COVID-19 which was considered a viral pneumonia when it was first detected eight months ago, is now a multi-systemic disease with many extra-pulmonary manifestations, warn experts and top doctors at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences. The medical experts added that involvement of other organs due to COVID-19 warrants that patients be closely followed up to check for any long lasting sequels, including reproductive health in young patients.
You can track coronavirus cases, deaths and testing rates at the national and State levels here. A list of State Helpline numbers is available as well.
Here are the latest updates:
Satyendar Jain alleges Delhi govt officers ‘pressurised’ to not increase COVID testing
Health Minister Satyendar Jain wrote to Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla, alleging that the Delhi government officers are being “pressurised” by the Home Ministry to not increase COVID-19 testing in the national capital, an allegation that was termed “baseless” by the latter.
A Home Ministry spokesperson said the marked improvement in the COVID-19 situation in Delhi has been possible due to enhanced testing and other containment measures.
“The allegation raised in the letter of the Health Minister of Delhi Govt dated August 27, 2020, which is addressed to Union Home Secretary, to the effect that MHA is putting pressure on Delhi Govt officers not to increase testing in Delhi is false and baseless,” the spokesperson tweeted.
Responding to the ministry spokesperson’s tweet, Jain said, ” I hope that the officers will comply with this msg from MHA. I am sure that the officers, who were reluctant to increase testing today citing pressure from MHA, will immediately increase testing in Delhi." - PTI
No need for alarm on COVID-19 reinfection, say scientists
The first documented instance of coronavirus reinfection came from Hong Kong this week followed quickly by Belgium and the Netherlands reporting one case each, but there is no reason for alarm yet, say scientists, calming fears that a surge might be inevitable.
As concerns mount that herd immunity may not be enough to curb the COVID-19 pandemic, scientists in India and elsewhere said more studies are needed for a reliable inference.
Wide conclusions cannot be drawn about reinfection from individual cases, noted Belgian virologist Marc Van Ranst told PTI on the three cases reported this week. PTI
IIT-Hyderabad start-up launches reusable N-95 equivalent mask
U Safe Healthcare, a startup promoted by the Centre for Healthcare Entrepreneurship (CfHE) at the Indian Institute Technology, Hyderabad (IITH), virtually launched an N95 equivalent respirator mask, ‘US9’, here on Tuesday. These masks were used and tested by doctors at Gandhi, Osmania and Fever hospitals. The cost of the product is one tenth of other respirators available in the market.
Principal Secretary Jayesh Ranjan during the launch of a mask in Sangareddy. | Photo Credit: Mohd Arif
The mask filtration rate is 98%, bacterial filtration rate 99.7% and it has passed the tests of breathability, splash resistance and flammability. It has a dual model of reusable and disposable replaceable filter. It was tested for leaks with thermal image analysis at IITH. The filtration for cartridges in the respirator has been certified by South India Textile Research Association (SITRA).
With over 77,000 new cases, COVID-19 tally in India climbs to 33.8 lakh
A record single-day spike of 77,266 COVID-19 cases pushed India’s virus tally to 33,87,500, while the recoveries surged to 25,83,948 on Friday, according to the Union Health Ministry data. The death toll climbed to 61,529 with 1,057 people succumbing to the diseases in a span of 24 hours, the data updated at 8 am showed.
The recovery rate was recorded at 76.28 per cent, while the COVID-19 case fatality rate has further declined to 1.82 per cent.
There are 7,42,023 active cases of coronavirus infection in the country which comprises 21.90 per cent of the total caseload, the data stated. - PTI
An average of 7.7 contacts traced for every COVID-19 patient in Bengaluru
With the number of COVID-19 cases on the rise, particularly in Bengaluru, the city civic authorities are struggling with contact tracing. However, in the last one week, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has stepped up efforts and on a average as many as 7.7 contacts are traced for every person who has tested positive.
On an average, in Bengaluru, the BBMP has been able to trace more secondary contacts than primary contacts. The authorities have traced 3.4 primary contacts and 4.3 secondary contacts in the last seven days for every person testing positive. An analysis done by the BBMP COVID-19 War Room of contact traced in the last one week shows that on an average, the highest number of contacts for every COVID-19 positive case tested is in the Bommanahalli zone. As many as 14.2 people are traced as contacts for every person testing positive in that zone.
Bangladesh allows human trial of COVID-19 vaccine developed by Chinese company
Bangladesh has given approval for the final stage human trial of a prospective COVID-19 vaccine developed by a Chinese company, as the country reported 45 new deaths and over 2,400 fresh infections.
The vaccine developed by China’s Sinovac Biotech Ltd was described by the country’s health minister Zahid Maleque as one of the most potential vaccine candidates in the world.
“We have given the approval for the human trial of COVID-19 vaccine developed by Sinovac in Bangladesh after examining all necessary research protocols,” Mr. Maleque told a media briefing. - PTI
Koyambedu complex will resume operations next month
The Koyambedu Wholesale Market complex will be reopened next month.
The foodgrains market will be the first to open on September 18 followed by the wholesale vegetable market on September 28, while others like the fruits and flowers market and retail traders will be allowed to operate later, as a precautionary measure against COVID-19.
UN backs testing people without symptoms
The World Health Organization said Thursday that countries should actively test people to find coronavirus cases even if they don’t show symptoms — a stance that comes after the US health agency switched its policy to say that asymptomatic contacts of infected people don’t need to be tested.
At a press briefing, Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO’s technical lead for COVID-19, said when officials are investigating clusters of COVID-19, testing may need to be expanded to look for individuals who are on the more mild end of the spectrum or who may indeed be asymptomatic. - AP