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Coronavirus cases cross 77 lakh mark globally; Brazil 2nd, India at 4th spot

US sees highest single-day spike in Covid cases

New Delhi (NVI): Covid-19 has infected over 77 lakh people across the world, while 4,30,128 people have died to the deadly pandemic. The United States tops the list with 21,15,233 cases, followed by Brazil at 8,50,796 cases and Russia at 5,20,129 cases.

While Brazil has emerged as the new epicenter of the pandemic, India has climbed up the list on the fourth spot with 3,20,922 confirmed cases.

Meanwhile, China, from where the virus originated and spiraled into a pandemic in December last year, reported 57 new coronavirus cases yesterday, its highest daily count since April.

Lockdowns were imposed in parts of Beijing on Saturday to try to prevent the spread of a new coronavirus cluster.

Spain, which emerged as the epicenter a few weeks ago, is now at sixth spot with 2,43,605 cases and 27,136 deaths. The UK is at the fifth spot with 2,94,375 cases and 41,662 deaths.

Italy, Peru, Germany are at seventh, eighth, and ninth spots respectively.

Soldier killed, 2 others injured in Pak firing along LoC in J&K’s Poonch

Ceasefire
Representational image

Abid Bashir

Srinagar (NVI): An Indian Army jawan was killed while two other soldiers were injured in ceasefire violation by Pakistani troops along Line of Control (LoC) at Shahpur and Kirni sectors in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district, defence officials said today.

They said that late last night, Pakistani army resorted to unprovoked ceasefire violations in Shahpur, Kirni and Qasba sectors of Poonch district in which three soldiers sustained splinter injuries. “All the three soldiers were evacuated to army hospital where one of the injured succumbed later in the night,” a defence official said.

He said that the Pakistani army fired small and medium arms besides mortar shelling in Shahpur, Kirni and Qasba sectors of Poonch district. “The troops responded effectively and gave a befitting reply to the Pakistani side. The exchange of fire remained on for some time,” he said.

The deceased soldier has been identified as Sepoy Lungambui Abonmei, defence spokesman Lt Colonel Devender Anand said.

“Pakistan Army resorted to unprovoked ceasefire violation on the line of control (LoC) in Poonch Sector on 13 Jun 2020. Own troops responded strongly to the enemy fire. In the incident, Sepoy Lungambui Abonmei was critically injured and later succumbed to his injuries,” Press Information Bureau (Defence Wing) said in a release.

Locals living close to the LoC said that due to frequent exchange of fire and mortar shells between the two armies, their lives have been severely affected and they are living under constant fear.

“At times we are not even able to move for cover given the intensity of the firing between the two sides. Not all of us have underground bunkers to take cover during the firing. Majority of us remain confined to our homes, but a mortar shell can land on anybody’s house,” a group of people living close to Qasba sector said.

This year, a record number of 1,630 ceasefire violations have been recorded in J&K on LoC as Pakistan has used small arms and mortar shells, besides indiscriminate gunfire, according to security officials. “Every time Pakistan resorted to unprovoked ceasefire violation, the army has given them a befitting reply by retaliating effectively,” a defence official said.

Over 3.2 lakh Covid-19 cases in India, death toll at 9,195

New Delhi (NVI): With a record single-day spike of 11,929 new COVID-19 cases, the coronavirus infections in India rose to 3,20,922 while 9,195 people have lost their lives. There are 1,49,348 active cases and 1,62,378 have been cured or discharged across the country.

Maharashtra has over 1 lakh cases. India has now become the fourth worst-hit country by coronavirus, after the United States, Brazil, and Russia.

Meanwhile, Home Minister Amit Shah and Health Minister Harsh Vardhan will meet Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to review the coronavirus situation in the national capital.

The meeting comes two days after the Supreme Court censured the Delhi government over mismanagement of dead bodies, terming the situation as “horrendous, horrific and pathetic.” Delhi has nearly 40,000 cases.

The worst-hit Maharashtra has recorded 1,04,568 positive cases and 3,830 people have died in the state so far. Gujarat has recorded 23,038 cases and 1,448 deaths. National capital Delhi has seen a spike in the number of cases in the last few weeks. There are 38,958 cases and 1,271 deaths. Delhi has 22,742 active cases.

The coronavirus cases have globally reached 7.41 million while 4,18,000 people have died so far.

Covid-19: 24 CRPF men among 148 test positive in J&K

Abid Bashir

Srinagar (NVI): Jammu and Kashmir today witnessed another spike in Covid positive cases as 24 CRPF personnel were among the 148 cases who were tested positive in the Union Territory, taking the total number of cases to 4,847.

