Page 5 - Coronavirus

HC upholds validity of extending assessment orders' time limit during Covid

The court observed that the government is empowered to extend the limitation period for taking actions that could not be completed or complied with due to force majeure

TN govt assures no need for panic amid new Covid wave in Singapore

The new Covid wave in Singapore is a "milder infection" and there was no need for panic and Tamil Nadu has the required infrastructure to face any situation, a top official said on Wednesday. Dr T S Selvavinayagam, Director, Directorate of Public Health and Preventive Medicine (DPHPM), said "there has been no significant (hospital) admissions" in Singapore following the outbreak. "In the last few weeks, it is being reported that there are Covid cases in South Asian countries like Singapore. As far as we (TN) are concerned, there is no need for any apprehension...the Singapore variant, KP.2 is a sub variant of Omicron and has been reported in some parts of India," he said. As many as 290 cases of KP.2 and 34 cases of KP.1, both sub-lineages of Covid-19 that are responsible for surge in cases in Singapore, have been found in India, according to official data. In a video released by the DPHPM, Selvavinayagam said the variant has been "so far giving only milder infection, no severe ...

Indian overseas spending hits all-time high of $31.7 billion in FY24

The yearly remittance data shows a robust inclination among Indians towards international travel, with expenditures totalling $17 billion in FY24

'Unusual' form of cell death underlies lung damage in Covid patients: Study

An unusual form of cell death could lead to a Covid patient's lungs suffering extreme damage, potentially resulting in life-threatening conditions such as inflammation and acute respiratory disorders, according to new research. The ability to inhibit this unusual form of cell death -- ferroptosis -- can offer doctors new ways of to treat Covid-19 lung disease, the study suggested. Cell death, where a cell stops functioning, can be natural or could result from causes such as a disease or an injury. The most common form of cell death involves cells "chopping up" the molecules inside, researchers explained, adding that this occurs in humans, both when they are ill or are ageing. However, in ferroptosis, the relatively uncommon form of cell death, cells die because their outer fat layers collapse, the researchers at Columbia University, US, said. In this study, they analysed human tissues and collected autopsies of patients who died of respiratory failure caused by Covid-19 infection.

India rises to 39th position in WEF index for travel, tourism development

Country top performer in South Asia and among the lower-middle-income nations

290 cases of Covid variant KP.2, 34 of KP.1 detected in India: Insacog data

As many as 290 cases of KP.2 and 34 cases of KP.1, both sub-lineages of COVID-19 that are responsible for surge in cases in Singapore, have been found in India, according to official data. However, a source in the Union health ministry told PTI that they are all sub variants of JN1 and there is no associated increase in hospitalization and severe cases. "So there is no reason for concern or panic. The mutations will keep happening at a rapid pace and this is the natural behaviour of viruses like SARS-CoV2," the source said. The source further said that the INSACOG surveillance is sensitive and is able to pick up the emergence of any new variant and samples are also picked from hospitals in a structured manner to detect any change in the severity of disease due to virus. Data compiled by the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) showed that 34 cases of KP.1 have been found across seven states and UTs with 23 cases registered from West Bengal. The other states are Goa (1)

Study on Covaxin should revise statement on conclusions for clarity

It likely overstates actual risks associated with the vaccine and conflates common illnesses with vaccine-related adverse effects

ICMR distances itself from BHU study on Covaxin, calls it 'poorly designed'

Bharat Biotech had then rebuked the BHU study, saying that its indigenously developed Covid vaccine Covaxin has shown an 'excellent safety track record' in various studies

Covid vaccine makers gear up to launch new-generation jabs in India

India currently does not have any XBB 1.5 variant-based vaccines in the market

Federal Reserve Chair Powell tests positive for Covid-19: Spokesperson

Powell, 71, previously tested positive for Covid in January 2023. The next meeting of the Fed's policy-setting committee is set for June 11-12

