Riffle grenades fired towards police post at Sopore
Peerzada Waseeem

Baramulla Aug 31: Seven persons, including a teenage girl, were wounded in a grenade attack in this north Kashmir district, while riffle grenades fired at a police post Sopore exploded without causing any damage, officials said on Monday.

Army’s Srinagar based spokesman Colonel Rajesh Kalia said that militants attacked an army convoy with a grenade at Azad Gunj in Baramulla. The device missed the target and exploded on the road leaving many civilians injured. Seven persons, including a 13-year-old girl sustained injuries in the blast.

Talking to the news agency KNO Medical Superintendent of District Hospital Baramulla Dr Sayed Masood said two injured were referred to Srinagar hospital for an advanced treatment.

He identified injured as Lateef Ahmad Khan son of Mohammad Yousf Khan of Fakirwani, Baramulla, Mohammad Afrooz Ganie son of Abdul Samad of Naidhal Baramulla, Iqra Nazir, 13, daughter of Nazir Ahmad of Chakala Baramulla, Manzoor Ahmad Khan son of Mohammad Yousf Khan of Fakir Wani Baramulla, Tariq Ahmad Chopan son of Ghulam Ahmad of Kanispora Baramulla, Mohmmad Auyoob son of Mohmmad Zafar of Binner Baramulla and Zahoor Ahamd Lone son of Mohammad Akber of Hadipora Rafiabad.

Officials said that soon after the attack, the Army of 46 RR, SOG, CRPF and Baramulla police reinforcement of forces rushed to spot and cordoned off the whole area to nab the attackers.
Sopore Attack
In the second attack, militants fired riffle grenade at the police post Sopore in Baramulla district that was followed by the firing. Officials said that no damage was reported in the incident.

However, senior police and CRPF officers rushed to the spot and a search operation was launched to nab the attackers.

Precious Kashmir News
Srinagar, Aug 31: As many as 535 more people tested positive for COVID-19 in Jammu and Kashmir on Monday, thus taking the total number of positive cases in the Union Territory to 37698.

Of the new cases 245 tested positive  in Jammu division and 290 in Kashmir.
Moreover, 505 more COVID-19 patients have recovered and discharged from various hospitals, 110 from Jammu Division and 395 from Kashmir Division.

According to the daily Media Bulletin on novel Corona virus (Covid-19), out of 37698 positive cases, 7980 are Active Positive, 29015 have recovered and 703 have died; 66 in Jammu division and 637 in Kashmir division.

The Bulletin further said that out of 966412 test results available, 928714 samples have been tested as negative till August 31, 2020.

 Till date 461461 travelers and persons in contact with suspected cases have been enlisted for observation which included 45562 persons in home quarantine including facilities operated by government, 7980 in isolation and 45170 under home surveillance. Besides, 362046 persons have completed their surveillance period.

Providing district-wise breakup, the Bulletin said that Srinagar has 9273 positive cases (including 90 cases reported today) with 1572 Active Positive, 7480 recovered (including 102 cases recovered today), 221 deaths; Baramulla has 2826 positive cases (including 16 cases reported today) with 520 Active Positive, 2206 recovered (including 02 cases recovered today), 100 deaths; Pulwama reported 2643 positive cases (including 52 cases reported today) with 474 active positive cases, 2120 recovered (including 43 cases recovered today), 49 deaths; Kulgam has 1925 positive cases (including 07 cases reported today) with 191 Active Positive, 1699 recoveries (including 26 cases recovered today), 35 deaths; Shopian has 1704 positive cases (including 07 cases reported today) with 119 Active Positive, 1557 recovered (including 07 cases recovered today), 28 deaths; Anantnag district has 2332 positive cases (including 18 cases reported today) with 517 Active Positive, 1765 recovered (including 10 cases recovered today), 50 deaths;  Budgam has 2507 positive cases (including 25 cases reported today) with 668 Active Positive and 1779 recovered (including 50 cases recovered today), 60 deaths; Kupwara has 2094 positive cases (including 19 cases reported today) with 578 Active Positive, 1468 recovered (including 71 cases recovered today), 48 deaths; Bandipora has 2180 positive cases (including 38 cases reported today) with 708 Active Positive, 1447 recovered (including 64 cases recovered today), 25 deaths and  Ganderbal has 1433 positive cases (including 18 cases reported today) with 441 active positive cases, 971 recoveries (including 20 cases recovered today) and 21 deaths.

