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Coronavirus cases surpass 2.53 lakh in Pakistan

COVID-19: Pakistan imposes mini-lockdown in Islamabad

New Delhi (NVI): The total number of coronavirus cases in Pakistan crossed 2.53 lakh after detection of 2,769 new cases in the last 24 hours.

Meanwhile, the coronavirus death toll jumped to 5,320 today after 50 new fatalities were reported during this period.

Looking at the breakdown of cases, Sindh reported 1,06,622 coronavirus cases, highest among all the provinces, while Punjab has 87,492 positive cases.

On the other hand, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa has recorded 30,747 cases, Balochistan is at 11,192, Gilgit-Baltistan at 1,694, Islamabad at 14,202 and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir is at 1,655 cases so far, according to media reports.

A total of 1,70,656 patients have recovered from the disease so far in the country. Another 2,151 patients were in critical condition.

-CHK

Indian Railways creates ‘Post Covid Coach’ for safety of passengers

New Delhi (NVI): In a bid to ensure a safer journey to passengers, the Indian railways has developed a ‘Post Covid Coach’ that has design improvements like handsfree amenities, copper-coated handrails and latches, plasma air purification and titanium di-oxide coating.

The special coach has been developed by Indian Railways’ production unit, Rail Coach Factory, Kapurthala (Punjab), the Ministry of Railways said in a statement.

One of the salient features of the Post Covid Coach is ‘handsfree amenities’ which include a host of foot-operated fixtures — including taps, soap dispensers, lavatory doors, flush valves and door latches. Outside the toilet is a wash basin with a foot operated tap forearm. Besides, the compartment doors have handles operated with the forearm.

The Railways has installed copper-coated handrails and latches because copper degrades the virus landed on it within few hours.

“Copper has anti microbial properties. When virus lands on copper, Ion blasts pathogen and destroy the DNA and RNA inside the virus,” the Ministry said in a release.

Further, the coaches also have provision of plasma air equipment in AC duct that will sterilize the air and surfaces inside the coach using ionised air to make it Covid-19 free. This provision will also improve the ion concentration from 100 ions/cm3 to more than 6000 ions/cm.

The nano structured titanium dioxide coating is another feature which functions as photoactive material. This is eco-friendly water-based coating that kills viruses, bacteria, mould, and fungal growth and most importantly enhances indoor air quality. It is non-toxic and approved by food testing laboratory of the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), CE certified. TiO2 is considered to be a safe substance and is harmless to humans, the Ministry said.

The coating is applied on washbasins, lavatory, seats and berths, snack table, glass window, floor, virtually every surface that comes in human contact. Effective life of this coating is 12 months, the Railways said.

-RJV/ARK

 

COVID-19: Bihar to impose complete lockdown from July 16-31

New Delhi (NVI): In the wake of increasing number of coronavirus cases and the tally nearing 20,000-mark, Bihar government has decided to impose total lockdown from July 16 to 31.

The decision was taken in a meeting held by the crisis management group of the state government, officials said.

Only emergency services will be allowed during this 15-day lockdown period and all shops, malls and religious places will be shut, according to media reports.

The lockdown order comes after the coronavirus tally rose by over 1,000 for the third consecutive day. On Sunday, the state had witnessed the biggest single-day spike of 1,266 cases.

Patna, Bhagalpur and Begusarai are the worst affected districts in the state.

Patna is already under increase restrictions, to prevent conditions including crowding that are leading to a spurt in the disease.

On Tuesday, the overall coronavirus tally in the state rose to 18,853 with record 1,432 new cases in the last 24 hours, while the death toll rose to 134 after 9 new COVID-19 deaths were reported.

-CHK

Nepal coronavirus tally crosses 17,000-mark

Representational image

New Delhi (NVI): Nepal reported 116 new cases of coronavirus today, taking the national tally to 17,061, according to local media reports.

The country’s Ministry of Health and Population said, 34 recoveries in the last 24 hours have been reported which has taken the total number of recoveries in the country to 10,238.

With this Nepal’s recovery rate stands at 60.53 per cent.

The disease has spread across all 77 districts of the country. Of them, Mahottari, Rautahat, Kailali, and Bajura have more than 500 active cases each. Dhankuta, Bhojpur, Mustang, Manang and Humla do not have any active case.

In total, 4,361 swab samples were tested at 25 labs across the country in the last 24 hours. So far, over 280,000 people have undergone PCR tests.

Meanwhile, 6,695 people are undergoing treatment in isolation, while 24,716 have been quarantined.

So far, 38 people died from the pandemic in Nepal as no coronavirus related death was reported today in the country.