Over 25,000 new Covid cases in Singapore, minister advises wearing masks

Singapore is seeing a new COVID-19 wave as the authorities recorded more than 25,900 cases from May 5 to 11 even as Health Minister Ong Ye Kung on Saturday advised the wearing of masks again. We are at the beginning part of the wave where it is steadily rising, said Ong. So, I would say the wave should peak in the next two to four weeks, which means between mid- and end of June, The Straits Times newspaper quoted the minister as saying. The Ministry of Health (MOH) said the estimated number of COVID-19 cases in the week of May 5 to 11 rose to 25,900 cases, compared with 13,700 cases in the previous week. The average daily COVID-19 hospitalisations rose to about 250 from 181 the week before. The average daily intensive care unit (ICU) cases remained low at three cases, compared with two cases in the previous week. The MOH said that to protect hospital bed capacity, public hospitals have been asked to reduce their non-urgent elective surgery cases and move suitable patients to ...

Covaxin has 'excellent record', says Bharat Biotech after study cites risks

The research conducted by BHU indicated that Covaxin increased the rare risk of stroke and Guillain-Barre syndrome, among other issues

Lapses in BHU research on Covid-19 vaccine Covaxin, says Bharat Biotech

Nearly 363 mn doses of Covaxin have been administered in India so far, second only to AstraZeneca-Serum Institute of India's Covishield

Over 30% Covaxin takers suffered from health issues after 1 year: BHU study

Nearly one-third of the individuals who received Bharat Biotech's anti-Covid vaccine Covaxin reported 'adverse events of special interest,' or AESI, according to a one-year follow up study conducted by a team of researchers at BHU. Nearly 50 per cent of 926 study participants in the study complained of infections during the follow-up period, predominated by viral upper respiratory tract infections. Serious AESI, which included stroke and Guillain-Barre syndrome, were reported in one per cent of individuals, the study, which looked at long-term safety of the BBV152 vaccine in adolescents and adults, claimed. Published in the journal Springer Nature, the study comes in the wake of UK pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca admitting its Covid vaccine can cause rare side-effects of blood clotting and lowering of platelet count in UK court. "Close to one third of the individuals developed AESIs. New-onset skin and subcutaneous disorders, general disorders, and nervous system disorders were th

After Covishield, new study 'finds' side effects in Covaxin recipients

In observational study on Bharat Biotech's Covaxin recipients, about one-third of participants reported adverse events

Rare blood clots from J&J and AstraZeneca Covid shots linked to genetics

Out of more than 18 million people who received the single-dose J&J vaccine, 60 cases of the clotting disorder were reported and nine people died, according to the Yale School of Medicine

Reliance Retail Ventures plans expanding in diagnostic healthcare: Report

Company said to be considering acquiring majority stake in dedicated diagnostic services firm

Does the country need to continue with Covid-19 vaccination drive?

Experts feel paid vaccine shots should continue to be available for elderly and comorbid

Pfizer, AstraZeneca announce new investments of nearly $1 bn in France

Their investment pledges came as President Emmanuel Macron prepared to kick off on Monday the annual 'Choose France' event aimed at wooing big overseas businesses and investors

Nations struggle to draft pandemic treaty to avoid mistakes made in Covid

After the coronavirus pandemic triggered once-unthinkable lockdowns, upended economies and killed millions, leaders at the World Health Organisation and worldwide vowed to do better in the future. Years later, countries are still struggling to come up with an agreed-upon plan for how the world might respond to the next global outbreak. A ninth and final round of talks involving governments, advocacy groups and others to finalise a pandemic treaty is scheduled to end Friday. The accord's aim: guidelines for how the WHO's 194 member countries might stop future pandemics and better share scarce resources. But experts warn there are virtually no consequences for countries that don't comply. WHO's countries asked the UN health agency to oversee talks for a pandemic agreement in 2021. Envoys have been working long hours in recent weeks to prepare a draft ahead of a self-imposed deadline later this month: ratification of the accord at WHO's annual meeting. But deep divisions could derail ..