Similarly, Jammu has 3288 positive cases (including 139 cases reported today) with 1209 active positive cases, 2035 recoveries (including 56 cases recovered today), 44 deaths; Rajouri has 901 positive cases (including 13 cases reported today) with 127 active positive cases, 769 recovered (including 03 cases recovered today), 05 deaths; Ramban has 654 positive cases with 19 active positive, 634 recoveries (including 01 cases reported today), 01 death; Kathua has 904 positive cases (including 33 cases reported today) with 208 Active positive, 693 recovered (including 16 cases recovered today), 03 deaths; Udhampur has 837 positive cases (including 27 cases reported today) with 154 active positive cases, 681 recovered (including 11 cases recovered today), 02 deaths; Samba has 712 positive cases (including 06 cases reported today) with 173 Active Positive, 537 recoveries (including 13 cases reported today), 02 deaths; Doda has 424 positive cases (including 09 cases reported today) with 81 active positive cases, 339 recoveries (including 03 cases recovered today), 04 deaths; Poonch has 416 positive cases (including 03 cases reported today) with 87 active positive, 325 recoveries (including 01 cases recovered today), 04 deaths; Reasi has 395 positive cases (including 06 cases reported today) with 70 active positive, 325 recoveries (including 06 cases recovered today)  Kishtwar has 250 positive cases (including 08 cases reported today) with 64 active positive cases and 185 recoveries and 01 death .

According to the bulletin, of the total 37698 positive cases in J&K 6561 have been reported as travelers while 31137 as others.

The Bulletin said that the breakup represents districts from which the patients have been traced or are ordinarily residing.

The bulletin has informed the people that, the best way to protect themselves from COVID-19 is by maintaining physical distance of at least 2 meter from others, frequently cleaning hands with an alcohol based hand sanitizer or washing them with soap and water and following good respiratory etiquette and hygiene.

As a measure for social distancing in public places and workplaces wearing a face cover is compulsory.

The bulletin again explained that early detection of COVID-19 can prevent the spread of disease so we need to be responsible for the well-being of ourselves and everyone around us. “Not disclosing symptoms could put life of individuals and their families at risk. In case of symptoms like fever, cough and difficulty in breathing report early. Do not fear, call COVID-19 helpline numbers and seek medical advice”.

Advisory has further exhorted upon the people not to step out of home, unless absolutely necessary. “If you have to move out for unavoidable reasons, ensure that you wear a mask and practice social distancing, personal hygiene and frequent hand washing with soap and water.”

In case of any emergency people can avail free ambulance services 24×7 at their doorsteps by calling on toll-free number 108 while as pregnant women and sick infants can avail free ambulance services by dialing toll-free number 102.

People can also call on toll-free national helpline number 1075; J&K COVID-19 Helpline Numbers 0191- 2549676 (UT level Cell), 0191-2520982, 0191-2674444, 0191-2674115 (For Jammu Division), 0194-2440283 & 0194-2430581 (For Kashmir Division) for support, guidance, and response to health-related queries on Novel Corona virus Disease (COVID-19).

The bulletin has informed that the Directorate of Indian Systems of Medicine, J&K is distributing AYUSH Medicines having immunity boosting, immuno-modulator, anti-oxidant, rejuvenator, anti-stress, metabolism regulator, anti-allergic, anti-pyretic, anti-tussive, bronchodilator, etc properties during the COVID-19 pandemic. The department so far has provided medicine to 8.74 lakh people that include various frontline workers, senior citizens, PRIs, police/paramilitary personals and general masses. Moreover, preventive measures and Yoga therapies are also being advised to the people to take care of lifestyle/mental disorders so that physical and mental health is ensured during this pandemic.

Public is advised to strictly follow the advisories issued by the government from time to time and rely only on the information released by the government through the daily media bulletin to print and electronic media.

People are also advised to refrain from spreading rumours and pay no heed to them at the same time.

Jahangeer Ganaie

Srinagar, Aug 31: The August month proved to be the deadliest month on the COVID-19 front so far as it reported 17339 positive cases and 326 deaths in Union Territory of J&K.

As per the official data available with the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), in the first 115 days (from March 08-June 30) 101 Covid-19  related deaths were witnessed in Jammu and Kashmir including 89 from Kashmir division and 12 from Jammu division.

While from July 1 to 31st of July 276 deaths related to Covid-19 were witnessed in J&K which is around 73.20 percent of the total deaths and till 31st July 20,359 positive cases including 15,915 from Kashmir division and 4,444 from Jammu division were reported.

As per the official data, in the month of August 326 deaths including 286 from Kashmir division and 40 from Jammu division were reported so 87.73 percent deaths were reported from Kashmir division and 12.27 percent  deaths were reported from Jammu division in the month of July.

