#Mental Health Crisis in Kashmir

[molkolsdal]

Naseema (left) at her house in Grandwan with her daughter, Shazia.

Shefali Rafiq

Naseema Akhter was just 20 in 2002 when her husband, Syed Anwar Shah, left for work and never returned. Shah was one of thousands of young men forcibly taken away by Indian forces or, in some cases, unknown gunmen. Government officials allege these men crossed over to Pakistan to train with separatist militants, but the families deny this.

Naseema was left with an 18-month-old daughter, Shazia, and the burden of family responsibilities and financial worries. Today, after her daughter got married last year, she lives alone in a two-room house in Grandwan, a village in Aishmuqam, south Kashmir. The loss of her husband has left a deep scar on her psyche.

"My mind tells me that my husband is not alive, but my heart is not ready to accept it," Naseema said, while visiting the local shrine. Shrines in Kashmir are often seen as healing places – especially for women.

For several years after her husband’s disappearance, Naseema would wake up in the middle of the night. “I would see him in my dream and then, when I woke up, I would realise I am living in a hell,” she said, fighting back tears. “I still get headaches for days at a time, and the nightmares won’t leave me alone.”

Instead of getting medical help, she seeks refuge at the nearby shrine. “I cannot afford to go to a doctor every week. But I have to pray for my health, for the sake of my daughter,” she said.

Naseema said her life would not have been as difficult if she had found her husband’s body. “This hollowness inside me can only be understood by someone whose loved one has disappeared,” she added.

Dr Majid, senior psychiatrist at the government hospital in Pulwama, who treats many such patients, said their depression is of the worst kind: “It is very important to have closure. These patients do not have that and it makes it even worse.”

The mental health crisis in Kashmir is increasing, following a lockdown (partly to do with the pandemic) that has lasted nearly two years. Majid, who is the only psychiatrist serving two districts (Pulwama and Shopian) said that almost 60% of his patients are women.

[kashmirmonitor]

`Tele-MANAS’: IMHANS, NHM launch helpline to provide mental health support, promote positive behavior in Kashmir

`Tele-MANAS’: IMHANS, NHM launch helpline to provide mental health support, promote positive behavior in Kashmir

Srinagar: The person on the phone is desperate. The caller is struggling to get over her father’s sudden death due to a heart attack. She thinks her life has been rendered meaningless and her existence is futile. Crisis counselor at Tele Mental Health Assistance and Networking Across States (Tele-MANAS) cell at the Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences Srinagar (IMHANS) murmurs and…

[priyastandon]

ARE WE WORTH IT?

(Written after the Pulwama Attack in Kashmir; and the surgical strike by the Indian Air force) 

Watching the Prime Minister as he paid obeisance to the bodies of the Jawans martyred in Pulwama one could feel the pain in his heart and the vacuum in his soul. It was writ large on his face. Sometimes silence is more powerful than speech. The reverential Pranaam he offered was revealing of his feeling of indebtedness and resolve to take action. His thoughts could be anybody’s guess. Grief? Anger? Revenge? Retaliation? 

What possibly can one do in such a circumstance? Even if you are the Prime Minister, you cannot turn the clock backwards. You cannot undo the suicide bombing. You cannot put the souls back into those bodies that lie lifeless in front of you. Such helplessness! 

That fratricidal carnage unleashed an upsurge of emotion in the nation. Besides the most common sentiment of retaliation and revenge; besides the demand of 'teach them a lesson’, this time there was another emotion that surfaced. 

The Jawans who man our borders; who brave bone-chilling temperatures; who eat frugally yet maintain their physical health, mental strength and patriotism; who live, sleep, bathe and answer the calls of nature in conditions that are far-far from what we as normal civilians enjoy, are surely heroes. They guard our borders while we sleep in peace. The keep the vigil on; while we relax. They put their lives at stake for us! In a deep sense of awe and realization, a thought comes forth - ‘Are we worth it?’ 

And then the stupendous surgical strike of the Indian Air Force on Pakistan! The Capture and astounding release of Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman in two days! The armed forces are in their element! Because duty calls! Work is worship! And Duty is God! 

