Pakistan reports fourth case of Mpox; latest in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir
Islamabad, Aug 19: Authorities in Pakistan on Monday reported a suspected case of Monkeypox (Mpox) in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, taking the number of people affected by the virus to four.
A 47-year-old resident of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), who recently returned to Pakistan from Jeddah in Saudi Arabia, was admitted to Islamabad's Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) with mpox symptoms.
Dr Nasim Akhtar, the hospital's focal person, told the media that the patient showed symptoms consistent with mpox and has been placed in a special ward designated for such cases at PIMS.
Earlier, Pakistan reported three cases of mpox -- all from the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province.
Pakistan has taken precautions to tackle the virus and put in place a strict screening system at airports after it emerged that all the patients affected by mpox reportedly returned from abroad.
Pakistan's government announced on Saturday that it has formulated a comprehensive policy against mpox virus and that people should not worry about its spread.
Laboratories were allocated for diagnosis in all provinces and the federal capital, an official said.
The official said cases were reported from Africa and travellers from Africa, America and the Gulf countries would be monitored.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also chaired a meeting on the issue of mpox and ordered strict vigilance on the spread of the disease.
He also instructed that effective screening measures be ensured at all airports, seaports and borders, besides asking Border Health Services to keep complete surveillance of the situation.
Mpox, formerly called monkeypox, can spread through close contact and the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the recent outbreak of the disease as a public health emergency of international concern on Wednesday after the new variant of the virus was identified.
At least 27,000 cases and more than 1,100 deaths, mainly among children, have been reported in Congo since the current outbreak in January last year.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
CM Siddaramaiah alleges ‘criminal conspiracy’ in Sringeri recount, vows legal action
Bengaluru (PTI): Alleging a “criminal conspiracy” by BJP candidate D N Jeevaraj in the Sringeri Assembly poll recounting, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said the outcome was manipulated after valid postal ballot votes in favour of Congress leader T D Raje Gowda were tampered with during the recounting process.
Following a Karnataka High Court order on an election petition filed by Jeevaraj, challenging Raje Gowda’s election, the reverification and recounting were conducted on Saturday.
After the reverification and recount of postal ballots for the Sringeri Assembly constituency, votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda were reduced by 255, the returning officer said.
A report on the matter has been submitted to the Election Commission of India for further action, the officer added.
Congress leader Raje Gowda had won the 2023 Assembly polls from Sringeri by 201 votes, defeating his nearest rival Jeevaraj.
Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru, Siddaramaiah said the High Court had directed the recounting of postal ballots and that irregularities were noticed during the exercise conducted on May 2.
“This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” Siddaramaiah said, alleging that valid votes cast in favour of Raje Gowda were altered after being accepted by counting agents of all parties, including Congress, BJP, and JD(S).
He claimed that during the recounting of postal ballots, 255 votes were initially accepted as valid by all agents but were later tampered with by subordinate officials.
“There is a second mark on the votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda. They had accepted these as valid votes. Subsequently, another mark was made by officials. This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” he said.
When asked who was behind the alleged conspiracy, the CM replied, “It was hatched by Jeevaraj and others. It is planned.”
Siddaramaiah further alleged that the returning officer acted improperly by declaring the result despite the presence of an Election Commission observer during the recounting.
“Immediately after the counting, the returning officer announced the result. He should not have done so; this is against the law,” he said.
He pointed out that Raje Gowda had originally won by 201 votes, but after the recounting, the BJP candidate was declared the winner by 52 votes.
“The BJP has committed a criminal act of conspiracy. This is not vote chori but vote dacoity,” he alleged.
The CM said a police complaint had already been filed by Raje Gowda’s election agent, Sudhir Kumar, and emphasised the need for electoral integrity.
“We want transparency and free and fair elections. That is what our Constitution mandates,” he added.
Stating that the government would pursue legal remedies, Siddaramaiah said, “We are preparing an appeal challenging the returning officer’s announcement in a court of law.”
Responding to a separate query on elections in other states, the CM said there appeared to be an anti-incumbency factor in West Bengal, while results in Tamil Nadu were “surprising,” adding that Vijay’s party was emerging as the largest there.
Following the victory of party candidates in Bagalkote and Davanagere South, Siddaramaiah expressed confidence about future electoral prospects in Karnataka.
“Even in 2028, we will win the Assembly elections. We will come back,” the CM said.
Siddaramaiah added that he would order a forensic examination into the alleged tampering of postal ballots.
