The Indian government has advised states to intensify surveillance for respiratory illnesses, including influenza-like illness (ILI) and severe acute respiratory illnesses (SARI), following the detection of five human metapneumovirus (HMPV) cases in the country. The decision comes amidst reports of a surge in HMPV cases in China. The Union Health Secretary, Punya Salila Srivastava, chaired a virtual meeting with states and union territories to discuss the situation and public health measures. While there is no cause for public concern, the government is emphasizing the importance of preventive measures such as handwashing, covering coughs and sneezes, and avoiding close contact with those showing symptoms.
"Dr Vipin Srivastava who took charge as the interim vice-chancellor of Hyderabad Central University has proceeded for leave from the afternoon of January 29 and the next senior most professor Dr M Pariasamy will perform the duties of the V-C till further orders," a university official said.
However, it did not mention the period of leave.
"The current environment on the campus is extremely vitiated and is perceived by the Dalit community as intimidating and hostile," he said.
Six of the seven students of the Hyderabad Central University, on hunger strike to protest the suicide of Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula, have been shifted to a health centre even as the agitators today took out a march to the residence of the interim head of the institution.
Faculty members put in their papers from their respective posts in solidarity with the protesting students over the suicide of Rohith Vemula.
Agitators called for a 'Chalo HCU' protest march to press their demand for a 'Rohith Act' to safeguard SC/ST students.
Faculty members are also continuing in the administrative position.
Senior Union Human Resources Development ministry officials said in Delhi that Justice (retd) Roopanwal will review the entire sequence of events, the circumstances and to establish facts and correctives in the context of the incident in a university.
The SC and ST Teachers Forum said in a statement that its members would go on a hunger strike from Thursday to press for the resignation of VC Appa Rao and the interim VC 'in order to resume academic and administrative activities'.
A stage seems to have set for confrontation between students of University of Hyderabad and its authorities over organisation of "Shahadat Din" on Tuesday in memory of dalit scholar Rohit Vemula whose alleged suicide last year had raised a political firestorm.
Hyderabad Central University says it had taken a 'lenient view' by not imposing 'complete suspension' of the five research scholars, including the Dalit PhD student who committed suicide.
Amazon Prime Video has announced a huge number of assorted Web series and movies, and the slate sure looks interesting.
Security was beefed up with a large number of police personnel being deployed around the campus as a precautionary measure.
Nelli Praveen Kumar, aged about 25, a first semester student of Master of Fine Arts course of Department of Fine Arts, Sarojini Naidu School of Arts and Communication, was found hanging from ceiling in the room at about 4.15 am
Dalit faculty members on Thursday threatened to step down from administrative positions if their key demand of revocation of suspension of four other students is not met.
National Aviation Company Ltd, which runs Air India, has constituted committees to review productivity-linked incentives and cost cutting measures. These will talk with the labour unions and report on Monday.
Given the controversy over Uttar Pradesh's population control moves, Hemant Shivsaran/Rediff.com digs deep to find out how many children BJP MLAs in UP have.
Rohith, like Mahatma Gandhi, was not allowed to speak the truth by the forces who killed him, said Congress vice president.
The storm over the suicide of a Dalit student in Hyderabad University intensified on Thursday.
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