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Covid lockdown: Territorial Army officers help sex workers, transgenders in Mumbai

Mumbai (NVI): The nationwide lockdown induced by Covid-19 outbreak has affected the lives of thousands of people across the country, especially in Mumbai, which has been one of the worst-hit areas due to the pandemic.

The most affected are commercial sex workers, transgenders, daily wagers hailing from the overpopulated slum areas in the commercial capital, and the diligent frontline workers.

In an attempt to support such vulnerable groups in Mumbai, three decorated officers of the Indian Territorial Army today distribute ration and hygiene kits to these people with the help of Mumbai Police.

The distribution of kits successfully took place with the assistance of the Additional Commissioner Central Region, Veeresh Prabhu (IPS).

Essential kits were arranged and sponsored by NASSCOM Foundation, the social arm of the IT-BPM industry body, working towards the goal of social transformation.

The noble initiative was undertaken by Shaurya Chakra winner Major Pradeep Arya (Indian Revenue Services), Captain Neil Shaji, VSM (Vishisht Seva Medal) and Major Sanjay Raole to aid the vulnerable groups who lost their livelihood due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The TA officers distributed these kits in the streets of Kamathipura and Falkland regions of Mumbai, home to innumerable sex workers and transgenders. This community is particularly hard-hit as their source of income is incurred daily.

“With the support and assistance of Mumbai Police and partnered NGOs, we were able to swiftly implement the first stage of this course. The distribution of the necessary kits began on Friday, 22nd May and is to continue among other sectors and regions of Mumbai. Catering to the basic needs, each kit will contain not only groceries but also hygiene products. We aim to distribute 4500 ration kits and 4500 hygiene kits in the first stage.” said Captain Neil Shaji.

Additionally, these assorted essential kits will also be distributed to similar regions of Sion-Agripada, Cotton green, Charni Road and Kandivali.

“Our aim with this initiative is to support the vulnerable people and encourage them to stay home and not step outside to buy essentials. I always like to look on the optimistic side of life, but I am realistic enough to know that life is complex, more so during these trying times” said Major Pradeep Arya.

These kits contain 5 kg of wheat flour, 5 kg of rice, 2 kg of tur dal, 200 gms of turmeric powder, and chilli powder. Along with the ration kit, 3 soaps, 2 washing cloth soap, hand wash and sanitary napkin are also being distributed as part of the hygiene kit.

“On behalf of the entire team, we are thankful to everyone who contributed in every way possible no matter how big or small. A large number of livelihoods are affected by the lockdown, so as our duty we will continue to work towards the relief for the vulnerable groups in the days to come,” said Major Sanjay Raole.

The officers received the support of NGOs like Prerna Foundation, Apne Aap Collective, Rescue Foundation for their work with the Community Sex Workers and Arju Foundation for their assistance with the transgenders communities.

L&T delivers critical equipment to clients across globe during lockdown

New Delhi (NVI): Engineering and construction major Larsen and Toubro (L&T) today said that it has delivered critical nuclear power plant equipment to clients in countries like UAE, Oman, China and France, despite a challenging situation arising due to the Covid-induced lockdown.

During the worldwide lockdown situation, L&T ensured that critical reactors, coke drums and sub-assemblies of the Nuclear Fusion reactor were supplied to various clients across the globe, the company said in a statement.

“During the lockdown, our young engineers quickly adapted to new normal and ensured uninterrupted customer service following all safety precautions,” said, Anil V Parab, Executive Vice President and Head, L&T Heavy Engineering.

The company has also thanked the Indian government authorities for providing special permissions to carry these challenging dispatches. “The customer appreciation once again proves L&T Heavy Engineering’s unparalleled manufacturing excellence to promote honorable PM’s vision of ‘Make in India’,” Parab said.

“Final consignment of four ARDS Reactors for Refinery modernization project for clean, environment friendly fuels to ADNOC (Abu Dhabi National Oil Company), Abu Dhabi were delivered,” the company said in a statement.

The final 4 Coke Drums part of package of critical Hydrocracking Reactors for DUQM Refinery in Sultanate of Oman & two Ethylene Oxide Reactors for LPCL Petrochemical Complex in China were delivered on time, it said.