Officials said that among the 148 new cases, 66 were tested positive at SKIMS, 39 at CD hospital, 14 at JVC Bemina and rest at other hospitals.

Among the new infected cases, 110 belong to Kashmir division while 38 are from Jammu division, officials said, adding that the total number of positive cases in Kashmir division has reached 3,743 including 1,881 recoveries and 49 deaths while the total number of positive cases in Jammu division has reached 1,135 including 388 recoveries and 6 deaths.

The officials said that the total number of active cases in Jammu and Kashmir are 2,554 including 1,813 from Kashmir division and 741 from Jammu division while 183 more persons have recovered today in J&K.

Cases tested positive in J&K include 1 from Anantnag, 45 from Kulgam, 12 from Srinagar, 7 from Kupwara, 15 from Shopian, 8 each from Baramulla and Budgam, 3 from Bandipora, 2 from Ganderbal and 9 from Pulwama in Kashmir division while 38 from Jammu division include 6 each from Jammu and Kuthua districts, 2 each from Ramban and Udhampur, 8 each from Samba and Doda, 5 from Rajouri and one from Poonch.

As per the officials figures, in Kashmir division, 615 positive cases including 08 deaths and 298 recoveries are from Kulgam, 514 including 10 deaths and 164 recoveries are from Baramulla, 514 including 13 deaths and 156 recoveries are from Srinagar, 484 including 361 recoveries and 05 deaths are from Anantnag, 493 including 274 recoveries and 05 deaths are from Shopian, 388 including 276 recoveries and 03 deaths are from Kupwara, 236 including 173 recoveries and 01 death are from Bandipora, 228 including 107 recoveries and 02 deaths are from Budgam, 212 including 33 recoveries and 02 deaths are from Pulwama and 61 including 39 recoveries are from Ganderbal.

In Jammu division, 267 including 120 recoveries and 03 deaths are from Jammu district, 195 including 55 recoveries are from Ramban, 155 including 37 recoveries and 01 death are from Udhampur, 155 including 69 recoveries are from Kathua, 104 including 30 recoveries from Poonch, 91 including and 28 recoveries are from Samba, 65 including 12 recoveries and one death are from Rajouri, 57 including 22 recoveries and 01 death are from Doda, 24 including 11 recoveries are from Reasi and 22 including 04 recoveries are from Kishtwar.

As per the daily information bulletin, 2,33,241 people in Jammu and Kashmir are under observation while 41,570 people have been kept under home quarantine. 2,554 people are in hospital isolation while 31 people are under hospital quarantine.

According to the bulletin, 1,34,193 people have completed surveillance period and 54,840 people are under home surveillance.

Nepal’s new map not tenable, says India

New Delhi (NVI) India today rejected Nepal Parliament’s approval to a bill to redraw the country’s map, saying it entails “artificial enlargement of claims” and is “not tenable”.

External Affairs Ministry spokesman Anurag Srivastava said Nepal’s move is violative of the understanding with India to hold talks on outstanding boundary issues.

“We have noted that the House of Representatives of Nepal has passed a constitution amendment bill for changing the map of Nepal to include parts of Indian territory. We have already made our position clear on this matter, ” Srivastava said.

“This artificial enlargement of claims is not based on historical fact or evidence and is not tenable. It is also violative of our current understanding to hold talks on outstanding boundary issues,” he added.

Families of 2 Kashmiri youth held in Pakistan say they are not spies

Screen grab of the videos

Abid Bashir

Srinagar (NVI): The beleaguered families of two Kashmiri youth apprehended by Pakistan’s Army on charges of spying today said they were not spies and appealed to Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan to release them on humanitarian grounds.

The parents said that their children were only ordinary citizens of Kashmir who would work on a daily basis to earn their livelihood.

Pakistan Army yesterday released a video which showed the two youth—Feroz Ahmed Lone and Noor Muhamamd Wani, both residents of Gurez in Bandipora, under its custody.

In the video, the two, surrounded by Pakistan army men, purportedly admit that “they were sent to Pakistan by the Government of India for spying.”

Alarmed by this, Abdur Rahim Lone, father of 29-year-old Feroz, issued a video message today, saying his son went missing in 2018 and they have even lodged a missing complaint with the police.

Abdur Rahim Lone, father of 29-year-old Feroz

“Yesterday, I came to know that he has been arrested by the Pakistan Army on charges of spying and for working for the Indian agencies. My son is not a spy and he should be set free on humanitarian grounds,” said Lone, while appealing to Imran Khan.