In the fifty odd hours that Abhinandan was in the custody of Pakistan, we were glued to the TV. I am basically not much of a TV person. But at that time I could get my eyes off the silver screen. With prayers in our hearts; with our hearts in our mouths; with bated breath we watched Abhinandan cross over into the lap of Mother India! The Nation together sighed in relief! Why? Because we are all connected! Because united we stand! 

The way the Indian government has handled the crisis situation in which it was placed in the last few days, has been commendable. The resolve to do what is right; the resolve to teach anti-humanitarian forces a lesson and tell the world not to mess with India has been talked about and executed like never before.  No religion preaches terrorism. It is the misinterpretation of it in the hands of its so called protectors that has gone wrong. 

The measured words of the official spokespersons of the armed forces, their composure and body language all through this period has raised their esteem in the eyes of not only the Nation but the world at large. 

Ever since the surgical strike on Pakistan, watching TV and sensing the JOSH of each patriotic Indian, I was reminded of a song I learnt in school. 

“Aloft the banner’s flying O’er ancient Hindustan

Ye Saffron, White and Green proclaiming freedom’s sweetest morn

March on ye sons of freedom, unto your destiny

 To build a glorious kingdom, of peace and happiness

To strive and build a kingdom where dwelleth righteousness

 Arise, awake ye millions, ye sons of Hindustan

Keep on the constant vigilance to guard the freedom won

 Wage on a ceaseless battle O’er hunger and on greed

Truth’s splendour let bedazzle dark legions that surround

 Silence the sabre’s rattle, yet fight the foes around

God bless the Indian Union, Bless thou our motherland

 Grant us the help to serve the millions of this ancient land

Thou Lord of all creation, we praise Thy Holy Name

 Preserve us as Thy nation to serve Thee ever more

Throughout all generations, to serve Thee ever more!”

 What I really love about this song is the message it gives to treasure and guard the freedom won and build a Nation where there is righteousness for ever and ever! 

Reflecting on this deeper … What does one usually guard or protect? Valuables or Worthless stuff? Are we valuable citizens? Do we contribute to the value of the country? Is there something the common man can do? Yes! Each one of us can work towards being a worthy Indian! 

A man once threw his hands up in despair and said, "Oh God! What is the world coming to? Why don't you do something?" The Lord said, "I have done my part. I sent you. Now it is your turn!" 

Yes! Now it is our turn! It is the turn of each one of us to get up and think about what we can do to make our country better and stronger. 

When my children were small I would often tell them, "When you wake up; get up. When you get up; do something!" 

Every civilian too needs to wake up and contribute towards nation building. What can we do? There are simple things like being more responsible in day to day life; by imposing self-restrictions on wastage of time, water, food, energy, fuel … the list is endless. Ceiling on desires is of utmost importance. It is certainly not an easy thing to do, but it is certainly worth trying. 

Greed is perhaps the biggest cause of corruption. If every salaried man were to evaluate if he is doing justice to the emoluments he is receiving. If every student would ask himself if he is doing justice to the fees his parents are paying for his education. If every businessman were to ask himself, if he is paying taxes as per the law of the land? If everyone were to earn by righteous means … if everyone would resolve to put in his best into every action … If each one of us would realize that work is worship and duty is God, things would improve by leaps and bounds! 

Coming back to our intrinsic value ... Every citizen of a country is like a sample of the whole. We all need to spare a moment to consider if we are worth guarding. Are we worth the sacrifices of the men in uniform who put their lives at stake for us? Does anyone have the right to doubt the credibility of their word? 

Saluting the Indian Air Force, a thought comes to my mind … Let us strive to be the wind beneath their wings!

  This was published by The Daily Post on 10.3.2019 on the Opinion Page.

