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Doctoral qualifications of POJK not valid in India

New Delhi (NVI): Any person who may have obtained qualification from any medical college located in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh (POJKL) cannot practice modern medicine in India.

This order has been issued by the Board of Governors of the Medical Council of India against the backdrop of reports that a number of youth of Kashmir had gone to PoJKL to study medicine with the help of separatist Hurriyat Conference under a scholarship programme of the Pakistan government.

The reports had suggested that the entire scheme of sending youth for studies in POJKL by the Hurriyat Conference involved a scam as the beneficiaries were handpicked by the separatist leaders holding influence.

“This is to inform that entire territories of UT of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh are an integral part of India. Pakistan is in illegal and forcible occupation of a part of the territory.

“Accordingly, any medical institution in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh (POJKL) requires permission/recognition under the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956. Such permission has not been granted to any medical college in POJKL.

“Therefore, any qualification obtained from medical colleges located within these illegally-occupied areas of India shall not entitle a person for grant of registration under Indian Medical Council Act, 1956, to practice modern medicine in India,” the order of the Board of Governors said.

J&K’s Covid tally climbs to 26,949 with 536 fresh cases

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

Srinagar (NVI): Jammu and Kashmir today recorded 536 fresh cases of the deadly coronavirus, including 124 travelers, taking the total number of positive cases in the Union Territory to 26,949.

Of the total number of cases in J&K, 20,899 are from Kashmir and 6,050 from the Jammu division.

Officials said that among 536 new cases, 438 belong to Kashmir division while 98 are from Jammu division, adding that the total number of positive cases in Kashmir has reached 20,899 including 14,991 recoveries while the total number of positive cases in Jammu has reached 6,050 including 4,311 recoveries and 39 deaths.

They said that the total number of active cases in J&K is 7,138 including 5,438 from Kashmir division and 1,700 from Jammu division.

With 779 more recoveries, the tally of total recoveries in the UT has reached 19,302 which is 71.62 percent of the total cases.

Pertinently, Srinagar district alone has 6,577 positive cases which is more than the total number of positive cases in Jammu division where total cases are 6,050. J&K UT has so far recorded 505 deaths due to the Covid-19 of which 468 were reported in Kashmir and 37 in Jammu region.

“Cases tested positive in J&K include 144 from Srinagar, 46 from Baramulla, 33 from Pulwama, 14 from Kulgam, 08 from Shopian, 16 from Anantnag, 36 from Budgam, 46 from Kupwara, 54 from Bandipora and 41 from Ganderbal in Kashmir division while as 98 from Jammu division include 49 from Jammu, 03 from Rajouri, 03 from Ramban, 10 from Kathua, 08 from Samba,

03 from Doda, 05 from Poonch, 15 from Reasi and 01 from Kishtwar,” officials disclosed.

As per the daily information bulletin, 4,06,537 persons in J&K are under observation while 42,231 persons have been kept under home quarantine. Besides that, 7,138 persons are in isolation.

According to the bulletin, 3,08,105 persons have completed surveillance period and 48,554 persons are under home surveillance.

So far, results of 763,211 samples are available out of which 736,262 samples have tested negative while 26,949 have been tested positive. Among positive cases, 7,138 are active and 19,302 have recovered.

COVID-19 recovery rate soars past 70% in India, record 56,383 recuperate

New Delhi (NVI): India’s Covid-19 recovery rate improved to 70.77 per cent today after 56,383 recoveries were recorded in the past 24 hours, according to Union Health Ministry.

With this, the total number of patients recovered have reached nearly 17 lakh-mark and stands at 16,95,982 in the country.

In addition to this, the case fatality rate (CFR) has further declined to 1.96 per cent, according to a statement released by Health Ministry.

The highest single-day recoveries are the result of the successful implementation of effective containment strategy, aggressive and comprehensive testing coupled with standardised clinical management of the critical patients based on holistic standard of care approach, the ministry said.

The coordinated efforts of the central, state and UT governments have resulted in continuously increasing average daily recoveries, it said.

“In the first week of July, the daily average recovered cases were at 15,000 which jumped to more than 50,000 in the first week of August,” the health ministry said.

The record high recoveries have ensured that the actual caseload of the country which is the active cases has reduced and currently is only 27.27 per cent of the total positive cases. The recoveries exceed the active cases, which currently stands at 6,53,622, by more than 10 lakh.

