Baramulla, Mar 245 : Senior Superintendent of Police, Baramulla Sh Abdul Qayoom today said that to stay at home is not only safe for an individual but for the whole society, community, state and country at large.
While talking to media, SSP said that, as you know due to Covid-19 the highest deaths have occured in Italy that are second top in the health care, and ours is very far from them.
A statement issued to KNS reads, in order to curb this disease, we want to tell everybody to stay at home and stay safe, we care for you, for your family and for the whole society, said SSP.
I requested many old aged people today who were on streets, but unfortunately they said in their reply that we have nothing to worry, nothing will happen to us, adding i fail to understand as they believe that they are virus-proof.
Please dont come out of your home, we are here for you, if you have any problem , we will solve that, be it a matter of ration, transportation or any other difficultly, just call us on the given numbers, SSP Abdul Qayoom added.
He further said that if people have any sort of problem they can contact on the given No’s PCR BARAMULLA , 9596767717,01952234410, Dy SP DAR Nodal officer ,9596767704 Any SHO of district. The statement issued to KNS said (KNS)
Stay at home, stay safe: Some people believe that they are virus-proof: SSP Baramulla
Kashmiri students in Bangladesh requests GoI to come to their rescue amid COVID-19 epidemic
Srinagar : Hundreds of Kashmiri students from Bangladesh requested Government of India to take concrete measures for their return to Kashmir and come to their rescue in wake of COVID-19 that has engulfed the entire world.
A group of students studying in Bangladesh shot few lines to Kashmir News Service (KNS) and expressed the situation they have gone through.“We the Kashmiri students studying in different Medical Colleges of Bangladesh appeal you to put forward our request to Government of India. We are in a very difficult situation. We want to go back to our native places because the condition in Bangladesh is worsening day by day and we are no longer safe here but all the international flights are suspended and all borders have been closed. There is complete lockdown in Bangladesh and India as well, so we can’t go anywhere of our own.
Fire broke out in Gulmarg Cable Car Gandola hut
BY: Aadil Dar
Srinagar: A massive fire broke out in Gulmarg Cable Car Gandola on Wednesday afternoon resulting the complete damage of hut.An official of the Gandola Car Cable confirmed the incident and said due to short circuit the fire occurred which engulfed the hut owned by the Gandola Project got completely damaged.He added that joint teams of Fire and Emergency Department and JKP rushed to the spot to dousing the fire.
Only two to three young people should offer obligatory prayers in mosques: Grand Mufti
Srinagar : Grand Mufti Of Jammu And Kashmir Mufti Nasir-Ul-Islam today asked the people to strictly adhere to health advisory of government and offer obligatory prayers with the association of two to three young people only.
He in his message to people of J&K said, “ As events are unfolding extremely grim and difficult situation expected, handful of ventilators, inefficient testing facilities & over burdened medical staff are the biggest concern in Jammu and kashmir. Keeping in view of this I request Imams, Muazins to offer obligatory prayers with association of two to three young people living in the neighbourhood of mosque . while as other people should pray at home and adhere strictly to health advisory.”
He added, “I request you to pray hand folded seeking mercy of Allah & strength to our doctors & medical staff to serve humanity.pl fallow all safety measures under present circumstances. I request all ulamas khateebs and Imams to implement it in letter and sprit.” (KNS)
“Our buildings, transport, manpower, resources at disposal of govt”
Srinagar: Private Schools Association of Jammu and Kashmir (PSAJK) has offered its entire resources including buildings, transport and trained manpower to government for use in fight against the spread of coronavirus disease.
