Tag: COVID19

COVID-19 surge: Centre asks states to stay alert, identify hotspots

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New Delhi: Amid rising cases of coronavirus, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Friday held a review meeting and advised states to stay alert and be prepared for COVID-19 management.
In the meeting with state health ministers and principal and additional chief secretaries held virtually, Mandaviya stressed on identifying emergency hotspots by monitoring trends of influenza-like illness (ILI) and severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) cases, ramping up testing and vaccination and ensuring readiness of hospital infrastructure.
Along with enhancing genome sequencing and ramping up whole genome sequencing of positive samples, he also emphasised on creating awareness about following Covid-appropriate behaviour.

The Centre and the states need to continue working in collaborative spirit as was done during the previous surges for COVID-19 prevention and management, Mandaviya said.
He also urged the state health ministers to conduct mock drills of all hospital infrastructure on April 10 and 11 and review the health preparedness with district administrations and health officials on April 8 and 9.
States and Union territories were further informed that currently WHO is closely tracking one variant of interest (VOI), XBB.1.5 and six other variants are under monitoring (BQ.1, BA.2.75, CH.1.1, XBB, XBF and XBB.1.16), a health ministry statement said.
It was highlighted that while Omicron and its sub-lineages continue to be the predominant variant, most of the assigned variants have little or no significant transmissibility, disease severity or immune escape. The prevalence of XBB.1.16 increased from 21.6 per cent in February to 35.8 per cent in March, 2023.
However, no evidence of an increase in hospitalisation or mortality has been reported, the statement said.

During the meeting, it was observed that 23 states and Union territories had average tests per million below the national average, according to a health ministry statement.
Mandaviya said irrespective of the new variants, the five-fold strategy of ‘Test-Track-Treat-Vaccinate and adherence to Covid-appropriate behaviour’ continue to remain the tested strategy for Covid management.
This would facilitate undertaking of appropriate public health measures, he said.
States and Union territories were also requested to expeditiously increase the rate of testing from the current rate of 100 tests per million, as on the week ending April 7. They were further advised to increase the share of RT-PCR in tests, the statement said.
The states and Union territories were briefed that the country has been witnessing a steady increase in COVID-19 cases with average daily cases rising to 4,188 in the week ending April 7 from 571 in the week ending March 17; and weekly positivity up to 3.02 per cent in the week ending April 7.
However, 88,503 daily average cases have been reported globally in the same time, with the top five countries contributing 62.6 per cent of global cases in the last one week, the statement said.
It was also informed that while India has achieved over 90 per cent coverage of primary vaccination, the coverage of precaution dose is very low.
The Union health minister advised the states and Union territories to ramp up vaccination of all eligible population, especially of the elderly and vulnerable population group.
It was also observed that eight states are reporting high number of Covid cases in India with 10 or more districts reporting more than 10 per cent positivity in Kerala, Maharashtra and Delhi and over 5 districts reporting more than 5 per cent positivity in Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Haryana.
Mandaviya stressed on the importance of enhancing public awareness campaigns regarding adherence to Covid-appropriate behaviour. He requested all the state health ministers to personally monitor and review the preparedness of all logistics and infrastructure including availability of sufficient designated hospital beds and ensure that there is adequate stock of essential medicines.
States were also asked to regularly update their Covid data on the Covid India portal.
They were reminded of the joint advisory issued by the Union health ministry and ICMR to all states on March 25 which calls for a reinvigorated public health response to contain the surge of seasonal influenza and Covid cases through early detection, isolation, testing and timely management of suspected and confirmed cases to detect and contain outbreaks of new SARS-CoV-2 variants.
Mandaviya requested he states and Union territories to ensure effective implementation. There was comprehensive and detailed discussion on various aspects of COVID management including ramping up of hospital infrastructure; increased testing.
Puducherry Chief Minister N Rangaswamy, health ministers of Uttarakhand (Dhan Singh Rawat), Assam (Keshab Mahanta), Goa (Vishwajit Rane), Jharkhand (Banna Gupta), Madhya Pradesh (Prabhuram Choudhury), Punjab (Balbir Singh), Manipur (Sapan Ranjan Singh), Haryana (Anil Vij), Tamil Nadu (Thiru Ma Subramanian) and Telangana (Thanneeru Harish Rao) among others attended the meeting.
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( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 7, 2023
JK Reports 48 Fresh Covid-19 Cases