[primymsimysq1975-blog]

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[non-profit-pharmacy-jk]

http://nonprofitpharmacyjk.health.blog/2021/05/07/the-dos-and-donts-of-supporting-someone-in-a-mental-health-crisis/ (at Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir) https://www.instagram.com/p/COjuLyQjE7D/?igshid=1vws8pv0nf374

[kksingh11]

Trumpism: Death Sign of Capitalism

Trumpism:How do you expect, they will not happen with you, what you have been doing in other countries?Trump was “chosen” by the big capitalist class of the US, through their political manager, viz, Republicans and the voters elected him, albeit he did not get the majority. Curtsy Electoral College, where the voters elect their President through indirect method, and Trump came into power, who was a known misogynist, mentally unstable, corrupt man. Even if he was defeated, Hillary Clinton was not much different for the capitalist class.The extreme rot in capitalism has forced the ruling class to go for such criminals, rioters, saboteurs but who can mesmerize the population through their speechifying, spectacles! These “cults” are created by the corporate world, through their media, social media, and other propaganda means. We have such leaders in other countries as well, and had such leaders in past, like Khrushchev, Hitler, Mussolini, etc.#Trumpism is happening in other parts of the world, with local characteristics, and what we are witnessing is puss flowing out of the rotten wounds, which the ruling class has been sowing! Capitol Hill (Where the trump supporters created riot and 4 people died, many injured, https://www.wesh.com/article/trump-supporters-flood-dc-to-protest-election/35141408#) is merely an example, like what we saw, when many Black Men were murdered by the American police.American people want MAGA (Make America Great Again), which is nothing but White Superracist policy! This has polarized the American society on hatred, color and nationality and may take decades to heal the hatred towards each other!Is India different and immune to what we are witnessing in other parts of the world? No, it is happening here, right now, as well. More than 50 farmers are already martyred in ongoing Farmers Protest, more than 5000 fake encounters in UP alone in approximately 3 years, Kashmir, CAA/NRC, Demonetization which killed more than 150 people are few examples. They can compare Indian people’s minds with the minds of the voters of US; 47% voted Trump! A big section of Indian people love power, spectacles when due crisis the rulers want them to see what is not useful for the people. People need employment, education, health services but the opposition, the progressive and revolutionary forces failed to educate the people and hence, they are on other side of the fences, ready for hara-kiri, even though they are less than 35% of the population.What is our task? Not to do what makes the ruling class happy and prolongs its lifecycle! We must bring out our demands again and again, which would make our lives worthy of human being,While you ponder what is happening, see this analysis:(The US Capitol siege was no ‘third world country’ crisis. This was a uniquely American monsterhttps://edition.cnn.com/2021/01/07/world/us-democracy-arwa-damon-intl/index.html)

[khalilhumam]

Three Lessons from a New Phone Survey in Pakistan

New Post has been published on http://khalilhumam.com/three-lessons-from-a-new-phone-survey-in-pakistan/

Three Lessons from a New Phone Survey in Pakistan

After six months of school closures, Pakistan began reopening its schools in a phased manner on September 15, 2020. Schools had been shut since March 13, 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The country had also imposed a lockdown in most provinces on March 24. While that lockdown has long been lifted and schools started opening two weeks ago, it is expected that the educational, economic, and health impacts will linger. To understand these impacts, CGD partnered with the Citizens Foundation (TCF) in Pakistan and with the Center for Economic Research in Pakistan (CERP) to survey households with students in TCF schools on how COVID-19 has affected their children’s education, their livelihoods, and health. TCF operates 1,600+ primary and secondary schools in urban slums and rural communities of Pakistan and serves more than 240,000 students, roughly equal to the entire primary and secondary school age population in Trinidad and Tobago. CERP collected phone survey data from a sample of 1,200+ TCF households. The first-round survey was conducted between June 3, 2020 and June 17, 2020. The full report can be accessed here, and the anonymized data is available here.

What did we learn?

Lesson 1: Unequal access to distance learning means many children are going back to school unprepared. Strategies for remediation are urgently required.

