India has tremendous capacity in eradicating coronavirus pandemic: WHO
Geneva: India, which led the world in eradicating two silent killers -- smallpox and polio -- in the past, has a tremendous capacity in eradicating the deadly coronavirus pandemic that has now claimed nearly 15,000 lives globally, according to a top WHO official.
The executive director of the World Health Organisation (WHO), Michael Ryan, said India, the world's second most populous country, has a tremendous capacity to deal with the coronavirus outbreak as it has the experience of eradicating the small-pox and polio through targeted public intervention.
"India led the world in eradicating two silent killers and eliminating them from the country," he said during a press conference in Geneva on Monday on the COVID-19 pandemic.
India, through targeted public intervention, ended smallpox and gave a great gift to the world. India also eradicated polio, he noted.
"India has tremendous capacities. It is exceptionally important that countries like India lead the way to show the world what can be done," Ryan said.
India led the world in eradicating two silent killers, small-pox and polio so India has a tremendous capacity," Ryan said.
"There are no easy answers. It is exceptionally important that countries like India show the way to the world as they have done before," he said.
His remarks came as the WHO said the number of deaths soared to 14,652, with more than 334,000 people infected worldwide.
India has reported 492 cases of coronavirus and nine deaths, according to Health Ministry data on Tuesday. The total number of active COVID-19 cases across the country now stands at 446, after over 22 fresh cases were reported, the ministry said.
Meanwhile, WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Monday warned that the coronavirus pandemic was clearly "accelerating" but said it was still possible to "change the trajectory" of the outbreak.
"The pandemic is accelerating," Tedros told journalists in a virtual news briefing.
He said it took 67 days from the beginning of the outbreak in China in late December for the virus to infect the first 100,000 people worldwide.
In comparison, it took 11 days for the second 100,000 cases and just four days for the third 100,000 cases, he said.
"The #COVID19 pandemic is accelerating. It took 67 days from the 1st reported case to reach the first 100K cases, 11 days for the second 100K cases & just 4 days for the third 100K cases.
"These numbers matter, these are people, whose lives & families have been turned upside down," Tedros tweeted later.
"We are not helpless bystanders. We can change the trajectory of this pandemic," Tedros said.
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14 injured as J-K protests Khamenei's killing; several curbs imposed to maintain order
Srinagar (PTI): At least 14 people, including six security personnel, were injured on the second day of protests that erupted in Jammu and Kashmir following the killing of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in a joint US-Israeli attack, officials said.
Authorities have imposed restrictions to curb people's movement, shut down education institutes and throttled mobile internet speeds in the Union territory as precautionary measures.
Officials said that 75 rallies were held at various places in the Kashmir Valley, while a few demonstrations were held in the Jammu region as well. Security forces had to use mild force to disperse the protesters in some areas.
Protests broke out in Bemina, Gund Hassibhat, Saidakadal, Nigeen, Foreshore Road and Jehangir Chowk areas of Srinagar city, in the Pulwama town of south Kashmir, and Budgam in central Kashmir -- all of which have a large Shia population, as agitators marched through the streets, raising anti-US and anti-Israel slogans.
While most of the protests were by and large peaceful, clashes erupted at a few places, forcing the security forces personnel to use mild force to disperse the protestors, the officials said.
They said 14 persons -- eight protestors and six security forces personnel -- were injured during these clashes in the Kashmir valley.
Severe restrictions had been placed on the movement of people in parts of Kashmir. The curbs were imposed against the backdrop of a call for a one-day strike given by Mutahida Majlis-e-Ulama (MMU) chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq.
He had urged people to observe the strike "with unity, dignity, and in peace".
The authorities had sealed Ghanta Ghar at Lal Chowk with barricades erected all around it, while a large number of police and paramilitary CRPF personnel were deployed across the city to prevent gatherings of protestors, officials said.
They added that concertina wires and barricades were placed at important intersections leading into the city while asserting that these were precautionary measures imposed to maintain law and order.
The authorities also closed all educational institutions for two days, as a precautionary measure for the safety of students and to maintain law and order. Similar curbs were imposed in Shia-dominated areas in other districts of the Kashmir valley. Mobile internet speeds were also throttled across Kashmir.
The MMU's strike call was supported by several political parties, including PDP president Mehbooba Mufti.
"Extending our full support and solidarity with the shutdown call of Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on the martyrdom of Iran's supreme leader. This is a day of mourning to remind the world that injustice anywhere wounds the entire Muslim Ummah and all who stand for truth," she said.
Police issued an advisory urging all media organisations and news platforms to exercise the highest level of responsibility and professionalism in their reporting.
"Please refrain from publishing unverified information, speculation, or rumours; ensure that all reports are confirmed through credible and authoritative sources before dissemination; and avoid sensational headlines that may create unnecessary panic," the advisory read.
In the Jammu region, a partial strike was observed in Kishtwar and Doda districts of the Chenab valley region, with groups of people holding peaceful protests to condemn the killing of Iran's supreme leader.
The law and order situation across the region remained peaceful by and large, with no untoward incident reported from anywhere, the officials said.
Most of the shops and business establishments remained closed in both Kishtwar and Doda district headquarters and in other major towns in response to separate bandh calls given by religious leaders to protest the alleged aggression of the US and Israel.
The Imam of Jamia Masjid Kishtwar, Moulvi Farooq Ahmad Kachloo, also led a protest rally from the place of worship to the nearby bus stand, the officials said, adding that the protesters chanted slogans against the US and Israel before dispersing peacefully.
Reports of protests were also received from Bounjwa, Drabshall and Chatroo in Kishtwar, Gandoh and Bhaderwah in Doda, they said.
In Ramban district, which also falls in the Chenab Valley region, Shia mourners organised special prayers at Chanderkote for the second day to pay homage to Khamenei and others who lost their lives in the US-Israel attacks.
The Muslim community also held protests at different places in the Rajouri and Poonch districts. Several Muslim organisations have called for a Rajouri bandh on Tuesday after a joint meeting at the local Jamia masjid.
The president of the Islamic Welfare Organisation, Rajouri, Shafqat Mir, said the present situation is quite worrisome and the US, as well as Israel, have crossed all limits of humanity by directly targeting Iran and killing the supreme leader.
Protests and mourning assemblies for Khamenei were also held in the Kargil district of the Union Territory of Ladakh. A large number of Shia mourners assembled at the Hussaini Park in Kargil to take part in the protest.
