Death toll mounts to 1245, total cases at 79106
Nadeem Nadu

Srinagar, Oct 4: Jammu and Kashmir reported eleven more COVID-19 deaths in past 24-hours, while 878 more people tested positive for the deadly virus in the union territory on Sunday, officials said.
They said that the fatality count in J&K has mounted to  1245 and 79106 people have tested positive for the virus in UT till date.

Giving the details about the dead, the officials said that Five among those who died due to the virus today were from Kashmir, including 72-year-old former divisional forest officer who launched a political party after retirement and a 33-year-old woman from Chadoora Budgam.

The septuagenarian was a resident of Zakura Habak Srinagar and died at SKIMS Soura, ten days after he was admitted to the tertiary care hospital.

A senior doctor at the hospital told GNS that he was suffering from hypertension, type-2 diabetes mellitus and bilateral community acquired pneumonia (CAP).  “He died due to cardiopulmonary arrest.”

Regarding the 33-year-old woman, official sources told GNS she died at CD hospital Srinagar where she was admitted on October 3.

Also a 62-year-old man from Rajbagh Srinagar who died at SKIMS Soura, a week after he was admitted there with COPD, RF with bilateral CAP, they said. A 55-year-old man from Reshipora Bandipora also died at a hospital here, eleven days after being admitted.

Meanwhile, the official sources said that six deaths were reported from Jammu region including three from the J&K’s winter capital and one each from Rajouri, Udhampur and Doda districts.

Among others, the victims include an 80-year-old man from Durgan Nagar, a 70-year-old from Subash Nagar Jammu and a 76-year-old man from Makhanpur Bishnah.

With these deaths, 1245 people have died due to virus and include 863 from Valley and 382 from Jammu.

J&K records 878 fresh cases, tally at 79106

Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday recorded  878 new COVID-19 cases taking the total tally to 79106.

Official sources told GNS that among the cases, 456 were confirmed from Jammu Division and 422 from Kashmir.

Giving district-wise details, they said, Srinagar reported 156, Budgam 53, Baramulla 52, Pulwama 17, Kupwara 12, Anantnag 30, Bandipora 54, Ganderbal 33, Kulgam  6, Shopian 9, Jammu 252, Rajouri 35, Udhampur 27, Kathua 21, Doda 14, Samba 22, Poonch 17, Ramban 8, Reasi 11and Kishtwar 49.

A number of these cases were confirmed from SKIMS and CD diagnostic laboratories including 13 from CRPF, five from BSF, two from army’s BB Cantt here besides three minors.

SKIMS cases include male (35) from Kokernag Anantnag, male (41) from Bemina, female (43) from Rangreth, female (15) from Cooperative Colony Peerbagh, male (40) from Armed Police Humhama, three females (55, 25, 22) from Nowgam, female (65) from Lal Bazar, female (55) from Habba Kadal, female (25) from Skims Soura, two males (85, 45) from Nowshera, male (53) from Lal Bazar, male (25) from Soura, male (25) from Hawal, female (27) from Hyderpora Gulbagh Colony, male (35) from Alochibagh, female (45) from Samerbugh, female (55) from Hyderpora, female (54) from Soura, male (40) from Soura, male (44) from Barzulla, female (56) from Elahibagh Srinagar, male (47) from Tral, male (40) from Bolriwan Pulwama, male (40) from Rawathpora Kupwara, female (65) from Nagbal, male (55) from Kangan Ganderbal, female (60) and male (65) from Nagam, female (55) from Malpora, male (40) from Charisharief, male (38) from Ramhama, male (38) from Housing Colony Ompora, male (55) from Gulshan Nagar, male (30) from Kralwari Chadoora, male (20) from Zuhama Chadoora, male (31) from Rapora Chadoora, male (29) from Bugam Chadoora, female (75) from Rangrate Rawalpora and male (60) from Mendhar Poonch.