While schools were closed, 66 percent of surveyed households did not use technology (TV or mobile) for learning at all. Overall, 23 percent of respondents report children watching the government’s distance learning channel “TeleSchool,” which provides each grade one hour of curriculum per day. Restricting the sample to only respondents with a TV, 35 percent are watching TeleSchool. This is slightly lower than results from a similar survey in Bangladesh, where half of students with access to government-provided TV learning programs choose to access them. Differential access by wealth is stark. Richer households are 55 percent more likely to use technology for learning compared to the poorest households. This pattern appears across many countries. For example, a survey in the UK by the Sutton Trust finds income disparity in access to online distance learning: 30 percent of relatively wealthier households are participating in live online distance learning compared to 16 percent of pupils from lower-income households. Similar disparities emerge when looking at households’ engagement with children’s learning. As children go back to school, mitigating the learning loss, particularly for the most marginalized, should be a key priority.

Figure 1. As expected, richer and more educated households are more likely to use technology for distance learning

Note: All graphs refer to the respondents’ education, region, employment skill level, and income. Education and provincial graphs are based on a sample size of 966 respondents. Income graph is based on a sample size of 846 respondents and employment skill level graph is based on a sample size of 997 respondents. Income figure is the respondent’s self-reported pre-COVID-19 weekly income and excludes students, teens with no occupation, housewives, and women with no occupation (likely to be housewives). Respondents’ skill level is from job classifications by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics. Due to the small number of observations from Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJK), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK), and Balochistan, the provincial breakdown compares the national average, the two biggest provinces, with the remaining provinces included in other regions.

Lesson 2: Over half of the respondents report a reduction in income, and one-fifth report being food-insecure during the lockdown period

More than half of the respondents report a reduction in income and one fifth report being food insecure in the first week of May 2020, during the lockdown. In response to COVID-19, the Pakistani government announced an emergency cash assistance program to provide 12 million families Rs. 12,000 ($77) per month for four months under its targeted unconditional cash transfer program, Ehsaas (also formerly known as BISP, the Benazir Income Support Program). Yet only one fifth of the respondents that reported a reduction in the number of meals consumed say that they are being covered by the federal government’s cash transfer program. This finding implies that the government should consider expanding coverage of Ehsaas program to include other needy beneficiaries to temper the economic impacts of the crisis.

Figure 2. A sizable proportion of respondents have reduced both the number of meals and their sizes, and only a small fraction are covered by the government’s cash transfer program

Note: The y axis shows the percent of respondents reporting reduction in meal sizes and numbers, and percent of food insecure households covered by the Ehsaas program. All graphs refer to the respondents’ education, region, employment skill level, and income. Education and provincial graphs based on 1,202 respondents. Income graph is based on a sample size of 968 respondents and employment skill level graph is based on a sample size of 994 respondents. Income figure is the respondent’s self-reported pre-COVID-19 weekly income and excludes students, teens with no occupation, housewives, and women with no occupation (likely to be housewives). Respondents’ skill level is from job classifications by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics. Due to the small number of observations from AJK, KPK, and Balochistan, the provincial breakdown compares the national average, the two biggest provinces, with the remaining provinces included in “Other.”

Lesson 3: Most respondents underestimate the risk of contracting COVID-19

A large majority of the respondents report being worried about being infected and claim to have adopted precautionary measures such as face masks. Yet 75 percent of the households believe that it is impossible for them or someone in their household to contract COVID-19. We also ask households to compare the risk of contracting COVID-19 against tuberculosis (TB), which is highly endemic in Pakistan. A large proportion of respondents (78 percent) perceive a similar risk of contracting COVID-19 or tuberculosis, even though estimates suggest a 74 percent higher chance of contracting COVID-19 compared to tuberculosis.

Figure 3. A majority (71 percent) believe it is impossible for them or someone in their household to contract either COVID-19 or tuberculosis (TB)

Note: Graph is based on a sample size of 1,199 respondents. Bubble size represents the number of respondents in that coordinate, dash line represents similar associated risk of infection for both COVID-19 and TB.

With schools in a phased reopening since September 15, we also ask respondents about the perceived risk of increase in COVID-19 infections. Most respondents (68 percent) believe that school reopenings will further increase the risk of COVID-19 infections. So far Sindh has delayed its reopening amid a resurgence of coronavirus cases in the province.