The sub-assemblies for International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) France were delivered on an urgent basis during the lockdown to ensure uninterrupted assembly of Cryostat in Reactor pit in southern France.

Apart from this, L&T Heavy Engineering has delivered key assemblies towards realising full fusion power, by manufacturing the world’s largest high-vacuum pressure chamber Cryostat and In Wall Shields for $25 billion multinational ITER project, the company said.

L&T Heavy Engineering has three manufacturing facilities — Hazira (Surat), Powai (Mumbai) and Vadodara. The Heavy engineering business of L&T supplies technology-intensive equipment and systems to global customers in refinery, oil & gas, petrochemicals, fertilisers and nuclear power industries.

J&K records 2 fresh corona deaths, toll climbs to 26

Srinagar (NVI): Jammu and Kashmir today recorded two Covid-19 deaths within a span of two hours in Srinagar and Anantnag district of south Kashmir, taking the total number of fatalities due to coronavirus to 26, health officials said.

They said that a 55-year-old man from Srinagar, who was tested positive for Covid-19 few days ago, died due to cardiac arrest at Chest Diseases Hospital this afternoon after his condition deteriorated.

Dr Salim Khan, nodal officer for Covid-19 at Government Medical College (GMC) Srinagar said that the deceased had undergone a crucial surgery on May 5. “The patient was kept in Surgical Intensive Care Unit (SICU) of SMHS hospital and later shifted to Chest Diseases hospital after testing positive,” the doctor said.

He said that the patient was improving but all of a sudden his condition deteriorated this afternoon after which he suffered cardiac arrest and died. The second death took place in Sarnal area of South Kashmir’s Anantnag district. A doctor said that the deceased was 80-year-old and was tested positive for the deadly virus. He also had a history of pneumonia and other ailments.

With two fresh deaths, J&K’s Covid death tally has mounted to 26 of which 23 have been reported from Kashmir and 3 from Jammu region. Health officials said that the bodies of the deceased were sent to their native areas– Fateh Kadal in Srinagar and Sarnal in Anantnag– where their family members were informed to follow the Covid protocols. Only a few close relatives will offer the funeral prayers and take part in burial while wearing Personal Protection Equipment (PPE), they said.

Nepal reports 114 new coronavirus cases, total climbs to 886

New Delhi (NVI): 114 new positive Covid-19 cases have been reported from Nepal, taking the toll in the Himalayan nation to 886, according to local media reports.

The country’s Ministry of Health and Population said, this is the first time more than 100 cases have been listed in a single day.

According to ministry, new cases were seen districts, including Baglung, Rautahat, Jhapa, Makawanpur, Saptari, Mahottari, Bara, Rautahat, Siraha, Dhanusha, Banke, Kapilvastu, Arghakhanchi, Gulmi, Rupandehi, Kailali, Achham, Syangja and Surkhet districts.

As many as 35 people have tested positive in Rautahat district today.

Likewise, Jhapa reported 17 news cases today. Dang reported 15 new cases, Baglung 6, Bara 8, Saptari 11, Surkhet 15, Banke 16, Siraha 2, and Rukum East 3.

So far, 47 districts have witnessed the transmission of COVID-19. As many as 103 cases have been detected in seven districts of Province 1, 324 cases have been seen in eight districts of Province 2, and 39 cases in 11 districts of Bagmati Province.

Similarly, 13 cases have been reported in four districts of Gandaki Province, 365 cases in nine districts of Province 5, 25 cases in three districts of Karnali Province, and 17 cases in five districts of Sudurpaschim Province.

Meanwhile, 28 people have been discharged from various health facilities across the country taking the total number of recoveries to 183.

At present, a total of four people have died of coronavirus in Nepal.

J&K: Horse put under ‘home quarantine’, owner’s test results awaited

A caretaker feeding the horse under quarantine at Darra area of Thanamandi, Rajouri (Photo via arrangement).

