India has reported 59 cases of Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) and two deaths due to co-morbidities between January 6 and 29, according to Union Minister Prataprao Jadhav. The virus primarily affects young children, the elderly, and immunocompromised individuals, leading to respiratory illnesses. The government has taken measures to monitor and control the spread of HMPV cases and create public awareness.
Mumbai-based pharma major Wockhardt, which is gearing up to launch its promising antibiotic candidate Zaynich soon, on Friday announced a shift in its United States (US) operations. The Indian pharma giant revealed that it has decided to exit the generics pharmaceutical segment in the country.
A 69-year-old woman from Mehsana district, admitted to a private hospital in Ahmedabad, has been detected with HMPV. This comes just hours after health authorities announced there were no active cases of the infection in the state following the discharge of six patients. The woman was found positive for HMPV in a test conducted on January 18 and was admitted to the hospital on the same day for cough and difficulty in breathing. She does not have any travel history.
The states were requested to take a stock of hospital preparedness such as availability of drugs and medical oxygen, vaccination coverage against COVID-19 and influenza.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah alleged that the rushed approval and distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine may be a contributing factor to cardiac arrest deaths, citing several international studies that recently suggested a possible link between the vaccines and a rise in heart attacks.
However, the severity of illness is likely to be much lower, according to a study.
As many as 150 students of three government residential schools located within one campus in Gujarat's Surat district suffered from a viral infection and 18 of them, all girls, were hospitalised with fever, officials said Sunday.
Dr Rituja Ugalmugle, internal medicine specialist, Wockhardt Hospitals, lists the remedies to prevent and fight summer related ailments.
'People don't need to take any added medication other than plain fever medication.'
'Call it by whichever name, but there is transmission happening between people.'
While the Pope "continues to be alert and spent the day in an armchair" he is "in more pain than yesterday," it added.
Former Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud addresses the controversy surrounding his continued stay at his official residence after retirement, citing his daughters' medical needs and ongoing efforts to move to suitable accommodation.
Within 12 to 24 hours of stopping smoking, carbon monoxide levels in your blood will drop, and your lung function will improve in a month, notes Dr Pujan Parikh.
A Chinese team of virologists has discovered a new bat coronavirus that can infect human cells, raising concerns about potential animal-to-human transmission. The virus, a new lineage of the HKU5 coronavirus, uses the same human receptor as the virus that causes COVID-19. The study, led by Shi Zhengli, a prominent virologist at the Wuhan Institute of Virology, was published in the journal Cell. The discovery comes amid ongoing scrutiny of the Wuhan lab, which was previously accused of being the source of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Chinese government has denied any involvement in the virus's origin and insists that the Wuhan lab never engaged in gain-of-function studies on coronaviruses.
The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has detected 22 suspected cases of Guillain-Barr syndrome (GBS), an immunological nerve disorder, in the city. Samples from the affected patients have been sent to ICMR-NIV for testing. Most of the cases were detected in the Sinhgad Road area. According to doctors, GBS is a rare condition that causes sudden numbness and muscle weakness. While the condition is prevalent in both pediatric and young age groups, it does not lead to an epidemic or pandemic. The PMC has constituted a committee of experts to investigate the outbreak and conduct detailed surveillance of the patients. The civic health department has assured that there is no need for panic as of now.
Testing for influenza-like illness and severe acute respiratory infections cases has been the pillars of COVID management for the government.
Responding to a question over an Indian Council of Medical Research study which stated that 40 out of 104 people having severe acute respiratory infection and later tested positive for coronavirus did not have any recent international travel history or contact with any confirmed cases of the disease, senior official of the ministry Lav Agarwal asserted, "No community transmission has happened in the country so far. There is no need to panic."
Two Covid-19 related deaths and 20 fresh cases were reported in Karnataka, according to a Health bulletin issued on Wednesday.
Communist Party of India-Marxist General Secretary Sitaram Yechury died at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi on Thursday, September 12, 2024 following a prolonged illness, hospital and party sources said. He was 72.