The Association said that desperate times need desperate measures and all private educational institutes have voluntarily decided to help government with all possible ways to deal with the situation. “We have been discussing all possible ways in which we could help government in controlling the deadly disease. We have felt that there may be need of our resources like buildings, vehicles or trained manpower and we have offered it to government to make use it in whatever way they see feasible,” said G N Var president PSAJK. “When there is a danger against the entire society we will stand with everybody to face the challenge and win it. ”The Association while holding a meeting remotely on telephone and video conferencing decided to offered space in hundreds of schools in entire Jammu and Kashmir. “Be it all big schools in Kashmir or in Jammu and other districts everyone has offered their resources,” said Var. “We have also compiled a list of the buildings which we will be offering to government.” The Association said the given the situation in Italy or Spain we need to be extra careful in moving ahead and everybody has to do it bit. “We have examples before hand in the shape of these countries. We shouldn’t repeat the mistake those countries like Italy or Spain did,” said Var. The Association appealed the people in general and students in particular who have arrived from outside not to hide their travel history. “God forbid, if anyone of those persons has any symptoms, he may subject his family and society to a lot of suffering. So it is better to reveal travel history to the doctors and be safe,” said Var. “Some students have been complaining of bad quarantine facilities. We urge them to help the authorities to improve the facilities and not make ruckus or try to escape. It there is dust or trash take a broom and clean your room, don’t expect government help in such small matters. Remember it is emergency situation and everyone has to do its bit.”The Association also appealed the people to cooperate with the government with utmost seriousness. “If there is shutdown, dont move outside. Dont make any crowd. It will take only 14 days to control the situation if all of us maintain social distance and follow the rules,” said Var. “Otherwise it will take a much longer time to control.”The Association also urged the authorities to increase the frequency of covid-19 tests so that all of the cases are identified and treated. “WHO too has called on the government to test, test and test so that not a single case is missed,” said Var.
How Bandipora authorities mishandled the case of patient tested positive for virus
Bandipora: The 22-year-old B. Tech student from Bandipora who was tested positive from COVID-19 was allegedly mishandled by the authorities in Bandipora and Baramulla as well, sources said.
According to wire service- the 22-year-old student was mishandled by the authorities from the day he arrived in Kashmir from Andra Pradesh where is pursuing his studies. Sources said that when he had arrived at Srinagar airport 0n 22nd March, he was ferried to Baramulla as his father is working in health department and is posted in Sopore. “He was later quarantined in GMC Baramulla and his sample was taken on 23rd March, which was sent to Srinagar for testing. On 24th of March he was taken to Bandipora after Medical Superintendent GMC Baramulla informed the officials in Bandipora that the person be taken to Bandipora and quarantined there,” they said.
Medical Superintendent GMC Baramulla Dr. Syed Masood Bukhari told KNO that he had informed the officials in Bandipora that a patient from Bandipora has been quarantined here and be taken to Bandipora and quarantined there only.However, as per SOP, any person who has been quarantined and his/her sample has been taken for testing shall not be ferried to another place till his test report is not clear. But in this case there seems to be a clear violation of the guidelines as some serious lapses have been made in handling the case.
When asked about informing the officials in Bandipora that the patient’s sample has already been taken for testing, Dr. Masood said that he had informed the Chief Medical Officer Bandipora telephonically and he had also mentioned on discharge certificate of the patient that his samples.
Covid-19: LoC village shows way of combating deadly epidemic
Srinagar: “Don’t enter this village without washing your hands, “this message greets visitors on entrance of Latoo village of the newly carved out Union Territory of Ladakh.
According to wire service this sleepy village may be near the Line of Control dividing the erstwhile princely state of J&K into two parts but it has taken a lead in controlling spread of the deadly coronavirus through innovative method.
The message written in both English and Urdu stresses on hand washing before entering this hamlet inhabited by 40-45 houses. The villagers have come up with the novel method to fight the coronavirus after the region was badly hit by the epidemic. So far, 13 persons have tested positive for the Covid-19 in Ladakh region which was part of the erstwhile J&K before October 31, 2019.
Talking to Kashmir News Observer, Chief Executive Councilor of Kargil Hill Council Feroz Ahmad Khan says that locals are not letting outsiders to enter the village without washing their hands.
“This is very appreciable step. People in Kargil are at forefront of battle against the coronavirus,” he says. The local deputy commissioner Baseer-ul-Haq Choudhary has also hailed the efforts of the villagers whose lives have been in flux ever since partition.
“Role model# residents of Latoo village decided not allowing anyone without handwashing into their village. More villages to come forward.# FightagainstCOVID19# More power to them,” he tweeted.
After 1947, locals of this village have been displaced several times due to partition before settling in Latoo after 1965 war when they were ejected from Dreyloung. They were forced to take refuge in bunkers and nearby villages due to skirmishes and heavy artillery exchange between troops of India and Pakistan before the ceasefire agreement of 2003—(KNO)
People arriving in J&K complain of sending them to ‘unhygienic quarantine centers’
Srinagar, Mar 25: Hundreds of travelers, including students, who have arrived in Jammu and Kashmir from last few days alleged that that they have been kept in “unhygienic quarantine centers” which poses a big threat to their lives.
A group of travelers told wire service over phone that after arriving from outside, they have been bundled in “unhygienic rooms in Kathua.”