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SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir reported 48 fresh COVID-19 cases, even as there were no deaths due to the virus during the last 24 hours, officials said on Wednesday.
They said that nine cases were reported from the Jammu division and 39 from the Kashmir Valley, taking the overall tally to 479,879. Among the cases, 174,161 are from Jammu division and 305,718 from the Kashmir Valley.
Providing district-wise details of the cases, they said that 10 cases were reported from Srinagar, seven each from Baramulla and Budgam, six each from Jammu and Kulgam, four from Ganderbal, two from Pulwama, and one each from Udhampur, Ramban, Reasi, Kupwara, Anantnag, and Bandipora.
There were no deaths from either Jammu or the Kashmir Valley during this time. So far, 4,786 people have succumbed to the virus, including 2,353 from the Jammu division and 2,433 from the Valley.
Besides, they said, 13 COVID-19 patients recovered during the last 24 hours, one from the Jammu division and 12 from the Kashmir Valley. There are now 191 active cases—43 in Jammu and 148 in Kashmir. (GNS)

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( With inputs from : kashmirlife.net )

April 5, 2023
Covid-19 Situation Is Under Control, No Need To Panic: Div Com

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SRINAGAR: Stating that there was no need to panic over the Covid resurgence in Jammu and Kashmir, Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, V K Bidhuri on Wednesday said that the situation is under control. He, however, said that the guidelines related to the pandemic will be issued again in case the cases increase further.
Talking to the reporters here, the Divisional Commissioner said that the cases have started increasing, but the situation is under control and being monitored.
“It may be the seasonal fluctuation as witnessed in the past, but we are monitoring the situation and people who feel any symptoms should go for testing,” he said.
He added that if the cases increase further, government will come up with fresh guidelines.
Asked about the Smart City project, he said that the work will be completed in time. “The weather is not conducive for blacktopping, but it would also be done once the weather conditions improve,” he said. (KNO)

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( With inputs from : kashmirlife.net )

April 5, 2023
COVID-19: JK Reports 40 Fresh Cases, Active Cases 166

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SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Monday reported 40 fresh cases of Covid-19, taking the number of active cases to 166 while no death was reported in the last 24 hours.
An official said that among 40 new cases, 19 have been reported from the Kashmir division and 21 from the Jammu division.
He said the total number of active cases in the union territory is 166, including 125 from the Kashmir division and 41 from the Jammu division.
“Among the fresh 40 cases in Kashmir, four each are from Anantnag, Kulgam and Srinagar, three from Baramulla, two from Pulwama and one each from Budgam and Kupwara; and among 14 from the Jammu division, three from Poonch and one each from Rajouri, Doda, Kathua and Reasi,” he said.
In the last 24 hours, 1125 Covid-19 tests were conducted in the UT, he added. (KNO)

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( With inputs from : kashmirlife.net )

April 3, 2023
Amid fresh spike in Covid-19 cases DHSK asks CMOs to increase testing rate

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Srinagar, April 03: Amid fresh spike in Covid-19 cases in Kashmir, Directorate of Health Services Kashmir has directed all Chief Medical Officers of the Valley to increase rate of Covid-19 testing and establish Flu clinics at all health institutions.
According to an order, a copy of which lies with the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), DHSK stated that there is no increase in the Covid-19 testing rate.
“Furthermore, there hasn’t been any increase in the proportion testing of RT- PCR which should be the benchmark of minimum 80% of total Covid19 testing,” it reads.
DHSK directed CMOs to increase the rate of Covid19 testing, proportion of RT-PCR testing and ensure the establishment of Flu Clinics at all the health institutions as per the guidelines issued by MOHFW—(KNO)
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( With inputs from : roshankashmir.net )