-RJV

J&K Police asks BJP leaders to avoid unnecessary travel, inform in case of imp visits

Abid Bashir

Srinagar (NVI): The security wing of Jammu and Kashmir police has asked the BJP leaders under threat from terrorists in the Valley not to travel unnecessarily and if any important tour or visit is required, the concerned police station should be informed for additional allotment of security cover.

After the deadly attack on young BJP leader Waseem Bari in north Kashmir’s Bandipora, scores of leaders, including those who are protected already, had sought an increase in their security cover, in the wake of fresh security threats. J&K BJP spokesperson Altaf Thakur has also sought an enhanced security cover.

However, in response, SSP security advised him to refrain from taking unnecessary visits and not to venture out unnecessarily. The communique sent to Thakur reads that in case there is a need for urgent political trip or tour, the security wing of the police and the concerned police station should be informed in advance for additional deployment of forces for security cover.

Talking to NVI, Thakur said that he received fresh threats after one of the BJP leaders (Waseem Bari) was killed along with his father and brother at Bandipora district on July 8. “At times, I receive threatening calls and most of the time messages on social media from unknown numbers. Some numbers are from across the LoC,” he said.

A police officer said that the advisory was not for Thakur only but all the political leaders and workers who are protected persons, in the wake of fresh threats issued to them by terrorists after the attack on a Bari.

“We have urged BJP leaders to avoid unnecessary travel so that they remain safe. We have also asked them to inform us in advance in case they really need to go out for party related activities so that additional security will be provided to them,” the officer said, adding that not informing the security wing of Kashmir about political events or other important visits can “jeopardize the security of a particular leader of the BJP.”

A middle-rung BJP leader said that he has also received a dozen phone calls from unknown numbers where-in he has been warned of dire consequences. “I have apprised about the same to the party leadership and also the police,” he said.

-ARK

COVID-19 deaths spurt in J&K; toll at 192

Over 3,200 cops COVID positive in J&K and 15 succumbed to virus
File photo

Abid Bashir

Srinagar (NVI):  The fresh spurt in Covid-19 deaths has triggered a fear across Jammu and Kashmir with one of the leading hospitals in Kashmir declaring emergency.

Kashmir has recorded four deaths due to the pandemic since morning including a paramilitary CRPF man, who died at SKIMS hospital Soura taking the number of people who have died due to the virus in the Union Territory to 192.

With no let up in the deaths due to the pandemic, SKIMS tertiary care hospital has declared an emergency and asked attendants of patients at Sarai to vacate immediately so that Covid patients could be accommodated there.

Farooq Jan, Medical Superintendent at SKIMS, had recently stated that the situation was about to go out of control as the pandemic had taken an ugly turn in J&K.

Nazir Choudhary, Medical Superintendent at SMHS hospital Srinagar, said that a 35-year-old CRPF man of 66 Bn posted in north Kashmir’s Baramulla, was admitted on Monday and died at the hospital today. “His samples were already taken and the result of which came as positive today afternoon,” he said.

Officials said that the CRPF man was a resident of Nowshera Rajouri district of Jammu and was cremated in Shamshan Ghat, Karan Nagar Srinagar amid Covid-19 guidelines. With this, a total of 18 deaths have been reported in Jammu division.

In addition to this, three more patients who were tested positive for COVID-19 have died in the UT since morning. The deceased include a 60-year-old man from Nadihal Baramulla who died at SKIMS, 65-year-old man from Shopian who died at JVC Bemina and 47-year-old man from Talab Tillo, Jammu who died at  GMC Jammu.

Farooq Jan told that a 60-year-old man from Nadihal, Baramulla, who was admitted on July 5 and was tested positive, died on today at around 4am.

Jan said that the patient was suffering from bilateral community acquired pneumonia, hypertension, diabetes, Chronic Kidney disease and end stage renal failure.

Shifa Deva, Medical Superintendent at JVC Bemina, said that a 65-year-old man from  Shopian whose coronary bypass surgery was already done and was admitted on July 10, died today morning.

“The patient was suffering from bilateral pneumonia and other ailments,” she said.

Officials from GMC Jammu said that the patient from Talab Tiloo was undergoing treatment from last two days and was suffering from fever as well as some respiratory problems.

“He was on oxygen support and attempts were made to provide him the best possible treatment but he succumbed,” they said.

They further said that the patient, aged 47, was posted in the Directorate office of Agriculture department in Jammu.

With four more deaths, the death toll due to Covid-19 has reached 192 in J&K including 18 from Jammu and 174 from Kashmir division.

As the deaths continue, panic has gripped the entire Valley, with people preferring to stay indoors yet again. It may be recalled that lockdown was re-imposed in Srinagar on Monday in the wake of spurt in Covid cases and deaths. Furthermore, J&K has nearly reached 11,000 positive case of coronavirus.

