily cases reported. The last time daily new cases last crossed the 50K threshold was on November 7, a trend that assumes significance as many countries in Europe and the U S see a surge in their daily numbers, an official statement here said.

Ten states/UTs have contributed 82.87 per cent of the new cases. Of them, Delhi reported 7,340 cases in the past 24 hours followed by Kerala with 6,357 new cases and Maharashtra 4,237 new cases on Saturday.

With more recoveries — 42,156 new recoveries — there has been a further contraction of the Active Caseload. India’s present active caseload of 4,79,216 consists of just 5.44 per cent of India’s total positive cases.

Fifteen states/UTs have cases per million lower than India at 6,387.

New recoveries outnumbering new cases every 24-hour cycle has also improved the recovery rate to 93.09 per cent today. The total recovered cases stand at 82,05,728 widening the gap between recovered and active cases to 77,26,512.

About 79.91 per cent of the new recovered cases were contributed by 10 states/UTs.

With 7,117 persons recovering from Covid, Delhi saw the most number of recoveries. Kerala registered 6,793 daily recoveries while West Bengal reported 4,479 new recoveries.

A whopping 85.01 per cent of the 447 case fatalities reported in the past 24 hours were from 10 states/UTs.

As much as 23.5 per cent of the new fatalities were from Maharashtra which reported 105 deaths. Delhi and West Bengal follow with 96 and 53 new deaths, respectively.

Precious Kashmir News

Srinagar, Nov 15:  Urging authorities in Jammu and Kashmir to set up adequate cold storage facilities for COVID-19 vaccine, Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) on Sunday said the vaccine needs to be kept at minus 70 degree Celsius or below to ensure it remains potent and safe.

“Most Covid-19 vaccines need extremely cold temperature for storage and transportation,” DAK President and influenza expert Dr Nisar ul Hassan said.

He said Pfizer vaccine recently has been found to be more than 90 per cent effective in preventing COVID-19 infection raising hopes of a potential end to the nearly year-long pandemic.

However, he said the vaccine, which is based on a novel technology that uses synthetic messenger RNA to activate the immune system against the virus, needs to be kept at minus 70 degree Celsius or below to ensure vaccine remains potent and safe.

The DAK President said this creates a challenge for distribution and storage as most hospitals do not have storage facilities for a vaccine at that ultra low temperature. “Without a proper cold chain facility, vaccine faces the risk of being exposed to temperatures outside the recommended range, resulting in reduction in potency and wastage,” Dr Hassan said.

“Thus, without a cold chain facility, distributing these vaccines would not be possible.”

Dr Hassan said ‘we need to create infrastructure and put in place logistics required for storage before the vaccine becomes available for public use which is expected by the end of this year’.

“Specialized freezers, known as ultra-cold freezers that go down to minus 80 degree Celsius are needed for storage and transportation of the vaccine,” he said.

The DAK president said COVID-19 vaccine is a two-dose schedule with the second dose to be given 21 days after the first dose. “The maximum effectiveness of the vaccine was observed 7 days after the second dose. That means protection is achieved 28 days after the initiation of the vaccine,” he said.

“With infection rates setting new records, hospitals nearing overcapacity and economies struggling to reopen, we now have a remedy in offing,” he said.

He said while the vaccine shows extraordinary early results, how long the protection will last is to be seen. “Till the vaccine becomes available, people should continue with the best tools that we already have – social distancing, wearing masks and washing your hands,” he added.

Washington, Nov 15 : The overall number of global coronavirus cases has topped 53.8 million, while the deaths have surged to 1,309,780, according to the Johns Hopkins University.
As of Sunday morning, the total caseload and death toll stood at 53,843,270 and 1,309,784, respectively, the University’s Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) revealed in its latest update.
The US is the worst-hit country with the world’s highest number of cases and deaths at 10,888,372 and 245,574, respectively, according to the CSSE.
India comes in second place in terms of cases at 8,773,479, while the country’s death toll soared to 129,188.
The other countries with more than a million confirmed cases are Brazil (5,848,959), France (1,915,713), Russia (1,887,836), Spain (1,458,591), the UK (1,347,907), Argentina (1,304,846), Colombia (1,191,634) and Italy (1,144,552), the CSSE figures showed.
Brazil currently accounts for the second highest number of fatalities at 165,658.
The countries with a death toll above 20,000 are Mexico (97,624), the UK (51,858), Italy (44,683), France (42,600), Iran (41,034), Spain (40,769), Peru (35,307), Argentina (35,106), Colombia (33,829), Russia (32,536) and South Africa (20,206)