April 3, 2023
Covid-19 Scare: More Than Dozen Cases Reported In 24 Hours In JK

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SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Sunday reported 19 fresh cases of Covid-19, taking the number of active cases to 148 while no death was reported in the last 24 hours.
Quoting an official, KNO reported that among 19 new cases, 18 have been reported from Kashmir division and one from Jammu division.
He said that the total number of positive cases in Kashmir have reached to 305,631 including 303,074 recoveries and 2,433 deaths, while total number of positive cases in Jammu division have reached to 174,129 including 171,753 recoveries and 2,352 deaths.
He further said that the total number of active cases in Jammu and Kashmir are 148 including 124 from Kashmir division and 24 from Jammu division.
“Among the fresh 19 cases today, 06 are from Srinagar, 01 from Baramulla, 04 from Budgam,01 from Kupwara, 01 from Bandipora, 04 from Ganderbal and 01 from Kulgam in Kashmir division and one from Ramban in Jammu division,” he said.

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( With inputs from : kashmirlife.net )

April 2, 2023
UP: 38 school girls test Covid-19 positive in Lakhimpur Kheri

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Lakhimpur Kheri: Thirty-eight girl students of the Kasturba residential school in Mitauli block of Uttar Pradesh’s Lakhimpur Kheri district have tested positive for Covid-19 infection, a district health official said.
Lakhimpur Kheri Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Santosh Gupta, said that one staff member was also found Covid-positive during a contact tracing exercise on Sunday after which the entire campus has been turned into a quarantine centre by the Health department.
This is the highest number of new Covid cases reported in a district in a day this year.
Gupta, who rushed a medical team to the Kasturba school, said samples of all 92 contact cases of the school had been sent for testing. The report of 38 among them was positive. Most of those tested positive were asymptomatic, he added.
“All students and staff had been advised seven-day quarantine on campus and provided medicine kits. Condition of all students, barring two who have cold, is fine,” the CMO said.
Those found Covid-positive had been kept in a separate wing in the school campus, he added.
A mother and child wing in Motipur has been asked to keep 20 beds ready for any medical need among the students and staff in the campus.
“I personally spoke to students and assures them of all help. We are keeping watch on the health condition,” said Gupta. An ambulance had also been stationed at the Kasturba school in case of any emergency, he added.

With this, the number of active Covid cases had risen to 41 since March 23, he said.
On March 23, a girl student of Kasturba residential school in Mitauli block had tested positive for Covid-19. Then, an elderly person of Behjam block and another person of Mitauli block also tested positive in the last couple of days.
Meanwhile, District Magistrate, Lakhimpur Kheri, Mahendra Bahadur Singh, said all precautionary measures, including providing medical kit, sanitisation etc, had been ensured. He said there was no need to panic and urged people to strictly observe Covid-19 protocol.
(Except for the headline, the story has not been edited by Siasat staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

March 27, 2023
SC orders all prisoners released on Covid-19 parole to surrender within 15 days

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New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday said that all prisoners, released on emergency parole by the state high-powered committees constituted on its order during the Covid pandemic, will have to surrender within 15 days.
A bench of Justices M.R. Shah and C.T. Ravikumar said: “All those under-trials/ convicts who have been released on emergency parole/interim bail pursuant to the recommendation of the High-Powered Committee, in compliance of the orders, dated March 23, 2020, May 7, 2021 and July 16, 2021, passed by this court in suo moto writ petitiona have to surrender before the concerned prison authorities within 15 days.”
The bench added that the present order be intimated to the accused/inmates concerned by the jail authorities that they have now to surrender within the period of 15 days.
“However, it is observed that thereafter after the concerned prisoners/inmates surrender before the concerned prison authorities, it will be open for the concerned undertrials to pray for bail before the competent court and their applications be considered in accordance with law and on its own merits.”
It further added that after the surrender by the concerned convicts who are released on emergency parole, it will be open for them, if so advised, to pray for suspension of sentence before the concerned court in their appeals which might have been pending, and which also may be considered in accordance with law and/or on merits.
The bench noted that it is not in dispute and cannot be disputed that all those undertrial prisoners/convicts were released on interim bail/emergency parole taking into consideration the overcrowding in the prisons and to prevent the spread of Covid-19 virus among prisoners in overcrowded prisons.
“All those undertrial prisoners/convicts therefore were not released on merit but were released on the aforesaid ground alone. Therefore, now when the Covid-19 situation has now been normalised, all those prisoners/inmates/undertrial prisoners/convicts who are/were released on emergency parole/interim bail have to surrender before the concerned prison authorities,” it said.
In March 2020, the apex court took suo motu cognisance of the medical assistance needed for prisoners in overcrowded jails to save them from coronavirus, and issued notices to the Chief Secretaries, the Home Secretaries, the DGs (Prisons) and Social Welfare Secretaries of all states and Union Territories.