Responding to the findings

CGD shared the findings of the report with TCF so that they are able to respond to them. As TCF reopens its 1,600+ schools across the country, its plans reflect the lingering educational, economic, and health impacts of the crisis. It has reduced syllabus coverage for this year and built spaces in the lesson plans to focus on basic concepts, usually around literacy or numeracy, to ensure opportunities for learning remediation and catch-up after prolonged school closures. Syllabus coverage will also be adapted for the next academic year to ensure most students are provided sufficient support when progressing to subsequent grades. TCF also plans to continue producing an edutainment magazine, an initiative founded during school closures, focusing on foundational literacy, basic mathematics, and social-emotional learning beyond school reopening. On the economic front, given the financial strain experienced by many families due to COVID-19, TCF is exploring options with parents for feasible financial contributions in line with the family’s economic circumstances. Lastly, given the health impacts of the crisis, TCF plans to realign its priorities to balance academic learning with physical and emotional wellbeing. It is incorporating a dedicated weekly time period during school focused on students’ physical and mental wellbeing, and plans to incorporate similar fortnightly “staff circles” in the school timetable to address staff well-being and peer support.

What’s next?

We just completed the second-round survey, following up with the same households right before schools started a phased opening on September 15, 2020, including some questions on basic numeracy to estimate learning loss and recovery. Those results will be published soon. We plan to follow up with the same households again in November after children have been back in school for more than six weeks.

[leanpick]

Kashmir, Under Siege and Lockdown, Faces a Mental Health Crisis PAHOO, Kashmir — Sara Begum’s suffering began on Aug. 3, when masked policemen barged into her home, badly roughed up her son and whisked him away.

[yoyo12x13]

Kashmir, Under Siege and Lockdown, Faces a Mental Health Crisis

Kashmir, Under Siege and Lockdown, Faces a Mental Health Crisis

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PAHOO, Kashmir — Sara Begum’s suffering began on Aug. 3, when masked policemen barged into her home, badly roughed up her son and whisked him away.

Ms. Begum’s son, Fayaz Ahmad Mir, 28, was one of thousands of civilians arrested or detained by order of the Indian government after it moved forcefullyto cement its control over Kashmir, a largely Muslim region of about eight million…

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"Kashmir, Under Siege and Lockdown, Faces a Mental Health Crisis" by BY SAMEER YASIR AND ATUL LOKE via NYT World https://ift.tt/3eTG6SP

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"Kashmir, Under Siege and Lockdown, Faces a Mental Health Crisis" by BY SAMEER YASIR AND ATUL LOKE via NYT World https://ift.tt/3eTG6SP

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Kashmir, Under Siege and Lockdown, Faces a Mental Health Crisis PAHOO, Kashmir — Sara Begum’s suffering began on Aug. 3, when masked policemen barged into her home, badly roughed up her son and whisked him away.

[bingedaily]

Like thousands of families in the Kashmir Valley consumed by decades of bloody violence, their efforts at rebuilding their lives have been met with failure, disappointment and hopelessness thanks to

Like thousands of families in the Kashmir Valley consumed by decades of bloody violence, their efforts at rebuilding their lives have been met with failure, disappointment and hopelessness thanks to trauma and post-traumatic stress disorders (PTSD). https://www.bingedaily.in/a-long-history-of-violence-in-kashmir-has-lead-to-a-mental-health-crisis #kashmir #mentalhealth #jammuandkashmir #article370

[pierceandbiersadorf]

Kashmir: how conflict and stigma are creating a mental health crisis http://bit.ly/2Vxj09H #picturesoftheday

[brajeshupadhyay]

Coronavirus LIVE Updates: US sees highest single-day spike with 67,632 new cases; final year Delhi University to be held in August

08:33 (IST)

Coronavirus Outbreak in Delhi Latest Updates

IMA says 99 docs succumbed to COVID-19, issues ''red alert'' for medicos

As many as 99 doctors in the country, a majority of them general practitioners, have succumbed to COVID-19, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) said on Wednesday, and declared a red alert for medicos and medical administrators asking them to raise their guard.

According to IMA National COVID registry data, of the total 1,302 doctors infected with COVID-19, 99 have succumbed to the disease. Of those dead, 73 were above the age of 50 years, 19 in the age-group of 35-50 and seven below 35 years, the data showed.

