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Coronavirus LIVE Updates: PM Modi Remembers Those Who Died of Covid, Worried About Black Fungus; Goa Curfew Extended Till May 31

Coronavirus LIVE Updates: The figures have come to fore a day after Centre urged all states and Union territories to declare it as a notifiable disease under the Epidemic Diseases Act to ensure mandatory surveillance to tackle the 'new challenge'.

News18.com | May 21, 2021, 15:55 IST

Coronavirus LIVE Updates: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday lauded doctors, nurses and paramedical staff of his Lok Sabha constituency Varanasi for their efforts in fighting Covid-19. The prime minister gave a new slogan “Jahan bimar, wahin upchar (treatment of the ailing at their doorstep)” during his video conference with the healthcare professionals, saying this can bring down the pressure that the second wave of COVID-19 has put on the country’s health system.

“A lot of work has been done, but there is also a need to concentrate on the rural areas of ‘Purvanchal’ (eastern region of Uttar Pradesh),” Modi stressed. The effect of the pandemic has been so vast that despite all efforts, numerous lives were lost, the prime minister said in a voice choked with emotion.

“You have contained the virus significantly but there should be no complacency as it is going to be a long fight,” Modi told the doctors and frontline workers of Varanasi. He also took stock of the functioning of various COVID hospitals in the holy city, including the Pandit Rajan Mishra COVID Hospital which was recently started through joint efforts of the DRDO and the Indian Army.

May 21, 2021 15:55 (IST)
Stronger Immune System is Making Young Covid-19 Patients Very Sick in Second Wave: Report

Doctors have said that a large number of young aged between 18 and 45 are suffering from severe symptoms, partly due to their stronger immune system.

May 21, 2021 15:30 (IST)

Maharashtra Deputy CM Speaks on Shortage of Black Fungus Injections | "Presently there are over 300 cases of black fungus in Pune, including many outsiders (residents of other districts). There is shortage of injections for them. If there are 300 patients, around 1800 injections a day are needed and that is not available in required number," ANI quotes Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar as saying.

May 21, 2021 15:21 (IST)

READ | Third Wave of Covid-19 and Children: What You Need to Know About India’s Strategy and Vaccines for Kids

Even as India grapples with the second wave of Covid-19 that left health systems across the country crumbling, experts are already calling for preparations for the third wave, which they predict will…

May 21, 2021 14:30 (IST)

Pregnancy During COVID-19 Lockdown: How the Pandemic Has Affected New Mothers

For the millions of women who celebrated their first Mother’s Day in May 2021, their transition into motherhood occurred in the shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic. Preparing for childbirth can be joyful and exciting, but COVID-19 restrictions disrupted many women’s prenatal care and forced some mothers to deliver their infants, without partner or family support. Others faced separation from their newborns immediately after birth.

May 21, 2021 13:29 (IST)

READ | Hundreds, Including Covid Suspects, Queue Up at Andhra Village for 'Ayurvedic' Treatment of Virus

As India fights the second wave of deadly coronavirus, an Ayurvedic quack in Nellore, Andhra Pradesh has been distributing herbal medicine and eye drops which have been drawing huge crowds of both Covid and non-Covid patients.

May 21, 2021 13:11 (IST)

Now, Children of Covid-Recovered Families in Maharashtra Hit by Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome | Even as the country continues to grapple with a severe second wave of Covid-19, new concerns have come to light over children in Covid-recovered families in Maharashtra, with many beginning to show symptoms of multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C).

May 21, 2021 12:48 (IST)

EAM will hold discussions with US Secy of State. He'll also be meeting Cabinet member& Senior Officials of the Administration dealing with bilateral relationship. He will have two interactions with business forums on economic & COVID-related cooperation between India & US: MEA

May 21, 2021 11:57 (IST)

Black fungus will be treated in Rajasthan for free

Black fungus will be treated in Rajasthan for free. For which the state government has included Black Fungs in the Chief Minister Chiranjeevi Health Insurance Scheme. Under this scheme up to 5 lakh free health insurance is provided. Along with this, the Rajasthan government has asked for 50 thousand injections from the center for the treatment of black fungus. In which 1600 injections will be given to Rajasthan today. 

May 21, 2021 11:42 (IST)

Covid -19 Updates: A dedicated community support helpline has been operationalised by the ministry to provide AYUSH-based approaches & solutions for challenges raised by Covid. The toll-free no. is 14443. The helpline is operational pan-India from 6 am to 12 midnight on all days: Ministry of Ayush

May 21, 2021 11:11 (IST)

READ | In Clip, MP Constable Punches and Drags Woman for Not Wearing Mask, Two Cops Suspended

An assistant sub-inspector and a woman constable were suspended with immediate effect on Thursday after a video of the latter punching and dragging a woman for not wearing mask in Sagar district went viral on social media.

