Talking about the new JN.1 COVID strain, former AIIMS Director and Senior Pulmonologist Dr. Randeep Guleria on December 23, asserted that the new variant was more transmissible and was gradually becoming the dominant variant. At the same time, he added, that it wasn’t severe infection and hospitalization. " It is more transmissible, it is spreading more rapidly, it is gradually becoming a dominant variant....it is causing more infections but the data also suggests that it is not causing severe infections and hospitalization. Most of the symptoms are predominantly of the upper airways like fever, cough, cold, sore throat, running nose, and body aches," said Randeep Guleria. Speaking to ANI, chairman of INSAGCOG, Dr NK Arora said, " Within India...from October last week and then till now in last 8 weeks, we have seen 22 cases...there is no evidence that it is spreading very rapidly...Jn.1 is less than 1% of all the isolates so far. Symptoms are very similar, based on symptoms, Jn.1 cannot be differentiated from other variants...there is no increase in hospitalization...there is no need to panic but we need to be vigilant."
24 December,2023 12:42 PM IST
Former Chief Scientist at the World Health Organization, Dr Soumya Swaminathan, to the relief of many, informed that people need not panic about the new variant of COVID, JN.1. “We need to be cautious, but we don't need to worry because we don't have any data to suggest that this variant JN.1 is more severe or it's going to cause more pneumonia, more death, so I think what we need to do is try to take the normal preventive measures that we are all now familiar with. We're all now very familiar with Omicron. So it's the same family. So not much has changed, but 1 or 2 new mutations have come up. And that's why I think WHO has said let's keep a watch on it. It's a variant of interest. It's not a variant of concern," said Dr Soumya Swaminathan while speaking to ANI on December 21.
22 December,2023 11:19 AM IST | Mumbai
As the Union Health Ministry has sounded a new alert for COVID-19, preparations to fight against the disease have been started in Jammu. In Shri Maharaja Gulab Singh Hospital, one of the major hospitals in the region, a COVID ward has been set up. The centre has further directed the states to monitor the occurrence of the respiratory diseases district-wise. Corona cases have started increasing once again in India. Currently, the number of active Corona patients in the entire country has reached 2,311. Along with this, the threat of Covid JN.1 sub-variant is also being seen; its cases are being reported in the state of Kerala.
21 December,2023 11:06 AM IST
Giving a significant update on the current situation of the Nipah Virus in Kerala and the state’s response to the virus outbreak, Kerala Health Minister Veena George said that ICMR and WHO had conducted studies on the issue and it was found that 9 states in India have the probability of Nipah occurrence and Kerala is one among them.She further said, “Also after 2018, we conducted surveillance and we found that the source of Nipah infection is bats. The virus we found in Kerala is identified as Indian Genotype or I Genotype which is similar to the strain found in Bangladesh. We have two strains of Nipah Virus one is Malaysian and the other from Bangladesh."The Health Minister's update underscores the government's commitment to swiftly and comprehensively address the Nipah virus situation in Kerala. Authorities are leaving no stone unturned in their efforts to contain the outbreak, trace contacts, and gather critical scientific data for a more informed response. Public health remains the top priority as the state works diligently to manage this health challenge.
19 September,2023 03:49 PM IST | Mumbai
'The Vaccine War': Following the immense success of 'The Kashmir Files,' filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri is poised to make a triumphant return to the silver screen with his upcoming project, 'The Vaccine War.' This cinematic endeavor aims to spotlight and celebrate the tireless dedication of India's medical community in their heroic efforts to combat the COVID-19 crisis, ultimately leading the world's largest democracy to victory. National Award Winner Vivek Agnihotri articulated his motivation for undertaking this project, which primarily focuses on the remarkable scientists pivotal in developing the indigenous BBV152 vaccine. Notably, Balram Bhargava, the former director-general of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), occupies a prominent role in the narrative. With an ensemble cast featuring revered talents such as Nana Patekar, Anupam Kher, Raima Sen, and Pallavi Joshi, 'The Vaccine War' is poised to captivate the hearts of millions of cinema enthusiasts nationwide, scheduled for release on September 28th of this year. Watch the full video for more!
15 September,2023 12:00 PM IST
In his upcoming film 'The Vaccine War', filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri honors Indian scientists and doctors for their remarkable success in creating a COVID-19 vaccine. Agnihotri's aim is to spotlight India's scientific prowess to the global stage. The movie portrays the inspiring narrative of dedicated women and scientists who dedicatedly toiled within laboratories, making personal sacrifices to develop the vaccine. Agnihotri aspires for the younger generation to witness a cinematic celebration of pure scientific triumph. Watch the full video for more.
29 August,2023 05:35 PM IST
The news, rumors, and fears over H3N2 have been spreading like wildfire and this brings us to the question - can H3N2 be as life-threatening as COVID? In this episode of Health’s Up, we interview Mumbai’s top pulmonologist Dr. Jeenam Shah over the rising concerns. Watch the video.
15 March,2023 05:22 PM IST
India has reported two deaths due to the influenza subtype A H3N2 virus in Karantaka and Haryana. While the Ministry of Health and ICMR have issued advisory, know more details of the virus, its symptoms and precautions to prevent it.
13 March,2023 07:45 PM IST | Mumbai
Mid-Day Rewind 2022
As December 2022 comes to an end, and new year is around the corner, let us take a look at the global news that left a mark on us. From Russia’s horrific invasion of Ukraine to the assassination of Japan’s Former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to India Taking the G20 Presidency, let us revisit the biggest news that happened this year around the globe. China is struggling with a rush of Covid cases after it started moving away from its zero-Covid policy which mandated strict lockdowns, quarantining and closed borders. Experts have that the current Covid surge in China is "unlikely" to impact India, but they urged people to stay cautious and wear masks. India assumed the G20 Presidency in December from Indonesia. This year, the G20 summit happened in Indonesia, where leaders from across the globe were present. A tragic event happened in Seoul, where more than 150 people were killed in a Halloween stampede. Japan’s Former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s assassination came as a shock to everyone. Queen Elizabeth II- the UK’s longest-serving monarch died at age 96 in September. In February, Vladimir Putin announced Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. When 22-year-old Mahsa Amini died in suspicious circumstances after being arrested by Iran’s police in September, it triggered unprecedented protests in the conservative nation. #Middayrewind2022 #GlobalNews #InternationalNews
31 December,2022 12:46 PM IST
Taking note of rising cases of COVID globally, Union Health Ministry issued fresh guidelines on December 23. Mandaviya advised all states and Union Territories to remain alert and keep all preparedness for COVID-19 management. They were further advised to increase the share of RT-PCR in tests. #Covidupdates #BF.7Variant #Covidguidelines
24 December,2022 01:09 PM ISTADVERTISEMENT