-CHK

J&K BJP president Ravinder Raina tests positive for Covid-19

File Photo : J&K BJP chief Ravinder Raina

Abid Bashir

Srinagar (NVI): Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Jammu and Kashmir chief Ravinder Raina tested positive for Covid-19 today, triggering panic among the party leaders and workers, who were in close contact with him since the last five days.

Raina has been camping in north Kashmir’s Bandipora since past five days in the wake of the killing of BJP’s young leader Waseem Bari, his father and brother on July 8. On Sunday, Raina accompanied BJP General Secretary Ram Madhav, MoS in PMO Dr Jitendera Singh, BJP’s national vice president and J&K affairs incharge Avinash Rai Khanna to Bari’s Muslimabad residence in north Kashmir’s Bandipora district.

Raina took to Twitter and wrote: “Hello friends, I was in Kashmir/Bandipora for five days after the killing of BJP leader Waseem Bari, Omar Sultan and his father by the militants. Today I had mild fever. When tested, the report came as Covid-19 positive. No other symptoms.”

Raina’s tweet triggered fear in the entire BJP unit of Kashmir with people voluntarily going for Covid-19 mapping. “I will also go for Covid test as I was with him for these days in Bandipora and also in Srinagar,” said BJP spokesman for J&K Altaf Thakur.

Sources in the BJP said that hundreds of party workers, middle-rung leaders, district presidents, zonal heads met Raina over the past five days in Srinagar and Bandipora district. “There is a total chaos all around in BJP’s Kashmir unit,” he said.  A senior party leader and BJP top brass including Ram Madhav, Dr Jitendera Singh and Avinash Rai Khanna have also decided to go for Covid testing as they spent almost an hour with Raina in Bandipora.

Hours after Raina’s tweet, Jitendra Singh also announced that he has gone into self-quarantine with immediate effect.  “Have gone into Self-Quarantine with immediate effect from 4 PM today, after receiving the news about #Corona positive test of J&K BJP President Sh Ravinder Raina who had accompanied us from Srinagar to Bandipora on 12th July,” he tweeted.

-ARK

Locust attack: Centre carries out operation to prevent crop loss across states

New Delhi (NVI): The Centre has taken various steps to control locust swarms, and carried out operations in nearly 3 lakh hectares area since April 11 to prevent crop losses.

Starting from April 11 till July 12, control operations have been done in 1,60,658 hectares area in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana by Locust Circle Offices (LCOs), an official statement said.

The control operations have also been done in 1,36,781 hectares area in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Haryana and Bihar by the state governments.

Elaborating on the actions, the release stated that on the intervening night of July 12-13, control operations were carried out at 26 places in 7 districts viz.Barmer, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Sriganganagar, Churu, Jhunjhunu and Alwar of Rajasthan, 1 place in Gonda district of Uttar Pradesh and at 2 places in Mahendragarh and Bhiwani districts of Haryana by LCOs.

“Presently, 60 control teams with spray vehicles are deputed /deployed in State of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh and more than 200 Central Government personnel are engaged in locust control operations. In addition, 20 spray equipments have now been received,” the statement said.

To strengthen the control capacity, procurement of 55 additional vehicles has been done.

Further, five companies with 15 drones are deployed at Barmer, Jaisalmer, Bikaner, Nagaur and Phalodi in Rajasthan for effective control of locusts on tall trees and in inaccessible areas through spraying of pesticides.

A Bell helicopter has been deployed in Rajasthan for use in Scheduled Desert Area as per the need. Indian Air Force also has conducted trials in anti-locust operation by using a Mi-17 helicopter.

“Swarms of immature pink locusts and adult yellow locusts are active in Barmer, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Churu, Jhunjhunu, Sikar, and Karauli of Rajasthan; Bhuj district of Gujarat and Auraiya and Etawah districts of Uttar Pradesh,” the statement said.

No significant crop losses have been reported in Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Bihar and Haryana. However, some minor crop losses have been reported in some districts of Rajasthan.

Reportedly, Uttar Pradesh’s capital Lucknow witnessed huge locust swarms which descended on some parts of the city on Sunday. The migratory pests were first spotted in Ghantaghar area and were later seen flying in Daliganj, Nishatganj, Madiyaon and Vikas Nagar.

Earlier on Saturday, locusts from Hardoi district entered Sitapur and caused crop destruction in several areas including Machhehata, Misrikh, Khairabad, Biswan, Mahmudabad and Pisawan. The farmers tried to drive away the locusts by scaring them by banging utensils and producing sound from vehicles.