During the first and second wave of the pandemic, the top court had passed several orders for grant of emergency parole to prisoners to avoid the overcrowding of prisons to contain the spread of the viral infection among them.
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( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

March 24, 2023
Ajay Banga tests positive for COVID-19 during routine testing in Delhi

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Washington: World Bank presidential nominee Ajay Banga has tested positive for COVID-19 during routine testing in New Delhi where he was travelling on the last leg of his world tour, and is currently quarantining in isolation, the Department of Treasury said Thursday.
India is witnessing a spike in influenza and coronavirus cases in the past two weeks. The country has recorded 1,134 new coronavirus cases, while the active cases increased to 7,026, according to Union Health Ministry data updated on Wednesday.
Banga’s New Delhi visit (March 23 and March 24) is the final stop on his three-week global tour that began in Africa before progressing to Europe, Latin America and Asia.
“During routine testing, Ajay Banga tested positive for COVID-19 but remains asymptomatic. In adherence with local guidelines, he is quarantining in isolation,” the Department of Treasury said Thursday afternoon.
While in India, 63-year-old Banga was scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi as well as the Minister of Finance Nirmala Sitharaman and the Minister of External Affairs Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, the Treasury said in a previous statement.
India endorsed Banga’s candidacy soon after his nomination was announced.
Since then, a diverse coalition of governments has expressed their support for Banga, including Bangladesh, C te d’Ivoire, Colombia, Egypt, France, Germany, Ghana, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Saudi Arabia, the Republic of Korea, and the United Kingdom.
During his global listening tour, Banga met with senior government officials, stakeholders, business leaders, entrepreneurs, and civil society.

Along the way, he has built continuous momentum for his candidacy, gaining the support of advocates, academics, development experts, executives, Nobel Laureates, and former government officials.
If elected to serve, Banga will draw from his experience living and working in emerging markets and his expertise in forging public-private partnerships to mobilise investments and action to confront longstanding challenges.
That includes his efforts at Mastercard to successfully bring 500 million previously unbanked people into the digital economy, as well as its support for 50 million small businesses.
New Delhi logged 84 coronavirus cases with a positivity rate of 5.08 per cent on Wednesday, according to data shared by the health department.
The city has seen an increase in the number of fresh Covid infections over the last few days, amid a sharp rise in H3N2 influenza cases in the country.
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( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

March 24, 2023
Kirron Kher tests positive for Covid-19

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Mumbai: Actor and politician Kirron Kher on Monday tested positive for Covid-19.
Taking to Twitter, Kirron shared the news and wrote, “I have tested positive for Covid. So anyone who has come in contact with me please get yourself tested.”
In 2021, Kirron was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a type of blood cancer. She bounced back after her cancer recovery and was one of the judges on the reality show, India’s Got Talent.
Loved by many, Kirron has delivered memorable performances in several Bollywood films.
Kirron has played a lot of motherly roles throughout her career which is why she is now known as the quintessential mother in Bollywood films. She has earned a lot of praise for her roles in ‘Devdas’, ‘Rang De Basanti’, ‘Hum Tum’, ‘Dostana’, ‘Main Hoon Na’ and others.
She is the wife of actor Anupam Kher.
Anupam and Kirron tied the knot in 1985. She was previously married to Gautam Berry and had a son Sikandar Kher in 1981.
Meanwhile, on the work front, Anupam will be seen in ‘The Vaccine War’ and ‘Emergency’.
‘The Vaccine War’ revolves around India’s contributions in the race to produce a Covid-19 vaccine during the pandemic. It is helmed by Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri.

‘Emergency’ is Kangana Ranaut’s directorial and revolves around the life of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
On the other hand, Kirron is mainly busy with her political work as a BJP leader.
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( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

March 21, 2023