Bashir Ahmed Wani, the uncle of Noor Muhammad Wani, another youth, in the custody of Pakistan Army, said that he had to adopt his nephew 20 years ago, after his parents died. “My nephew would earn his livelihood by working in fields and by working as a labourer. Since 2015, he would go out of his home for day job and return after a week and even sometimes after a month,” he told NVI soon after releasing a video message to seek release his nephew.

Bashir Ahmed Wani, uncle of Noor Muhammad Wani

Bashir said his nephew had to quit studies mid-way in order to earn his livelihood.

Bangladesh COVID-19 tally exceeds 84,000; 1,139 dead

New Delhi (NVI): Bangladesh today saw another surge in coronavirus cases and deaths. A whopping 2,856 new cases were reported, taking the total number of confirmed cases to 84,379.

The country also recorded a total of 44 deaths due to the novel coronavirus during this period, raising the death tally to 1,139, according to United News of Bangladesh.

Notably, the country crossed the 1,000 mark in death toll within 91 days after recording the first death on March 11.

So far, a total of 17,827 people have recovered from the deadly contagion, after 578 more patients made recovery.

Meanwhile, the Bangladesh government has taken all necessary preparations to bring some virus hotspots, Red Zones, under lockdown and declaring general holidays there to prevent entry to and exit from those areas.

COVID cases in Afghanistan climb to 24,102; death toll at 451

New Delhi (NVI): The coronavirus cases in Afghanistan saw a rise of 556 cases in the last 24 hours, taking the total number to 24,102, according to Afghan media reports.

The death toll due to the virus rose to 451 with five new fatalities being reported in the last 24 hours.

Among the fresh cases reported, Kabul once again was on top of the list with 253 cases followed by Balkh (74), Nangarhar (43), Takhar (28), Kandahar (23), Bamiyan (23), Baghlan (22).

Likewise, 20 cases were reported in Wardak, 17 in Kunar, 12 in Logar, 9 in Zabul, 8 in Ghazni, 8 in Nimroz, 6 in Daikundi, 5 in Helmand, 3 in Laghman and 2 in and Uruzgan.

In terms of fatalities, three deaths were reported in Kabul and two in Nangarhar in last 24 hours.

The Afghan Ministry of Public Health said 4,201 people have recovered from the respiratory disease in Afghanistan.

So far, 54,770 people have been tested for COVID-19 in the country, as per media reports.

Meanwhile, the Afghan health officials said, the numbers are surging as the country is faced with a lack of testing capacity, treatment equipment and health facilities to treat COVID-19 patients, especially oxygen.

COVID-19 recovery rate in India increases to 49.95 per cent: Health Ministry

Representational image

New Delhi (NVI): Union Health Ministry today said that the recovery rate in the country is progressively increasing and has reached 49.95 per cent amongst COVID-19 patients.

In an official statement the ministry added that around 7,135 coronavirus patients have been cured in India in the last 24 hours, taking the overall tally of cured patients to 1,54,329.

Currently, there are 1,45,779 active cases and all are under active medical supervision.

In the last 24 hours, 1,43,737 samples were tested. The total number of samples tested so far in the country stands at 55,07,182, the ministry statement said.

ICMR‘s testing capacity for detecting the novel coronavirus in infected persons is continuously being ramped up, it further stated.

The ministry also informed that, the testing capacity has increased in the country through 642 government and 243 private laboratories (total 885 laboratories).

Meanwhile, the ministry has also issued an updated clinical management protocol for COVID-19. The new protocol provides the management of coronavirus cases based on the clinical severity of mild, moderate or severe.

Coronavirus cases surpass 1.34 lakh in Pakistan; death toll at 2,574

COVID-19: Pakistan imposes mini-lockdown in Islamabad

New Delhi (NVI): Pakistan is witnessing a spike in coronavirus cases on a daily basis and reported nearly 6,000 new cases in the last 24 hours, taking the overall tally to 134,667 with at least 2,574 fatalities.

Looking at the breakdown of cases, Sindh province has reported 51,518 coronavirus cases, highest among all the provinces, while Punjab has 50,087 positive cases.

On the other hand, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa has recorded 16,415 cases, Balochistan is at 7,866, Gilgit-Baltistan at 1,044, Islamabad at 7,163 and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir is at 574 cases so far, according to Geo News.

Meanwhile, former Pakistan cricket captain Shahid Afridi today said he had tested positive for novel coronavirus. Afridi informed about the develoment through his official twitter handle.

“I’ve been feeling unwell since Thursday; my body had been aching badly. I`ve been tested and unfortunately I`m COVID positive. Need prayers for a speedy recovery,” Afridi wrote on Twitter.

Furthermore, former Pakistan PM, Yousuf Raza Gilani, tested positive for coronavirus, as revealed by his son, according to local media reports.

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