The data as per KNO reveals that 17,339 new positive cases were reported from J&K in month of August including 13,002 from Kashmir division and 4,337 from Jammu division, so the share of positive cases in Kashmir division is 74.98 percent while as of Jammu is 25.02 percent.

The first case of the COVID-19 pandemic in India was reported on 30 January 2020, originating from China.  Slowly, the pandemic spread to various states and union territories including the union territory of Jammu & Kashmir.

Two suspected cases with high virus load were detected and isolated on 4 March in Government Medical College, Jammu. One of them became the first confirmed positive case on 9 March 2020. Both individuals had a travel history to Iran.

Jahangeer Ganaie

Srinagar, Aug 31: Srinagar district—the summer capital of J&K continues to be the hot spot of Covid-19 as Srinagar district alone has reported over 24 percent positive cases and over 31 percent deaths in J&K UT.

As per the official data available with the news agency KNO, among total 37,698 cases Srinagar district has 9273 positive cases which 24.59 percent of the total cases.

There are 28,917 positive cases in Kashmir division, so the share of Srinagar district in positive cases of Kashmir division is 32.06 percent.

Out of 703 total deaths reported so far from Jammu and Kashmir, Srinagar alone has reported 221 deaths which is 31.43 percent of the total deaths.

In Kashmir division alone, there are 637 deaths, among them 221 are from Srinagar which is 34.69 percent of the total deaths reported in Kashmir division.

Out of total 9273 positive cases in Srinagar, 7480 have recovered so recovery rate of the Srinagar district is 80.66 percent while as recovery rate of whole J&K is 76.96 percent.

New Delhi, Aug 31:  Initial COVID-19 vaccines might not be the most effective, experts have warned. However, experts have claimed there would be slow but steady winners of the race against the highly contagious disease.
Director of the Center for Vaccines and Immunology at the University of Georgia Ted Ross has claimed that “the first vaccines may not be the most effective”. Ross himself has been working on an experimental Coronavirus vaccine, according to a New York Times report.

Several experimental vaccines are working on delivering protein in the human body that covers the surface of the coronavirus which is known as Spike. This propels the immune system to produce antibodies to fight the virus. However, many researchers are worried about this strategy. David Veesler, a Virologist at the University of Washington, “it would be a shame to put all our eggs in the same basket,” the New York Times report says.

Immunogenicity of the vaccine is the pivotal factor in deciding its efficacy. Antibodies are reliable for immune punch. There are blood cells known as ‘T-Cells’ which attack other cells that have been infiltrated by Coronavirus. However, Luciana Leite, a vaccine researcher at Instituto Butantan in Sao Paulo, Brazil has said “we still don’t know which kind of immune system will be important for protection,” the New York Times report says.

Experts have apprehensions that vaccines, which only rely on the antibody, may fail in the long run. That’s why the second line of defense in the form of T-Cells is crucial. Apart from this, a vaccine’s effectiveness will also depend upon the way it has entered into the human body. A nasal spray vaccine might be more effective than injecting into muscle one, as per the report.

So far, eight vaccine candidates are leading the race. University of Oxford-AstraZeneca’s ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine (AZD1222), Moderna-NIAID’s mRNA-1273, Pfizer-BioNTech’s BNT162b2, Russia’s Sputnik-V, Beijing Institute of Biological Products-Sinopharm, Wuhan Institute of Biological Products-Sinopharm, Sinovac, and Cansino have been undergoing the phase 3 human trials.

> Prez Kovind, VP Naidu,  PM Modi, HM Shah, LG Sinha, Sonia, others condole demise 

> Centre, J&K Govt announce 7- day mourning

New Delhi, Aug 31: Former president Pranab Mukherjee passed away on Monday at Army’s Research and Referral Hospital here, informed his son and Congress leader Abhijit Mukherjee. He was 84.

“With a Heavy Heart , this is to inform you that my father Shri #PranabMukherjee has just passed away inspite of the best efforts of Doctors of RR Hospital & prayers ,duas & prarthanas from people throughout India !I thank all of You,” his son tweeted.

“There is a decline in the medical condition of Hon’ble Shri Pranab Mukherjee since yesterday. He is in septic shock due to his lung infection and is being managed by team of specialists. He continues to be in deep coma and on ventilator support,” the Army hospital had said this morning.

He was admitted in Hospital on August 10 in a critical condition. He had a large brain clot for which he underwent emergency life saving surgery.