08:24 (IST)

Coronavirus Outbreak in Karnataka Latest Updates

Only god can save us, says Karnataka health minister

Karnataka health minister B Sriramulu on Wednesday said only divine help could save the state from the coronavirus pandemic, reports Hindustan Times.

Responding to questions raised over the state government's tackling of the crisis, Sriramulu said, “Only God can save us, and we have to bring in caution on our own.", according to LiveMint.

08:07 (IST)

Coronavirus Outbreak in Delhi Latest Updates

Delhi University to hold final year exams in August

The Delhi University will conduct the online open book examinations for final year undergraduate and postgraduate students from 10 to 31 August, it said on Wednesday. However, DU said, students unable to appear in the exams in August will get another chance.

08:03 (IST)

Coronavirus Outbreak Latest Updates

Global COVID-19 cases at 1.3 crores; toll at 5.8 lakh

Total confirmed cases of COVID-19 across the world stand at 1.3 crore, according to the Reuters tracker. This figure includes COVID-19 patients who have recovered and the overall global death toll which stands at 5.8 lakh.

With over 34.5 lakh reported cases till date, the United States is the worst-affected country in the world. The US is followed by Brazil, India, Russia and Peru.

08:02 (IST)

Coronavirus Outbreak in India Latest Updates

WFH for Air India employees to end after 20 July

Air India employees will no longer be able to work from home after 20 July. The national carrier also began the process of sending some underperforming employees on compulsory leave without pay for up to a period of five years, due to the economic crisis it is facing.

07:58 (IST)

Coronavirus Outbreak in US Latest Updates

US records 67,632 new cases; Fauci optimistic on vaccine arrival by 2020-end

The United States has reported the highest record of 67,632 new coronavirus cases in 24 hours, reports AFP. US Disease Expert Dr Anthony Fauci, meanwhile, predicted on Wednesday the country will meet its goal of a Covid-19 vaccine by year's end and was unmoved by the prospect that China would get there first.

07:51 (IST)

Coronavirus Outbreak in India Latest Updates

NIMHANS releases guidelines for health workers' mental health needs

The NIMHANS has come out with guidelines that define a framework to address the mental health needs of healthcare personnel in COVID-19 treatment settings. The guidelines also aim to provide technical inputs to guide healthcare personnel to help themselves and their colleagues in distress.

The guidelines identify the source of anxiety and the indicators that healthcare professionals are facing mental health difficulties at the workplace.

07:43 (IST)

Coronavirus Outbreak in West Bengal Latest Updates

 Toll in Bengal reaches 1000; record 1,589 new cases reported

The COVID-19 death toll in West Bengal rose to 1,000 on Wednesday with 20 more people succumbing to the disease, while the tally reached 34,427 with record 1,589 fresh cases, the health department said.

The bulletin said 749 patients recovered from the disease in the last 24 hours and the total number of people getting cured of coronavirus reached 20,680. The state now has 12,747 active COVID-19 cases.

07:38 (IST)

Coronavirus Outbreak in Jammu and Kashmir Latest Updates

493 cases, 11 new deaths reported in J&K yesterday

Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday recorded 493 fresh COVID-19 cases with 11 new fatalities in the past 24 hours, taking the coronavirus death toll past 200 in the union territory, reports PTI. These details were issued by the Jammu and Kashmir administration late on Wednesday night.

07:36 (IST)

Coronavirus Outbreak in India Latest Updates

IIS says India to have 10 lakh active cases by 1 Sep

The Indian Institute of Science projection says active cases in the country, and in the state, are likely to be 10 lakh and 71,300, respectively, by 1 September, reports Times of India.

Coronavirus LATEST Updates: India on Wednesday reported a record single-day spike of 29,429 COVID-19 cases, taking the total number of cases to 9,36,181 while toll from the novel coronavirus climbed to 24,309 with 582 new fatalities, according to the Union Health Ministry's morning update.