The CRPF cases include five males (38, 29, 40, 28, 35) from 43 Bn Crpf Budgam, male (36) from 28 Bn Crpf Bemina Srg, male (27) from 175 Engr Ta Niyari Kupwara, male (37) from 3/9 Gr Niyari Kupwara, male (35) from 19 Garh Niyari Kupwara, two males (38, 28) from 28 Idsr Niyari Kupwara, male (46) from 53 Ibc Kalaroos Kupwara, male (37) from 7 Kumaon Kalaroos Kupwara. The BSF cases include five males (38, 56, 32, 28, 26) from Ch Bsf Humhama Srinagar.

The CD cases include two males (38, NA) from BB Cantt Srg, two males (74, 60) from Parraypora Srg, male (48) from Rawalpora Srg, female (52) from Hyderpora Srg, female (36) from Srinagar, female (55) from Athwajan, two males (01, 60) and female (60) from Lal Bazar, female (NA) and male (35) from Nowshera, male (50) from Srinagar, female (NA) from Jawahar Nagar, female (75) from Lolab, male (44) from Rajbagh, female (55) from Harwan, male (37) from Bagath Srg, male (40) and female (NA) from Shalimar, male (18) and female (70) from Alochibagh Srg, male (50) from Rajbagh, male (45) from Ahmadnagar, four males (52, 52, 55, 53) from Shivpora Srg, NA (32) from Nishat Srg, male (60) from Bemina Srg, female (10) from Shalimar Srg, female (22) and male (26) from Baghi Mehtab Srg, male (32) from Panthachowk, male (50) from Handwara, female (50) from Humhama, female (36) from Bemina Srg, male (20) from Rainawari Srg, female (42) from Nawakadal Srg, female (NA) from Batmaloo Srg, male (27) from Fateh Kadal Srg, female (55) and male (60) from Baghi Mehtab, male (65) from Baghi Mehtab Srg, female (NA) from Sonwar Srg, male (39) from NA, male (36) from Wazir Bagh Srg, female (60) from Rajbagh Srg, male (53) from Elahibagh Srg, female (40) from Bemina Srg, male (55) from Rainawari Srg, male (72) from Bemina Srg, female (55) from Khonmuh Srg, female (NA) and male (NA) from Bemina Srg, male (07) from Lal Bazar, male (44) from Bemina Srg, male (47) from Khan Khai Mohalla, female (35) from Fateh Kadal Srg, female (60) from Lal Bazar, female (70) from Rawalpora, female (30) from Pulwama, two males (NA, 45) from Hawal, male (44) from Dalgate, female (65) from Sumbal, male (70) from Wuyan Pampore, two males (95, 81) from Srinagar, female (45) from Khansahib Budgam, two females (10, 35) from Ompora Budgam, female (70) from Zakura, female (65) from Kanipora Srg, male (80) from Bhatpura Ganderbal, male (33) from Srinagar, male (27) from Hyderpora Srg, male (35) from Buchpora Srg, male (54) from Tral E Bala, female (15) from Shadimarg, male (40) from Rahmoo, male (64) from Wuyan, male (19) from Trichal, male (23) from Zasoow, female (42) from Murran, female (75) from Thab, female (45) from Qamarwari Srg, male (55) from Abi Guzar Srinagar, male (09) and three females (61, 41, 13) from Sheikhpora Budgam, male (70) from Latepura Pulwama, female (75) from Ranger Chadoora, male (77) from Srinagar, male (45) from Khanyar Srg, female (55) from HMT Srinagar.

Moreover, they said 1053 more COVID-19 patients have recovered and discharged from various hospitals— 525 from Jammu Division and 528 from Kashmir Valley. (GNS) 