Abid Bashir

Srinagar (NVI): A horse, which is under ‘home quarantine’ in Rajouri district of Jammu since yesterday after traveling to the red zone in Kashmir’s Shopian, was examined by a team of veterinary experts today and found asymptomatic, even as the local administration has decided to wait for the Covid-19 test results of its owner.

Speaking exclusively to NVI, Tehsildar of Thanamandi, Rajouri, Anjuman Anjum Khatak said that he invited a team of veterinary experts to medically examine the horse, who reached Thanamandi area along with his owner late last evening. “The horse was thoroughly examined by a team of doctors who checked his body temperature, tongue, nose feet and skin, etc. They found the horse asymptomatic with no signs of any disease etc,” Khattak said.

He said that the horse is in a cattle shed at Darra area of Thanamandi, the native village of his owner. “The owner of the horse is in an administrative quarantine and his samples were taken immediately after his arrival. The results are expected in a day or two,” the Tehsildar said.

He, however, said that the team of doctors who examined the horse reiterated that the caretakers of the horse should wear proper Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) while taking care of the animal especially while feeding grass or water to the animal.

“This is a rare case since the outbreak of pandemic in J&K,” the Tehsildar said. He said that the veterinary doctors who examined the horse stressed that a distance must be maintained between caretakers and the animal until the report of his owner comes.

“We will not take any chance even though a majority of veterinary experts are sure that a horse can’t be a potential carrier of the virus. But they maintained that if the owner’s test result comes positive for Covid-19, there may be a possibility that the virus may be present on the skin and hair of horse too as he was also travelling along with his owner from Kashmir’s Shopian district,” the Tehsildar said.

The person along with his horse traveled through Mughal Road from the Shopian district of south Kashmir and reached Thanamandi, Rajouri district of Jammu late last evening. The owner was sent to administrative quarantine while the horse was sent to “home quarantine” at a cattle shed where there is no other animal present.

Bangladesh COVID-19 tally exceeds 38,000; 544 dead

Bangladesh lockdown

New Delhi (NVI): The total number of deaths from coronavirus in Bangladesh has reached 544 after 22 more people lost their lives in the last 24 hours, according to United News of Bangladesh.

The total number of coronavirus infections rose to 38,292 after 1,541 new infections were reported during this period.

COVID-19 infection rate for Wednesday has been recorded at 19.22 percent in the country.

In the last 24 hours, 346 coronavirus patients made full recovery, raising the number of total recoveries to 7,925 total.

In addition to this, Bangladesh government is likely to decide tomorrow over the extension of general holidays as the period of the ongoing holidays to combat the spread of coronavirus will expire on May 30.

Coronavirus cases nearing 60,000-mark in Pakistan

New Delhi (NVI): Pakistan is witnessing a sharp surge in the number of positive coronavirus cases as nearly 1,000 new cases were reported in the last 24 hours, taking the overall tally to 59,850 with at least 1,231 fatalities recorded so far.

Looking at the breakdown of cases, Sindh province has reported 24,206 coronavirus cases, highest among all the provinces, while Punjab has 21,118 positive cases.

On the other hand, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa has recorded 8,259 cases, Balochistan is at 3,536, Gilgit-Baltistan at 638, Islamabad at 1,879 and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir is at 214 cases so far, according to Geo News.

According to the Ministry of National Health Service, 18,314 patients have till now recovered from the virus.

Meanwhile, another 178 Pakistan citizens who were stranded in India after the outbreak of COVID-19 arrived in Lahore today via Wagah border, local media reported.

625 new COVID cases in Afghanistan; tally hits 12,456

New Delhi (NVI):Afghanistan witnessed a rise in coronavirus cases with 625 new cases, taking the overall tally to 12,456 across the country, according to Afghan media reports

In the last 24 hours, among the new Covid-19 cases, 360 were reported in Kabul, 108 in Herat, 50 in Balkh, 26 in Parwan, 24 in Takhar, 14 in Kunar, 9 in Baghlan.

In addition, 9 cases were reported in Panjshir, 5 in Nangarhar, 8 in Laghman, 2 in Bamiyan, 1 in Kunduz, 1 in Farah and 8 in Ghor.