Kanpur: The first batch of Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine for COVID-19 is likely to reach Kanpur’s Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi Medical College by next week wherein the vaccine’s Phase 2 and Phase 3 human clinical trials will be conducted.
The decision to conduct the human clinical trials of the vaccine was taken after Dr Reddy’s Laboratories got approval from the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) in this regard, an official said.
The college principal RB Kamal said the human clinical trials of the vaccine will start from next week.
“As many as 180 volunteers have registered for the trials. Head of the research Saurabh Agarwal will determine the dosage of the vaccine to be administered. One dose will be administered and the condition of volunteers will be monitored to determine whether they need further doses or not,” he said.
Kamal said the volunteers’ vitals and condition will be checked periodically and the data will be analysed to determine whether the vaccine is a success or not.
He said the effect of the vaccine on the volunteers will be studied for seven months after the same is administered once, twice or thrice within an interval of 21 days.
After observing the effects of the vaccine for a month, authorities will be apprised of the results of the trial and they will then make a decision accordingly.
The Ethics Committee of the college has also given permission for the trails, he said.
The vaccine has to be kept at a temperature of -20 to -70 degrees Celsius.
In September, Dr Reddy’s and the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), Russia’s sovereign wealth fund, entered into a partnership to conduct clinical trials of Sputnik V vaccine and its distribution in India.
As part of the partnership, RDIF shall supply 100 million doses of the vaccine to Dr Reddy’s upon regulatory approval in India.
On August 11, the Sputnik V vaccine was registered by the Ministry of Health of Russia and became the world’s first registered vaccine against COVID-19 based on the human adenoviral vector platform.

Srinagar, Nov 15: The snowfall continued for the second successive day on Sunday in world famous ski resort of Gulmarg, tourist resort of Sonamarg and other upper reaches while rain lashed plains in Kashmir valley, resulting in dip in the temperature.

A Met department spokesperson said widespread moderate rain and snow would continue during the next 24 hours in Kashmir valley under the influence of a Western Disturbance (WD), which is active in the region. “Rain and snow would occur on Monday at several places, particularly in the upper reaches, in the valley,” he said.

However, he said the weather will improve from Tuesday onwards though a fresh WD, which originated from the Arabian Sea is approaching the region, through Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Tree and hotel and house tops besides open fields have turned white intermittent snowfall since Saturday morning in Gulmarg, about 55 km from here in north Kashmir, much to the delight of tourists. About a foot of snow has accumulated in the ski resort, which was the only place in the valley with below freezing night temperature.

Khilanmarg and Affarwat, the highest skiing point connected by Gandola Cable Car (GCC) from base camp, have received about 2 feet of snow since Saturday. “Despite chilly weather conditions and incessant snowfall, tourists are out on the ski slopes, enjoying themselves. Hopefully, more tourists will throng to Gulmarg due to early snowfall,” a hotelier told UNI.

Tourist could be seen enjoying snow fight and other activities, including ATV and horse riding in the ski resort. “Witnessing snowfall for the first time was the best Diwali gift I have received in my entire life. When we decided to visit Kashmir, we were a bit skeptical, but since we have arrived here everyone (locals) has been very kind and helpful,” a tourist from Mumbai told UNI.

Similar views were expressed by other tourists.

The other upper heights in north Kashmir, including border areas of Keran, Karnah, Gurez, Tangdhar and Machil also experienced snowfall since Friday night.

Intermittent snowfall was also witnessed in the world famous health resort of Sonamarg on Srinagar-Leh national highway, which remained closed for second successive day for traffic due to acumination of snow. The upper reaches in Ganderbal and Kangan in central Kashmir district of Ganderbal also experienced snowfall since Saturday.