May 21, 2021 10:15 (IST)

Delhi HC Asks Centre to Get Black Fungus Medicine from 'Wherever it is Available in the World' | The Delhi High Court Wednesday asked the Centre to take steps to get the medicine — Amphotericin B — used for treating black fungus which is primarily affecting COVID-19 recovered people, from wherever it is available in the world.

May 21, 2021 10:00 (IST)

32,44,17,870 samples tested for Covid-19  up to 20th May 2021. Of these, 20,61,683 samples were tested yesterday: Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)

May 21, 2021 09:27 (IST)

Covid -19 Updates: A bench of Chief Justice RS Chauhan & Justice Alok Verma of Uttarakhand HC reprimanded the state government, for giving permission first to Kumbh Mela, and now to Chardham amid Covid-19 and asked to "go and see what is happening"

May 21, 2021 09:04 (IST)
May 21, 2021 08:53 (IST)

329 Doctors Succumbed to Covid-19 During 2nd Wave, Bihar Tops List: IMA

The Indian Medical Association on Thursday released fresh figures on Covid-related fatalities among doctors, saying 329 of them succumbed to the disease during the ongoing second wave of the pandemic. Bihar alone saw 80 deaths, the maximum among states, followed by Delhi (73), Uttar Pradesh (41), Andhra Pradesh (22) and Telangana (20), the IMA said.

May 21, 2021 08:46 (IST)

Covid Patient Dead, But UP Hospital 'Kept Sending SMS About Her Vitals’ to Family for 2 Days

In what could be termed as sheer negligence, a hospital in Kanpur district of Uttar Pradesh was sending a COVID-19 patient’s vital stats to her family even after her demise. The incident was reported from Hallet hospital in Kanpur, where the hospital management kept sending oxygen levels and other stats of the patient who had died two days back.

May 21, 2021 08:19 (IST)

3,231 Covid cases in Delhi, the lowest in 50 days

Delhi recorded 3,231 new Covid-19 cases on Wednesday, the lowest in the last 50 days, but fatalities remained high at 235. The positivity rate has dipped further to 5.5%, which is the lowest since April 4.

May 21, 2021 08:09 (IST)

READ | Tamil Nadu, Telangana Among Several States to Declare Black Fungus as Epidemic Amid Rising Cases, Deaths

The governments of Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Odisha, Telangana, Assam and Delhi on Thursday declared 'black fungus' or Mucormycois as a notifiable disease under Epidemic Diseases Act 1897 after a number of people were found to be infected with the disease in these states leading deaths in several cases.

May 21, 2021 08:02 (IST)

FIR has been filed against youth Congress District president Nikhil Kondajji and several others under Karnataka Epidemic Diseases Act 2020 for violating Covid-19 guidelines by reportedly partying on May 18, in Davanagere

May 21, 2021 07:59 (IST)

Maharashtra Issues SOPs Against Sexual Harassment in Covid Wards | The Maharashtra government on Thursday issued stringent SOPs in response to sexual harassment complaints of women in COVID-19 wards across the state. According to the orders, issued today, each women’s COVID-19 ward should now have panic alarm buttons.

May 21, 2021 07:55 (IST)

Covid-19 Update: Amid fears of contracting Covid, most Japan firms say Olympics should be cancelled or postponed, reports Reuters

May 21, 2021 07:48 (IST)

Bharat Biotech to Ramp Up Covaxin Production by Additional 200 Million With New Gujarat Plant | Bharat Biotech on Thursday said it has ramped up additional manufacturing capacities for the Covaxin covid-19 jabs as the country faces a severe shortage of vaccines. Chiron Behring, a subsidy of Bharat Biotech in Ankleshwar, Gujarat, plans to produce 200 million doses of Covaxin per annum in the GMP facilities that are already operational for the production of vaccines based on Inactivated Vero Cell Platform Technology, under stringent levels of GMP and biosafety, the company said in a statement.

May 21, 2021 07:44 (IST)

In view of Covid-19, textiles & jewellery shops are allowed to open with limited staff for home/online delivery of clothes/jewellery, wedding clients are allowed in the shops up to 1 hour. Migrant workers allowed for pineapple collection & related works: Govt of Kerala

May 21, 2021 07:42 (IST)
May 21, 2021 07:40 (IST)

Black Fungus a Misnomer; Not Enough Evidence That Third Wave Will Impact Kids More: Randeep Guleria

As the country witnesses a rising number of mucormycosis cases amid the COVID-19 pandemic, AIIMS Director Dr Randeep Guleria said there is a need to aggressively work on preventing the fungal infection. He said that cases of fungal infection will probably come down as the COVID-19 cases decrease.