South Africa's anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela was on Friday discharged from a hospital in Johannesburg after being treated for acute respiratory infection. "Medically at present, there is no need to panic. Dr Mandela had undergone routine tests for a respiratory infection. Dr Mandela is in high spirits and has been visited by his family and friends," Surgeon-General Vijaynand Ramlakan said. Mandela, 92, was admitted to Milpark Hospital on Thursday.
The H3N2, which has been in wide circulation for the past two-three months, causes more hospitalisations than other subtypes, said ICMR scientists who keep a close watch on ailments caused by respiratory viruses through the Virus Research and Diagnostic Laboratories network.
'This year there is a sharp spike in fever cases, and it seems to be more than the pre-COVID-19 levels.'
'Many of these patients arrive at emergency departments in distress, struggling to breathe and requiring immediate medical intervention.'
The official said multiple samples were sent for genome sequencing, and one of them tested positive for the JN.1 variant.
Brazilian soccer great Pele said on Saturday he was "strong" and grateful for the widespread support he has been receiving after being hospitalized in Sao Paulo earlier this week as he battles colon cancer.
Instructions have been given by the government to take necessary action immediately in districts where confirmed cases are found.
The ministry has removed its earlier recommendation of the use of anti-HIV drug combinations Lopinavir and Ritonavir on a case-to-case basis depending upon the severity of the condition of a patient suffering from coronavirus infection.
Instead of hitting the snooze button and snuggling under your blankets, take charge of your health and exercise indoors, advises Dr Manjusha Agarwal.
The researchers believe their findings provide a blueprint for a second-generation, universal vaccine that could prevent infection from current and future SARS-CoV-2 variants, including Omicron.
A 36-year-old man diagnosed with Guillain-Barr Syndrome (GBS), a rare nerve disorder, died in a civic-run hospital in Pune, taking the number of suspected GBS fatalities to three in Maharashtra. The patient, a driver with a cab service, was admitted to the Yashwantrao Chavan Memorial Hospital (YCMH) in Pimpri Chinchwad on January 21. An expert committee at YCMH concluded that the cause of death was trauma to the respiratory system due to pneumonia, leading to severe difficulty in breathing. The committee also noted that the patient had been diagnosed with GBS, with a nerve conduction test done on January 22. The immediate cause of death was identified as severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). With the latest loss of life, the number of suspected GBS deaths in Maharashtra has reached three. According to health officials, the suspected cases of the rare nerve disorder have risen to 130 in the state. Most of the cases in the state are from Pune and surrounding areas, and these infections, including the latest case, are likely linked to contaminated water sources. Campylobacter jejuni, a bacteria found in contaminated food and water, is believed to be the reason for the outbreak.
There is no current evidence from randomised controlled trial to recommend any specific treatment for suspected or confirmed patients with COVID-19.
Brazilian soccer legend Pele's cancer has advanced and he requires care related to renal and cardiac dysfunction, according to a medical report.
He was hospitalized last week to re-evaluate his treatment and is also being treated for a respiratory infection, according to medical reports.
Former prime minister Atal Behari Vajpayee's health worsened on Friday with AIIMS doctors putting him on "mechanical ventilation" after his respiratory infection worsened.
Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who was admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences following fever and chest congestion, on Thursday showed signs of improvement, doctors said. "He doesn't have fever and his lower respiratory track infection is much better. His condition is stable," AIIMS Medical Superintendent Dr D K Sharma said. The 84-year-old BJP leader was admitted to AIIMS on Tuesday night following complaints of fever and respiratory infection.
More lives in Gaza are at risk from diseases than bombings, warns the World Health Organisation (WHO) amid the ongoing Israeli siege, Al Jazeera reported.
Earlier in the day, rich tributes were paid to Yechury at the Communist Party of India (Marxist) headquarters at the AKG Bhavan here, where his mortal remains were brought from his residence in the morning.
Bad breath or 'halitosis' can have many causes such as decayed teeth, infected gums or even respiratory or gastrointestinal infections, points out rediffGURU Dr Shyam Jamalabad.
The ICMR said people having symptoms like fever, cough, sore throat and runny nose and residing in hotspots or cluster areas and in evacuee centres will now be tested for coronavirus infection.
The superstar is receiving comprehensive treatment for respiratory and gastro intestinal problems.