Lockdown restrictions of varying degrees were re-imposed in a few places including in Karnataka's Shivamogga district and in Siliguri in West Bengal. Goa chief minister Pramod Sawant announced a three-day lockdown in the state from Friday to curb the spread of the disease while stating that 'janata curfew' will be in place every night from 15 July to 10 August.

Meanwhile, the Meghalaya government said it has decided to close all entry points to the state between 24 to 31 July.

Karnataka overtake Gujarat as fourth worst-affected state

According to PTI, this is the fourth consecutive day that COVID-19 cases have increased by more than 28,000.

At present, there are 3,19,840 active COVID-19 cases in the country while the number of recoveries stands at 5,92,031, the health ministry said. Thus the recovery rate in the country is 63.42 percent, said the ministry.

Of the 582 deaths reported in the last 24 hours, 213 are from Maharashtra, 85 from Karnataka, 67 from Tamil Nadu, 43 from Andhra Pradesh, 35 from Delhi, 28 from Uttar Pradesh, 24 from West Bengal, 14 each from Bihar and Gujarat, 10 each from Madhya Pradesh and Telangana.

Of the total 24,309 deaths reported so far, Maharashtra accounted for the highest with 10,695 fatalities reported till date, followed by Delhi with 3,446 deaths, Gujarat with  2,069, Tamil Nadu with 2,099, Uttar Pradesh with  983, and West Bengal with 980.

Maharashtra has reported the highest number of cases at 2,67,665 followed by Tamil Nadu at 1,47,324 and Delhi at 1,15,346. The updated data showed that Karnataka (44,077 cases) has now overtaken Gujarat (43,637, cases) as the fourth worst-affected state. Uttar Pradesh has reported 39,724 cases till date while Telangana has recorded 37,745.

"Our figures are being reconciled with the ICMR," the ministry said, adding that 1,524 cases are being reassigned to states.

Goa to impose three-day lockdown from Friday

As many states continued to report new cases, lockdown restrictions were imposed or extended in various places.

A three-day lockdown with stricter provisions will be enforced in Goa from Friday in view of the rising number of COVID-19 cases in the state, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said on Wednesday. Besides, there will also be a 'janata curfew' in the state from 8 pm to 6 am every day with effect from Wednesday till 10 August, he told reporters.

Only people associated with essential services and those having medical emergencies will be allowed to move out during the curfew and lockdown, he said. Local authorities will try to arrange for home delivery of essentials, he added.

Sawant noted that people are not wearing masks and not following the social distancing guidelines. He also said that the  COVID-19 cases in the state are expected to peak in next few days due to continued rains. "We are expecting a spike between 15 July and 20 July," he said.

In Karnataka's Shivamogga, the district administration decided to impose partial lockdown from 16 July until further orders.

Shivamogga Member of Parliament BY Raghavendra tweeted that the lockdown will be in place daily from 2 pm to 5 am from Thursday. Other than government offices, agriculture, medical and other necessary services, all other activities will be shut until further orders.

"Police have been instructed to take strict action against those gathering without maintaining social distancing, not wearing masks and violating guidelines," he said.

Streets remained deserted in Bengaluru as the government imposed a total lockdown in Bengaluru urban and rural districts till 5 am on 22 July. Following Bengaluru urban and rural districts, administrations in several other districts like Dharwad, Dakshina Kannada, Kalaburagi (only in urban areas), Bidar, Raichur (in Raichur city and Sindhanur) and Yadgir too have announced lockdown.

In West Bengal, the Darjeeling district task force on Wednesday declared a complete lockdown in 47 wards of the Siliguri Municipal Corporation for seven days, starting 9 am on Thursday, reported ANI quoting state tourism minister Goutam Deb. Containment zones in West Bengal are already under a lockdown, which was extended till 19 July on Tuesday.

"All the norms that have been in force since 5 pm on 9 July will continue. Residents of the containment zones are prohibited from attending government and private offices," a senior official told news agency PTI.

From Thursday, Bihar will go under a complete lockdown till 31 July. The decision was confirmed on Tuesday by deputy chief minister Sushil Modi, who said that the infection had spread rapidly as precautions were not being followed strictly in public places.