Mukherjee was also found to be COVID-19 positive.

President  Ram Nath Kovind
President Ram Nath Kovind called him “a colossus in public life,” who served Mother India ‘with the spirit of a sage’.

He described the passing away of the former President as ‘passing of an era’ and said he had brought the Rashtrapati Bhavan closer to the people.

‘His decision to discontinue the use of the honorific ‘His Excellency’ was historic,’ Mr Kovind added.

Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu

Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu said Mukherjee brought dignity and decorum to every post held by him, during his long and distinguished public service.

Prime Minister Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was among the first to pay tribute, saying he was blessed to have Pranab Mukherjee’s guidance since he took office.

“India grieves the passing away of Bharat Ratna Pranab Mukherjee. He has left an indelible mark on the development trajectory of our nation. A scholar par excellence, a towering statesman, he was admired across the political spectrum and by all sections of society,” the PM said in tweets. “I was new to Delhi in 2014. From Day 1, I was blessed to have the guidance, support and blessings of Shri Pranab Mukherjee. I will always cherish my interactions with him. Condolences to his family, friends, admirers and supporters across India. Om Shanti,” he wrote.

Home Minister Amit Shah 

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday expressed deep anguish over the passing away of former President Pranab Mukherjee, saying his demise has left a huge void in the Indian polity.

The Home Minister said Mukherjee’s life will always be cherished for his impeccable service and indelible contribution to the motherland.

“Deeply anguished on the passing away of former President of India, Bharat Ratna Shri Pranab Mukherjee ji. He was a vastly experienced leader who served the nation with utmost devotion. Pranab da’s distinguished career is a matter of great pride for the entire country. His demise has left a huge void in Indian polity. My sincerest condolences are with his family and followers on this irreparable loss. Om Shanti Shanti Shanti,” Shah tweeted.

Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha
Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha conveyed his heartfelt condolences on the sad demise of Former President of India and Bharat Ratna, Pranab Mukherjee.

Describing him as a Statesman par excellence and a wonderful human being, the Lt Governor observed that the former President will always be remembered as an astute Administrator who created benchmarks with his high standard of work.

Pranab Mukherjee was an inspirational figure and his great services to the nation can never be forgotten. His demise is a huge loss to the nation, he added.

In his message, the Lt Governor extended sincere condolences to the bereaved family members and well-wishers and prayed for the eternal peace to the departed soul.

Sonia Gandhi
Describing former President Pranab Mukherjee as an integral and prominent part of National life, Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Monday said Mukherjee’s life in the last 50 years mirrors 50 years of history of the country.

In a condolence letter to his daughter and Congress leader Sharmishtha Mukherjee, Ms Gandhi said, ”Your father Pranabda has been such an integral part of the National life, Congress party and the Central government for over five decades. It is hard to imagine how we can do without his wisdom, experience, safe advice and deep understanding of so many subjects.

”His life over the last 50 years mirrored 50 years of history of India for he played a crucial role in shaping the course of events and actively participating in them, whether as cabinet minister, Parliamentarian or as the President of India.

”He served the country with utmost dedication, established a genuine rapport with colleagues across the political spectrum and served our country with utmost dedication.

”I personally have so many warm memories of working with him and I learnt so much from him. Congress deeply mourns his loss and will always honour his memory,” added Gandhi.

Advisor Sharma

Advisor to Lt Governor, KK Sharma  while conveying his condolences said that the departed soul had contributed immensely for polity of India, which would go down the annals of history as significant and would be remembered for times to come.

The Advisor said that besides being a Statesman par excellence he was a wonderful human being and an Administrator who created benchmarks with his inspirational work. His demise is a huge loss to the nation, he maintained.

The Advisor extended condolences to the bereaved family members and prayed for eternal peace to the departed soul.

Centre, J&K Govt announce 7-day mourning

Centre has announced a seven-day national mourning as a mark of respect to former President Pranab Mukherjee, who passed away on Monday evening at Army’s Research & Referral Hospital, New Delhi.

The State Mourning will be observed throughout India from August 31 to September 6 both days inclusive.

During the period of State Mourning, the National Flag will fly half-mast on all buildings throughout India, where it is flown regularly and there will be no official entertainment.

The date, time and venue of the State Funeral will be intimated later, a Home Ministry statement said.

Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir government today announced seven-day (31-08-2020 to 6-09-2020) mourning as a mark of respect to Former President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee who passed away today on 31st August 2020.

The National flag shall fly at half-mast during the mourning period on all buildings and places throughout the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir where it is flown regularly and there will be no official entertainment.