Jammu and Kashmir reported 2827 new covid-19 cases while five persons succumbed to the virus in the last 24 hours, officials said on Monday. They said that 1093 of the cases were reported from Jammu Division and 1734 from Kashmir Valley, taking the overall tally to 362200. There were also five deaths in the last 24 hours, all from Jammu division. So far 4572 people have succumbed to the virus and include 2226 in Jammu and 2346 in Kashmir. Giving the district wise details of the fresh cases confirmed in J&K, the officials said that Srinagar reported 618, Baramulla 315, Budgam 295, Pulwama 56, Kupwara 168, Anantnag 168, Bandipora 52, Ganderbal 22, Kulgam 57, Shopian 12, Jammu 711, Udhampur 122, Rajouri 42, Doda 30, Kathua 30, Samba 52, Kishtwar 7, Poonch 32, Ramban 42 and Reasi ...

Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) on Monday said lockdown should be decided on the basis of number of patients hospitalized with Covid rather than the number of positive cases. “Hospitalization rates, not case count should determine curbs and restrictions,” said DAK President and Influenza expert Dr Nisar ul Hassan. Dr Hassan said the number of cases should not be the metric for imposing restrictions. “Daily case count was used as a barometer early in the pandemic to impose restrictions because that time a rise in cases inevitably led to increase in hospitalizations,” he said. “With omicron those metrics have changed now,” said Dr Nisar. He said while Omicron variant causes lot of infections, most of the infections are mild. Even though the positivity rate is high, most of t...

With five officials already having tested positive for Covid and awaiting the outcome of many others, the Regional Transport Office Kashmir Monday has written to Divisional Commissioner’s office to guide it with regard to a continuance of public dealings. “Five officials of this office have been tested COVID positive and many others are having symptoms like fever/cough and sore throat. RT-PCR reports of many officials are still awaited. Besides this, there is huge public rush in view of which it is difficult to follow COVID SOPs”, reads a communiqué made by RTO Kashmir to Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir. “In view of such a situation this office may kindly be guided as to whether to continue with the public dealings or close it till negative reports are received most likely by the we...

The owner of a herd of sheep had a miraculous escape after he and his herd were attacked by a group of stray dogs in a Kangan village of Central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district. The owner somehow managed to escape from the spot, however, six of his sheep sustained critical injuries in the dog attack. Ghulam Muhammad Bhat, a resident of Bhat Mohalla Sumbal Gund told news agency Kashmir News Trust that he had taken his sheep to a nearby stream to quench their thirst, when group of stray dogs attacked them. “I escaped from the spot, but six of my sheep were bitten by the dogs. The injuries are of serious nature,” he said. This was the fourth such incident in the district. Stray dogs have so for killed over two dozen sheep in different parts of the district. (KNT)

CPI (M) Secretary Gh. Nabi  Malik on Monday expressed serious concern over the events unfolding at Kashmir Press Club. In a statement issued here, Malik strongly criticized the administration for an unwanted intervention in the institution of the Fourth Estate while appealing to the warring factions of journalists to sort out their differences amicably and without any external interference. The press/media in Jammu and Kashmir is already working under immense stress and strain.  Professional journalists strongly feel that it has become impossible for them to do normal reportage. Journalists have to be encouraged to perform their tasks without being under duress. The recent developments that have impacted the smooth functioning of the Press Club is detrimental to the interests of t...

A 30-year-old man allegedly committed suicide in the Mallabagh area of Srinagar on Monday afternoon. Official sources told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that a man allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself to death in the Mallabagh area in Srinagar outskirts. They said that he was brought to SKIMS Soura, where doctors declared brought him dead on arrival. Meanwhile, local police have taken cognizance of the incident and started investigations in this regard —(KNO)

A 19-year-old pillion rider was killed while a youth who was riding the motorcycle was killed in an accident involving a BSF vehicle in Rajouri district on Monday. A police officer told GNS that information was received that there was an accident between a bus (JK02P-6512) of 79 battalion BSF and a motorcycle (JK11F/1957) near Fish pound Muradpur. While motorcyclist Mohammad Arshad son of Mohammad Azam was injured, pillion rider Zaheer Abbas (19) son of Qadeer Hussain of Chalas died on spots. Arshad, also a resident of Chalas, has been shifted to GMC Rajouri for treatment. The officer said that a case (FIR NO 23/22) U/S 279/337/304A has been registered. (GNS)

The Jammu Kashmir administration on Monday issued statement on Kashmir Press Club and said that it was concerned over the emergent situation which has arisen due to the “unpleasant” turn of events involving two rival warring groups using the banner of the KPC. The statement reads: The factual position is that KPC as a registered body has ceased to exist and its managing body too has come to a legal closure on 14 July 2021, the date on which its tenure came to an end. In its failure to register itself under the central Societies of Registration Act, further compounded by its failure to hold elections to constitute a new managing body, some individuals of the erstwhile club have been committing illegalities on several counts, least of which are false portrayal of being owner-managers o...