-CHK

Achieving ‘Zero Hunger’ by 2030 in doubt as Covid-19 undoing years of progress: UN

New Delhi (NVI): The COVID-19 pandemic could tip over 130 million more people into chronic hunger by the end of 2020 and flare-ups of acute hunger in the pandemic context may see this number escalate further at times, warns a new UN report.

More people are going hungry and the pandemic situation can worsen the situation by undoing years of progress in reducing poverty, especially in Asia and Africa, according to the latest edition of the ‘State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World’, published yesterday.

The report estimates that almost 690 million people went hungry in 2019 – up by 10 million from 2018, and by nearly 60 million in five years. “High costs and low affordability also mean billions cannot eat healthily or nutritiously. The hungry are most numerous in Asia, but expanding fastest in Africa,” says the report.

The heads of the five UN agencies who compiled the report warn that “five years after the world committed to end hunger, food insecurity and all forms of malnutrition, we are still off track to achieve this objective by 2030″.

According to the agencies report, Asia remains home to the greatest number of undernourished with 381 million people, followed by Africa which is second with 250 million people.

The global prevalence of undernourishment – or overall percentage of hungry people – has changed little at 8.9 percent, but the absolute numbers have been rising since 2014.

“This means that over the last five years, hunger has grown in step with the global population,” the report said.

Africa has the most as a percentage of the population, the UN report found, with nearly 20 per cent of the continent’s people undernourished. That compares to 8.3 per cent in Asia and 7.4 per cent in Latin America and the Caribbean, the report said.

However, Africa will be home to more than half of the world’s chronically hungry, by 2030, it said.

The report further stated that it is too soon to assess the full impact of the lockdowns and other containment measures across the world, as the report estimates that at a minimum, another 83 million people— and possibly as many as 132 million—may go hungry in 2020, due to the economic recession triggered by COVID-19 pandemic.

It also stressed upon overcoming hunger and malnutrition in all its forms is about more than securing enough food to survive. A key obstacle is the high cost of nutritious foods and the low affordability of healthy diets for vast numbers of families.

The report presents evidence that a healthy diet costs far more than USD 1.90 per day, the international poverty threshold. It puts the price of even the least expensive healthy diet at five times the price of filling stomachs with starch only.

UN agencies said a staggering 3 billion people or more can’t afford to acquire the food needed for a healthy diet. In sub-Saharan Africa and southern Asia, this is the case for 57 percent of the population – though no region, including North America and Europe, is spared.

According to the report, in 2019, between a quarter and a third of children under five (191 million) were stunted or wasted – too short or too thin. Another 38 million under-fives were overweight. Among adults, meanwhile, obesity has become a global pandemic in its own right.

However, the heads of the five UN agencies behind the State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World declare their commitment to support this momentous shift, ensuring that it unfolds in a sustainable way, for people and the planet.

The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World is the most authoritative global study tracking progress towards ending hunger and malnutrition. It is produced jointly by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the International Fund for Agriculture (IFAD), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the UN World Food Programme (WFP) and the World Health Organization (WHO).

-RJV/ARK

Hong Kong Disneyland to shut again as coronavirus cases spike

New Delhi (NVI): Hong Kong Disneyland will once again close its gates from July 15, just a month after reopening, due to the rising coronavirus cases in the region, the Walt Disney Company said.

The theme park had re-opened on June 18 after it was originally closed at the end of January during the first surge of Covid-19 cases in the region.

After re-opening, visitors and staff were required to wear face masks, follow social distancing norms and go through temperature screenings upon entry.

The re-closure of Hong Kong Disneyland comes days after the company opened its most important resort: Walt Disney World in Orlando.

“As required by the government and health authorities in line with prevention efforts taking place across Hong Kong, the Disneyland park will temporarily close from July 15,” a Disney spokesperson said.

Meanwhile, the Hong Kong Disneyland Resort hotels will remain open with enhanced health and safety measures in place.

Apart from its Disneyland park, Hong Kong’s Ocean Park is also seeing a temporary closure. The announcement came on its official website, “The park will cease operation from July 14 to 21 to help curb the COVID-19 pandemic with all reservations during the period cancelled.”

Hong Kong is also tightening social distancing measures amid growing worries about another wave of coronavirus infection.

The region will limit public gatherings from 50 to four people starting from tomorrow, with 12 types of high-risk venues, including beauty salons, fitness centers, bars, and movie theaters, suspended for seven days.

Hong Kong has recorded 52 new confirmed COVID-19 cases on Monday, a new high since the re-emergence of the pandemic, according to health authorities.

Since January, the region has reported 1,522 confirmed coronavirus cases and eight deaths.

-RJV/CHK

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