New Delhi, Oct 4: Health Minister Harshvardhan on Sunday said that the government has set up several committees to work out the process of distribution of Covid-19 vaccines across the country.
Interacting with social media users during Sunday Samvaad-4, Dr Harshvardhan said topmost priority in COVID-19 immunisation will be given to frontline healthcare workers.
Dr Harsh Vardhan said that the Health Ministry is currently preparing a format in which States will submit lists of priority population groups to receive vaccine, especially health workers engaged in the management of COVID19. The list of frontline health workers will include both government as well as private sector doctors, nurses, paramedics, sanitary staff, ASHA workers, surveillance officers and many other occupational categories who are involved in tracing, testing and treatment of patients.
This exercise is targeted to be completed by the end of this October and the States are being closely guided to also submit details about cold chain facilities and other related infrastructure which will be required down to the block level.
He said that the Centre is also working on plans for building capacities in HR, training, supervision etc on a massive scale and roughly estimates to receive and utilise 400-500 million doses covering approximately 20-25 crore people by July 2021. He further informed that the Government is also keeping an eye on immunity data with regard to COVID-19 disease while finalizing these plans.
He stated that there is a high level committee under the chairmanship of Niti Aayog Member (Health) VK Paul which is drawing up the entire process.

‘Vaccine procurement is being done centrally and each consignment will be tracked real time until delivery to ensure it reaches those who need it most,’ the Minister said.
He added that these Committees are working on understanding the timelines of availability of various vaccines in the country, obtaining commitments from vaccine manufacturers to make available maximum number of doses for India inventory and supply chain management and also on prioritisation of high-risk groups.
‘This is work in progress which will be completed by the time the vaccines are ready to ensure the swift roll-out of the immunisation program,’ he said.
Clearing glaring misconceptions that seem to have captured the imagination of rumour mongers in pockets of Punjab, Dr Harsh Vardhan strongly rebutted allegations that the COVID-19 pandemic was a government conspiracy to enable organ harvesting of healthy individuals. He stated that the Government is not tied to fiscal considerations from financing agencies for implementation of the COVID-19 emergency response in light of the recent loan from the World Bank- Asian Infrastructural Investment Bank and the Asian Development Bank to the tune of Rs 15,000 Crores for managing COVID.

The Minister assured another respondent that there would be no diversion or black-marketing.
“Vaccines will be distributed as per pre-decided priority and in a programmed manner. To ensure transparency and accountability, details of the entire process will be shared in the coming months,’ the Minister said.
He stressed the need to prioritize health care workers and adults or those have underlying health conditions.
Answering similar questions, he said that it is not possible to comment on the superiority of one vaccine over the other although he would ensure “that even if we have multiple vaccines available, they will all be safe and will elicit the requisite immune response against novel coronavirus”.
He said that all vaccines that have proven to be safe, immunogenic and efficacious in clinical trials outside India need to undergo bridging studies to prove their safety and immunogenicity in the Indian population as well although these studies can be conducted with much smaller sample size and end quickly.
While tackling a question on the level playing field for various clinical trials, Dr Harsh Vardhan shared that all proposed clinical trials in India are designed using set principles and are stringently reviewed by the Subject Expert Committee set up by the Drug Controller General of India. Recently, the DCGI has also formulated draft guidelines on regulatory requirements for licensure of COVID-19 vaccines in India.
On a question regarding Phase 3 Clinical Trial of Russia’s “Sputnik-V” vaccine in India, Dr Harsh Vardhan clarified that the matter is still under consideration, and no decision has been taken as yet on the Phase 3 trials.

New Delhi, Oct 4: India has recorded a fresh spike of 75,829 nCoV cases during the past 24 hours, taking the country’s tally past 65 lakh mark, the Union Health Ministry data said on Sunday morning.
Presently the nation’s total case count stands at 65,49,374.
Also, the peninsular registered 82,260 cured/discharged cases in the same duration which has pushed the total recoveries so far to 55,09,967.

Meanwhile, there were 940 deaths due to the highly contagious virus since Saturday, pushing the death toll to 1,01,782 till date.
Active case-load on the country has decreased by 7,371 on Sunday, and presently India is home to 9,37,625 active cases of the novel Coronavirus.
In terms of percentage, the active cases are 14.32 per cent, recovered at 84.13 per cent, and the deaths 1.56 per cent.
According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), as many as 11,42,131 samples were tested in the past 24 hours, taking the total cumulative samples tested since the beginning of the pandemic till Sunday to 7,89,92,534.
Meanwhile, Maharashtra continues to remain the worst affected state with maximum case count as well as in terms of maximum active cases.

Globally, the United States continues to remain the most-infected, followed by India and Brazil.