India is closely monitoring cases of Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV), but the Union Health Minister has assured the public there is no cause for worry. The virus, which is not new and has been circulating globally since 2001, has been detected in several states, including Karnataka, Gujarat, and Tamil Nadu. The Health Ministry, ICMR, and NCDC are keeping a close watch on the situation in China and neighboring countries, and the WHO is expected to share a report on the matter shortly.
The ICMR's network of laboratories will take care of diagnostics and there is enough capability to step up the supply of diagnostic kits if required, they said.
Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao has said there is no need to panic over two cases of Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) detected in the state, as the infections are caused by old virus strains and are not life-threatening. The minister said that the two infected infants are doing "normal" and advised people to follow general precautionary measures. The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has detected the two cases through routine surveillance for multiple respiratory viral pathogens.
Amid widespread protests over the rape and murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata, the Union health ministry on Friday said the heads of institutions will be responsible for filing an institutional first information report (FIR) within six hours of an incident of violence against any healthcare worker on duty.
The Union health ministry on Saturday said it has decided to postpone the NEET-PG entrance examination, scheduled to be held on June 23, as a "precautionary measure" in the wake of recent allegations on the integrity of certain competitive exams.
It is important to note that neither of the patients have any history of international travel, the ministry underlined.
The patient has been isolated at a designated hospital and is currently stable, it said, adding that there is no cause for concern.
The National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test-Post Graduate (NEET-PG) 2024 is likely to be held mid-August, sources said on Tuesday.
A suspected case of mpox infection has been reported from Malappuram district of Kerala after a man who recently returned from Dubai showed symptoms of the disease.
The ministry has identified three Centre-run hospitals -- Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, Safdarjung and Lady Hardinge -- as nodal centres in the national capital for isolation, management and treatment of any patient with mpox.
There are currently no reported cases of Monkeypox in India even though cautionary measures will be put in place to prevent and control the spread of the disease, the Union health ministry said on Saturday.
A 38-year-old man undergoing treatment in Kerala's northern Malappuram district has been confirmed to have contracted Mpox infection, the state health department said on Wednesday.
The top court dismissed a plea seeking deferment of the NEET-PG which claimed that candidates have been allocated cities that are highly inconvenient for them to reach.
FDC drugs are those which contain a combination of two or more active pharmaceutical ingredients in a fixed ratio and are also referred to as 'cocktail' drugs.
A total of 43 districts in India are currently reporting AES cases.
The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and Panacea Biotec have initiated the first-ever phase three clinical trial for developing a dengue vaccine in India, the Union Health Ministry said on Wednesday.
India has logged 123 new cases of Covid, while the number of active cases of the infection stood at 876, according to the Union Health Ministry's data updated on Tuesday.
The scare of communicable diseases seems to be gripping the country with Maharashtra reporting 28 Zika cases this year, the highest since 2021.
Non-emergency services, such as OPD and diagnostics, and elective surgeries at city-based health facilities, including at Centre-run AIIMS, Safdarjung hospital and RML hospital, are hit since Monday.
As many as 290 cases of KP.2 and 34 cases of KP.1, both sub-lineages of COVID-19 that are responsible for surge in cases in Singapore, have been found in India, according to official data.
Actor Poonam Pandey is not being considered as the brand ambassador of the government's national campaign to spread awareness on cervical cancer, Union health ministry officials said on Wednesday.
In a communication sent to all heads of central government hospitals, the ministry asked them to ensure adequate number of well secured duty rooms with basic amenities for female health professionals and deployment of women health professionals at night be preferably done in more than one in number.
The body of a woman post-graduate trainee who was allegedly raped and murdered inside a seminar hall of the hospital, was found on Friday morning. The civic volunteer was arrested on Saturday.
According to data on the Union health ministry's website, of the 142 COVID cases reported in the country till 8 am on Tuesday, 115 were from Kerala.
The government on Saturday said a committee will be formed to propose safety measures for healthcare professionals even as OPD services were hit across the country as doctors joined the 24-hour nationwide strike called by the Indian Medical Association (IMA) to protest the alleged rape and murder of a trainee medic in Kolkata.
Kerala Health Minister Veena George said that despite the increase in COVID cases in Kerala, there was nothing to be concerned about as the hospitals were well-prepared to handle the virus infection.
'The NEET-PG is the only exam for admission to MD, MS and PG Diploma courses.' 'Many doctors take time off from work to prepare for it, while others study during their long hospital shifts.'
On Tuesday, state health minister Veena George had said that despite the increase in COVID cases in Kerala, there was nothing to be concerned about as the state was well prepared to handle the virus infection.
Even though the number of cases is rising and the JN.1 sub-variant has been detected in the country, there is no cause of immediate concern as 92 per cent of those infected are opting for home-based treatment, indicating mild illness, they said.
He served as the Union health minister in Modi's first term from November 9, 2014 to May 30, 2019.
Healthcare services remained affected at state-run hospitals in West Bengal as junior doctors continued their cease-work protest.
Active COVID-19 cases in India surpassed the 10,000 mark after 134 days.
In a post on Instagram on Tuesday, Singh alleged that the administration was harassing him to prove that the child was legal.
A case of COVID-19 sub-variant JN. 1 has been detected in Kerala as part of an ongoing routine surveillance activity of the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG), a senior official from the Indian Council of Medical research (ICMR) said on Saturday.
The government also announced that healthcare cover under the Ayushman Bharat insurance scheme will be extended to all ASHA and anganwadi workers and helpers.
India witnessed a single-day rise of 36 fresh COVID-19 cases, the lowest since March 2020, while the active caseload declined to 1,844, according to Union health ministry data.
Of the fresh cases, nine were caused by JN.1, increasing the number of infections tied to the new sub-variant in the state to 10, it said.
To ensure immediate cooling of the body, the hospital has set up a first-of-its-kind heatstroke unit.
Nine cases have been detected from Maharashtra, eight from Karnataka, six from Kerala, four from Tamil Nadu and two from Telangana, they added.
India has covered enough population with vaccine and infection, but protein vaccines should remain available on payment basis for elderly and those with comorbidities.
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