May 21, 2021 07:20 (IST)
May 21, 2021 07:15 (IST)

Covid-19 Positivity Rate Lowest in a Month, But India Can't Afford Laxity, Says Govt | In a press briefing, Lav Agarwal, Joint Secretary of Union Health Ministry said, “There is a continued decrease in active cases in the country. Recoveries stand at 86.7 per cent. 21 states have reported more recoveries than daily Covid-19 cases. We have seen a 13-day decline straight. Death data is also going down now. Eight states in the country have more than 1 lakh active cases, nine states have between 50,000-1 lakh active cases and 19 states have less than 50,000 active cases. Tamil Nadu remains a cause of concern."

May 21, 2021 07:10 (IST)

Chinar Corps-Indian Army, with the help of civil repair team makes a 4-yr-old defunct oxygen plant operational. "After request from district admin, we arranged its spare parts & made it work in 4 days. It can now produce 700 cylinders per day," said Lt Col Niladri Roy

May 21, 2021 07:04 (IST)

In Odisha's Mayurbhanj, police buried 2 Covid bodies after family refused to touch them due to fear. "Families of Manoranjan Behera & Renuwala Khatua refused to perform their last rites. We took them from their houses & buried them ritually", Inspector-in-charge of Khunta PS said

May 21, 2021 07:01 (IST)

Covid-19 Live Update: Fall in Daily Covid-19 Cases By Over 50% in Five States; Delhi, UP See Highest Drop

Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Gujarat, Goa have reported more than 50 percent drop in daily Covid-19 cases over the week, with Delhi and Uttar Pradesh witnessing highest decrease, official data from the respective states suggest.On the contrary, from May 13 to May 19, the daily cases in Meghalaya, Lakshadweep, Arunachal Pradesh and Tripura reported over 30 percent rise, the state government data analysed by News18 suggests.

Coronavirus LIVE Updates: PM Modi Remembers Those Who Died of Covid, Worried About Black Fungus; Goa Curfew Extended Till May 31
Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacts with doctors, paramedical staff and other frontline health workers of Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.

The prime minister discussed ongoing efforts for tackling the second wave of COVID-19 in Varanasi and preparations for the future.

The deadly black fungus or mucormycosis killed as many as 126 people till Wednesday — with Maharashtra alone accounting for 90 deaths. The disease has affected close to 5,500 people across India. With 14 mucormycosis deaths, Haryana’s casualties are second highest in the country. The figures have come to fore a day after Centre urged all states and Union territories to declare it as a notifiable disease under the Epidemic Diseases Act to ensure mandatory surveillance to tackle the “new challenge”.

According to a report in Times of India, Uttar Pradesh has recorded eight deaths, all of them in Lucknow. The figures for the rest of the state are not available. Jharkhand has recorded four deaths while two deaths each have been reported from Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Bihar, Assam, Odisha and Goa have reported one death each. Some states, however, said they have not collated data on mucormycosis cases and deaths yet.

he Delhi High Court also asked the Centre to take steps to import Amphotericin-B used for treating Mucormycosis, also known as ‘black fungus’, from wherever it is available in the world to bridge its shortage “before we lose more precious lives” even as a Union minister said Indian companies have placed orders for importing 6 lakh vials of this key anti-fungal drug. Minister Mansukh Mandaviya also said 11 pharma firms in the country will produce the drug with five more approvals being given.

“You have to get the medicine from wherever in the world. You have to take steps right now. Wherever it is available in the world get it,” said a bench of Justices Vipin Sanghi and Jasmeet Singh which was assured by the Centre that it has already started taking steps to import the medicine. The court said the Centre should inform it about the steps taken to import the medicine, the shortfall of which was coming in the way of the treatment of this fungal infection which has been on the rise in the national capital and elsewhere in the country. The infection that affects the nose, eyes, sinuses, and sometimes even the brain is being detected among patients who are recovering or have recovered from COVID-19.

Central government standing counsel Kirtiman Singh and Amit Mahajan informed the court that as on May 19, there are 7,251 patients of black fungus in the country and this includes 200 in Delhi. Some states have also reported fatalities due to this disease with Maharashtra recording 90 deaths. The issue of shortage of the medicine for treating black fungus was raised by advocate Rakesh Malhotra.

Minister Mandaviya said the shortage of the anti-fungal drug will be resolved soon. “Black Fungus (Mucormycosis) curing drug #AmphotericinB’s shortage will be resolved soon! Within three days, 5 more Pharma companies have got New Drug Approval for producing it in India, in addition to the existing 6 pharma companies,” he said in a tweet.

Mandaviya, who is the Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizers, also said that existing pharma companies have already started ramping up the production of the drug. “Indian Companies have also placed orders for importing 6 lakh vials of #AmphotericinB. We are leaving no stone unturned to smoothen the situation,” he noted.

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