Meanwhile, Kabul remain the country’s worst affected city by COVID-19 and, despite a government authorised lockdown.

So far, 33,864 people have been tested in the country.

According to the Health Ministry, 7 people lost their lives over the past 24 hours, taking the death toll from coronavirus to 227.

At least, 1,138 patients have been cured from virus or discharged.

J&K cops greet doctors with flowers after medical staff alleges harassment

Abid Bashir

Srinagar (NVI): In a goodwill gesture, Jammu and Kashmir Police today distributed sweets and flowers to doctors at a Srinagar hospital, a day after protests by medicos and paramedics who alleged misbehavior, harassment and manhandling by cops on the ground.

Doctors and the paramedics at Lal Ded hospital in Srinagar were taken by surprise after a team of policemen reached the lone maternity home with sweets, garlands and red roses. Earlier today, three gynecologists of LD hospital had alleged harassment by the cops deployed outside the hospital.

In a bid to defuse the situation and to prevent further protests by the doctors, the J&K Police without wasting any time pacified the healthcare professionals at the hospital. “We are one against the Covid battle. Doctors and policemen are Covid warriors. There was some confusion, we thought let’s start with red roses and sweets to clear the same,” a police official told NVI.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Srinagar, Haseeb Mughal said that there was a mild argument between some female doctors and cops outside the hospital over the entry from the rear side. “The entry from the rear side has been closed in view of Covid pandemic as that would trigger jumbling. But doctors had insisted on entering the hospital from the rear side which triggered an argument,” he said, adding that the issue was being blown out of proportion.

However, Dr Farhat Jabeen, a leading gynecologist at the LD hospital, told NVI that cops used foul language and also misbehaved with three other female gynecologists.

Meanwhile, J&K LG’s security advisor B R Bhatnagar, who is currently under quarantine, said that Director General of Police Dilbagh Singh and principal secretary Health Atul Dhuloo have taken note and things have been sorted out amicably.

“There was some mild argument which is over now. Both, doctors and policemen on the ground are Covid warriors and are doing a tremendous job as far as the fight against the pandemic is concerned,” he said.

Today’s incident comes barely two days after a senior cardiologist at Super Specialty Hospital Srinagar Dr Syed Maqbool was stopped at Hawal area of Srinagar where he was allegedly manhandled by cops and later lodged in Zadibal police station of downtown Srinagar. Dr Maqbool was on a call (duty) that day. Yesterday, a massive protest was held by doctors and paramedics of Super Specialty Hospital after which Inspector General of Police (Kashmir) Vijay Kumar ordered an impartial inquiry into the incident.

COVID-19 testing not mandatory for maternal health services: Govt 

New Delhi (NVI): COVID-19 testing is not mandatory for providing health services related to reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health and should be continued in a restricted manner in areas defined as containment and buffer zones, Health Ministry said today.

In the ‘Guidance note on Provision of Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child, Adolescent Health Plus Nutrition (RMNCAH+N) services during and post COVID-19 pandemic’ released by the Health Ministry stressed that critical services for women, children and adolescent should be provided irrespective of their COVID-19 status.

According to the guidelines, any area exiting a ‘containment/ buffer zone’ can start such activities as listed in areas beyond buffer zone’ after a minimum gap of 14 days following delisting.

The ministry also noted that the mother and newborn should be nursed together as far as possible and breastfeeding must be initiated within 1 hour of delivery, irrespective of COVID-19 status. However, the mother should put on a face mask and practice hand hygiene before feeding the child.

Services such as antenatal and newborn care, immunization, family planning and adolescent health among others are to be provided at different levels in accordance with the zonal categorization of containment zones, buffer zones and beyond these zones, the guidelines elaborates.

Health Ministry added, with more than 2.5 crore pregnancies each year in the country, it is important to ensure the availability of services during this period as any denial of services can have an impact on maternal and newborn mortalities, morbidities as well as the health care costs.

In addition to this, drugs, commodities needed for continuing such services should be treated as essential commodities and home deliveries of essential medicines like calcium, ORS, zinc, contraceptives etc can be organised in containment zones.

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