“We have been kept in unhygienic rooms and it seems we may die before our quarantine is completed, said Shafat Ahmad, a resident of Central Kashmir.
He said over 300 persons belonging to different areas of Kashmir have kept in 30 rooms at Kathua campus of Jammu University but rooms are very unhygienic.
As per the World Health Organisation (WHO), guidelines, isolation and hygiene are basic measures to be taken to prevent covid-19 from spreading but here both lacks, he added.
“We are asking administration to take us to our districts where we are ready to go for quarantine but there is no respond from their side so far,” they said.
Pertinently two days before students coming from Bangladesh who were kept in a hotel at Srinagar had also complained of unhygienic rooms. Meanwhile, officials on duty at Kathua campus of Jammu University said that District Magistrate and SSP Kuthua visited the center and ordered for the proper sanitization of the campus—(KNO)
COVID-19: Medical team that treated positive patient in home quarantine
Srinagar, Mar 25: The authorities in union territory of Jammu and Kashmir Wednesday advised strict home quarantine to all medical teams including, doctors, paramedics staff and technicians from chest disease hospital who come in close contact with a patient having travel history of Andaman Nicobar.
According to wire service an order for strict home quarantine was issued by HOD Chest Disease hospital vide order number SKIMS/MCH/C /2020/ 103-5.
An order issued for the home quarantine of 13 medical precautions reads that, “as reported by the HOD chest medicine SKIMS medical college/hospital Bemina that a patient (Name withheld) from Hyderpora reported to the hospital emergency with complaints of fever, cough, and running nose with the travel history of Andaman Nicobar. The basic investigation of the patient was done here and the patient were shifted to SKIMS Soura as per the directions of the HOD chest medicine on same day”.
“Today the undersigned received a telephonic call and was apprised that the patient is having high viral local. The matter was immediately discussed with the HOD general medicines and chest medicines and it was informed that the following employees had direct contact with the patient during the stay at hospital.
The matter was brought into the notice of district administration immediately”, the order copy reads. It further reads that the “HOD chest disease has advised strict home quarantine for these employees. This is for the information of necessary action”. The employees who were in direct contact with the patient include, a Sr. President, Jr. President, 4 nurses, 4 technicians, 1 dresser, 1 barber and a nursing orderly—(KNO)
COVID-19: People Hiding Travel Histories Hitting Kashmir Hard
Srinagar: People hiding their travel histories is turning out to be a big challenge to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in Kashmir.
There are reports that authorities have traced more than 450 people who hid their travel history to the countries which were hit by the COVID-19 outbreak.
An analyst while talking to Precious Kashmir said, “The people who are hiding their travel history need not be scared. They have committed no sin by travelling to some other country. They need to disclose their travel histories and come forward to get themselves tested. It’s just a matter of one simple test and 14-day quarantine period after that they can carry on with their daily chores without any fear.”
He said, “By hiding their travel histories these people are doing a big disservice as they are putting the lives of others at risk. If anyone of them is positive, he puts at risk the people whom he or she meets. This forms the chain and leads to others too becoming the victims.”
According to the media reports the three persons, who tested positive in Kashmir on Tuesday had not revealed their travel histories. “Now the people whom they have met during all these days are being traced so that they can be tested and sent into quarantine,” the analyst added.
It’s in place to mention here that four contacts of the person, who had tested positive for COVID-19 in Srinagar on Tuesday, also tested positive on Wednesday. This has taken the number of positive cases in Kashmir to eight.
“From one positive case number has jumped to eight within one day. Alarm bells are ringing we need to hear these,” the analyst said.
A doctor wishing anonymity said, “It appears that this virus has already spread into the community. But in Kashmir people are immune to such viruses as these are already present in the Valley due to the cold conditions. There is no doubt about the fact that we are facing a tough time and challenge ahead could be difficult to tackle, but if we set our basic rights, I think Kashmir will be able to fight COVID-19. People hiding their travel histories can lead to a catastrophe. They have to come forward to save the lives of others.”
An observer said, “It’s unfortunate that despite authorities taking stern steps to keep people away from each other, many of us are not trying to understand how bad the situation is and how ugly it can turn in coming days. Social distancing is the key and we cannot ignore it. We need to wake up before it’s too late. There are no vaccines and medicines to tackle this deadly virus. The only remedy available with us is to lock ourselves within our homes to prevent Coronavirus from hitting us hard. If we don’t mend our ways then no one can help us.”