-CHK

Reopening schools too early could lead to rapid spread of COVID-19: Study

New Delhi (NVI): Reopening schools too early, especially in developing countries, could undermine the gains made so far in containing the spread of the virus, according to a recent study by the UN.

The study predicts that delaying school openings can be a potent force for saving lives, by reducing the risk of children getting infected at school, and in turn, spreading the virus within their households.

According to the latest UNESCO figures, over 100 countries are currently implementing nationwide school closures due to COVID-19, affecting over 60 per cent of the world’s enrolled students.

The topic of reopening primary and secondary schools has been heavily politicised in many countries with parents, teachers, and politicians sometimes at odds over when to reopen.

Notably, in developing countries, adults and the elderly generally have more contact with children than those in advanced economies due to factors such as more crowded living conditions and bigger households.

According UN data, the proportion of elderly people who live with at least one child under 20 is more than 10 per cent in most African countries, compared to less than 1 per cent in European countries and the United States. This raises the risk that children may contract the virus at school and transmit it to parents and grandparents at home.

The overall predictions are applicable to many other low-income countries, which share the feature of large families living under one roof, with frequent contact between the young and their older household members.

Furthermore, a new report by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) into an outbreak at a summer camp in Georgia has suggested that children, even asymptomatic cases, may be significant in community transmission of coronavirus.

Policymakers need to carefully consider the science of spread before deciding on whether to reopen schools or wait, even as they work on the ‘how’ of reopening.

However, any policy decisions about delaying school openings must weigh the potential lives saved against the negative impacts of keeping children out of school for a long period.

Major issues of concern in developing countries around keeping schools closed for long periods include losses in learning, missed midday meals, availability of childcare for working parents, and limited resources for online learning.

-CHK

India signs air bubble deal with Maldives

Travel ban
Representational/ file image

New Delhi (NVI): India and Maldives have signed an “air bubble” agreement to facilitate the movement of people between the two countries amid the Covid-19 pandemic. With this, Maldives has become the sixth country with which India has signed the deal.

As per the Air bubble deal, citizens are allowed to travel between the specified countries freely without having to undergo on-arrival quarantine.

Today’s announcement was made after the video conference between External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Maldives Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid.

India also announced a new Indian Line of Credit (LoC) of USD 400 million along with a grant component of USD 100 million for the Greater Male Connectivity Project.

This will be the single-largest infrastructure project in the Maldives and will link Male with Villingili, Gulhifalhu, and Thilafushi islands.

Apart from Maldives, India currently has allowed travel to the US, the UK, Germany, France and Kuwait, and is in talks with Canada for a similar travel arrangement.

-ARK

Zydus Cadila launches cheapest remdesivir at Rs 2,800 per vial in India

A look at Bharat Biotech and SII's efforts to develop Covid vaccines approved by DCGI
Representational image

New Delhi (NVI): An Indian pharmaceutical company, Zydus Cadila today launched antiviral drug remdesivir in India under the brand name Remdac to treat patients suffering from severe COVID-19 symptoms.

The drug is priced at Rs 2,800 per 100mg vial (lyophilised injection). With this pricing, Remdac becomes the cheapest remdesivir brand in the country.

It will be made available to government and private hospitals across India treating COVID-19 patients through the firm’s distribution chain, the company in a statement said.

“Remdac is the most affordable drug as we would like to enable patients to have access to this critical drug in the treatment of COVID-19,” Sharvil Patel Cadila Healthcare Managing Director said.

This makes Zydus the fifth company to launch a copy of the antiviral in India. Prior to this, Hetero Labs, Cipla and Jubilant Life Sciences had also launched the antiviral under their respective brands.

Earlier in June, Zydus entered into an agreement with Gilead Sciences Inc to manufacture and sell remdesivir, prescribed for emergency use to treat severe coronavirus patients by the US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA).

Gilead has also entered into licensing agreements with Dr Reddy’s Laboratories Ltd and Syngene International Ltd to make remdesivir for distribution in 127 countries, including India.

Notably, Zydus Cadila is also in the COVID-19 vaccine race. It’s candidate ZyCov-D is now in Phase 2 of the clinical human trials.

-RJV

Heavy rains lash Delhi, several areas waterlogged

Light rains in Delhi
Representational Image

New Delhi (NVI): Several areas of Delhi saw waterlogging today after heavy rains lashed the national capital.