इसके बावजूद सार्वजनिक स्थलों पर एहतियात बरतने में शिथिलता बरती गई, जिससे संक्रमण तेजी से बढ़ा और पूरे प्रदेश में 31 जुलाई तक सम्पूर्ण लाकडाउन लागू करना पड़ा। यदि हमने अपनी सामूहिक संकल्प शक्ति से काम लिया और नियमों का सख्ती से पालन किया तो संक्रमण की कड़ी अवश्य टूटेगी।

— Sushil Kumar Modi (@SushilModi) July 14, 2020

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Lockdown restrictions are also in place in other places like Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad in Maharashtra and Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala.

Meghalaya to close entry points to state

Meghalaya chief minister Conrad Sangma on Wednesday announced that all entry points to the state would be sealed from 24 to 31 July to "unburden health, frontline workers". During this period, only emergency, medical services, essential commodities and transit movement of vehicles from Assam will be allowed, said Sangma.

The chief minister also announced that no wedding receptions would be allowed in East Khasi Hills district and Ri Bhoi district "for the time being" but said that solemnisation of marriages in places of worship will be permitted with strict adherence to protocols.

Situation improved in Delhi, but war not yet won, says Kejriwal

Meanwhile, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday said the current COVID-19 situation in the National Capital is better than what it was in June, but the war against the disease has not been won yet.

Addressing an online media briefing, the chief minister said that according to the Centre's formula, Delhi was expected to have 2.25 lakh cases by 15 July, but at present, there are only 1.15 lakh cases.

He said had the Delhi government fought the virus alone, it would have "failed" and therefore his dispensation sought cooperation from the BJP-led Centre, NGOs, and other organisations.

"Our first principle was that this fight cannot be won alone," Kejriwal said.

The chief minister also said the AAP government will continue its preparations to deal with any spike in COVID-19 cases and warned against complacency.

Delhi reported 1,647 new cases and 41 deaths on Wednesday, taking the overall case count to 116,993 and toll to 3,487.

Andhra Pradesh reports record jump in new cases

A new record high of 2,432 fresh cases pushed Andhra Pradesh's aggregate past the 35,000 mark while 44 deaths took the overall toll in the state to 452. The latest bulletin said 805 coronavirus patients have been discharged from hospitals in the last 24 hours. The aggregate number of discharges now stood at 18,378, leaving 16,621 active cases in the state, the bulletin said.

Maharashtra reported 7,975 coronavirus cases and 233 deaths on Wednesday, taking the state��s tally rises to 2,75,640 and the toll to 10,928.

Karnataka reported 3,176 new cases, of which 1,975 cases are from Bengaluru, taking the total number of cases to 47,253. The toll rose to 928 as the state reported 87 deaths, said a bulletin issued by the state health department.

Parliamentary panel tells govt to promote cheaper medicines

Meanwhile, a Parliamentary panel told senior government officials to promote cheaper and easily available domestic-made medicines for COVID-19, sources told PTI. During a meeting of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs, members also demanded that the maximum price of COVID-19 medicines be capped, they said.

Cutting across party lines, the committee members questioned why expensive medicines were often being recommended for COVID-19 treatment. Members named three cheaper and easily available medicines and questioned why they were not being promoted despite being equally effective.

The committee members also expressed concern over black marketing of medicines.

Zydus Cadila begins human trials of COVID-19 vaccine

In another development, drug manufacturer Zydus Cadila on Wednesday said it has started human clinical trials of its COVID-19 vaccine candidate ZyCoV-D. In this phase of trials, the company will be enrolling over 1,000 subjects across multiple clinical study sites in India, it said in a regulatory filing.

Earlier this month, Zydus had received approval to start human trials for its COVID-19 vaccine contender, becoming the second Indian pharmaceutical firm to get such nod amid a global spurt in coronavirus infections.

It got approval a few days after India's first indigenous COVID-19 vaccine candidate COVAXIN, developed by Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech in collaboration with Indian Council of Medical Research(ICMR) and National Institute of Virology (NIV), got the nod for human clinical trials from the Drug Controller General of India.

With inputs from agencies

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