World famous health resort of Pahalgam, about 100 km from here in south Kashmir, also received snowfall for the second successive day on Sunday.

The cave shrine and its periphery besides Panjterni, Sheshnag, Mahaguns, Pisso top and Chandanwari on traditional yatra route from base camp Pahalgam also experienced snowfall.

Barring Srinagar, many areas in plains received intermittent incessant rain, resulting in dip in the maximum temperature. The weather was chilly in the city as the skies remained cloudy throughout the day.

Dozens of far flung, remote areas remain cut-off in north Kashmir

Srinagar, Nov 15: Hundreds of vehicles left Srinagar for Jammu as only one-way traffic continued on the national highway, connecting Kashmir with the rest of the country, due to bad road conditions.
However, the 434-km-long Srinagar-Leh Highway and historic Mughal road remained closed for the second successive day on SundaHundreds of vehicles left Srinagar for Jammu as the only one-way traffic continued on the national highway, connecting Kashmir valley with the rest of the country, due to bad road conditions.
However, the 434-km-long Srinagar-Leh Highway and historic Mughal road remained closed for the second successive day on Sunday due to slippery road conditions following fresh snowfall on Saturday.
“Today, traffic will ply from Srinagar to Jammu and no vehicle, including security force convoy, would be allowed from the opposite direction,” a traffic police official said.
He said Jammu-bound Light Motor Vehicles (LMVs) will have to cross Zig in Qazigund between 0700 hrs to 1200 hrs. “No vehicle will be allowed after cut off timing,” he added.
He said Heavy Motor Vehicles (HMVs) will be allowed from Udhampur to Srinagar.
He said despite wet weather, the traffic on the highway was resumed on Saturday after remaining closed for a day on Friday due to maintenance of the road. The UT government has ordered the closure of the Srinagar-Jammu highway on every Friday till November 30 to allow agencies, responsible for the maintenance and widening of the highway, to undertake necessary work for smooth plying of vehicles during winter.
“The Srinagar-Leh national highway remained closed for the second successive day on Sunday following snowfall at Sonamarg, Zojila pass, Meenmarg and Drass, the second coldest place in the world after Siberia,” he said.
He said, no vehicle was allowed from Sonmarg, in the central Kashmir district of Ganderbal, on the highway due to slippery road conditions due to snowfall. “Traffic will be resumed only if there is an improvement in the weather and snowfall stops,” he added.
Meanwhile, a high-level committee has been constituted to make necessary arrangements to keep the highway open till December 31 this year.
The traffic spokesman said traffic on Mughal road, which is seen as an alternative to Srinagar-Jammu national highway, remained suspended for the second day on Sunday following snowfall on Saturday. “The road has become slippery due to snowfall,” he said, adding there is a forecast for more snowfall.
Traffic will be resumed only after there is an improvement in the weather and road become safe for the journey.
Meanwhile, dozens of far-flung and remote villages, including those near the LoC, remained cut off for the second successive day on Sunday in north Kashmir due to slippery roads conditions and accumulation of snow.
“Traffic remained suspended to dozens of far-flung and remote villages, including Keran, Machil, Kernah and Tanghdar, due to slippery road conditions and acumination of one to three feet of snow,” an official of Police Control Room (PCR), Kupwara, said.
He said Sadhna top, Z Gali and Phirkiyan pass received about 1.5 feet of snow. “About 3 feet of snow has accumulated in Keran and adjoining areas,” he added.
He said it is highly unlikely that these roads will reopen for traffic in the coming days.
A traffic police official said Gurez remained closed for traffic for the second successive day on Sunday. “Razdan pass, connecting Gurez, Neeru and dozens of other areas near LoC with district headquarters Bandipora, received over 2.5 feet of snow,” he said.
He said traffic on Bandipora-Gurez road would be allowed only after clearing snow. “The snow clearance operation has not been started so far as there is a prediction of more snow and the area is avalanche prone,” he added.