Over 40 locations in north Delhi got inundated due to the downpour, including areas in Mukherjee Nagar, Fateh Puri, Burari, Rohini, Narela and West Patel Nagar, according to the North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC).

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the Ayanagar weather station recorded 99.2 mm rainfall. The Palam and Ridge weather stations gauged 93.6 mm and 84.6 mm precipitation respectively.

In addition to this, parts of buildings collapsed at eight places and trees fell at seven locations, according to media reports.

Delhi witnessed the heaviest spell of rains this monsoon season helping the city bring down its rain deficiency for the monsoon season, the lowest in 10 years.

Under the influence of these conditions, IMD further predicted fairly widespread to widespread rains, with heavy to very heavy falls at isolated places, are very likely exoected across northwest India, including Delhi, for the next 2-3 days.

Owing to the likelihood of heavy to very showers, thunderstorms, and lightning, an orange alert has been placed over the capital for Thursday.

Meanwhile, heavy rain battered parts of Mumbai, neighbouring Thane, Palghar and Raigad districts in the last 24 hours, according to the weather department.

IMD stated more rain is likely in the Konkan region and some areas of central Maharashtra tomorrow.

Furthermore, widespread rainfall with heavy to very heavy falls at isolated places very likely over major parts of northwest India – Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh & Delhi, Uttar Pradesh – during the next 2-3 days.

Gujarat, Rajasthan and parts of central India are likely to receive heavy rainfall during the next 48 hours.

-CHK

Afghanistan: 3 women, child killed in roadside mine blast in Kandahar

New Delhi (NVI): Three women and a child were killed in a roadside mine blast in Kandahar province of Afghanistan this morning, local police said in a statement.

A civilian vehicle struck a roadside mine that led to the incident in Panjwai district of the province, police said, adding that a man has also been injured in the blast.

“Three women and a child were killed and four children, a woman and a man were wounded in the blast,” a police official was quoted as saying by TOLO news.

Officials said that the victims have been taken to the nearby hospital for treatment.

No group has claimed responsibility for the blast, the Afghan news portal reports.

On Sunday, at least eight civilians were killed in a roadside mine blast in Arghistan district of the province when a civilian vehicle hit a roadside bomb in Sheen Nari village in the district.

-ARK

Ram temple trust chief Covid positive

New Delhi (NVI): Mahant Nritya Gopal Das, 82, the head of the Ram Janmabhoomi Teertha Kshetra Trust or the Ram Temple trust in Ayodhya has tested positive for coronavirus.

Das has been diagnosed with the virus a week after he shared the stage with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during bhoomi pujan of Ram temple in Ayodhya.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Governor Anandiben Patel were also among the top leaders who were present at the event on August 5.

Uttar Pradesh Government in a statement today said that Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had spoken to Mathura District Magistrate Sarvagya Ram Mishra. He has also urged Dr Naresh Trehan of Medanta Hospital, Gurugram, to provide immediate medical attention to the priest.

The priest heads the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra, a trust constituted by the Centre for the construction and management of the Ram temple.

-ARK

Govt supplies over 3 cr N95 masks to states, UTs for free

Representational image

New Delhi (NVI): The government has distributed over 3.04 crore N95 masks, more than 1.28 crore PPE kits and over 10.83 crore HCQ tablets to states, Union Territories and central institutions for free since March 11, the Union Health Ministry said today.

In addition, 22,533 ‘Make in India’ ventilators have been delivered to various states, Union Territories and central institutions. The Centre is also ensuring their installation and commissioning, the Health Ministry in a statement said.

In the relentless work for containment and management of COVID-19, the central role of government has been in strengthening health infrastructure of states and Union Terrorists to fight the pandemic and its effective management, it added.

The ministry stated that, along with augmenting COVID-19 facilities, the government has alson been providing medical supplies to states and Union Territories for free of cost to supplement their efforts.

Most of the products supplied by the government were not being manufactured in the country in the beginning. The rising global demand due to the pandemic resulted in their scarce availability in the foreign markets, it said.

The statement further stated, “With the combined efforts of Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW), Ministry of Textiles and Ministry of Pharmaceuticals, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and others, the domestic industry has been encouraged and facilitated to manufacture and supply essential medical equipment like PPEs, N95 masks, ventilators etc., during this period.”

However, the resolve for ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ and ‘Make in India’ has been strengthened and most of the supplies made by the government are domestically manufactured, it added.

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