Airports AC systems could be promoting rapid coronavirus spread?

Opinion: All cases in India are linked to International air travel. All were asymptomatic before in the country of origin, during air travel and at the time of landing.

All developed fever and cough after a few days of reaching India. One of the possibilities is that they acquired infections not in the country but the airport.

Average incubation period of corona is 3-5 days (2-14 days) from people coming from outside Wuhan. ....read more

Italy locks down most of its wealthy north to fight corona

Italy’s government early Sunday took the extraordinary step of locking down much of the country’s north, restricting the movement for about a quarter of the population (16 million) in regions that serve as the country’s economic engine.

Italy’s government early Sunday took the extraordinary step of locking down much of the country’s north, restricting the movement for about a quarter of the population (16 million) in regions that serve as the country’s economic engine.

The move represents the most sweeping effort outside China to stop the spread of the coronavirus, and is tantamount to sacrificing the Italian economy in the short term to save it from the ravages of the virus in the long term. By taking such tough measures, Italy, which is suffering the worst outbreak in Europe, sent a signal that restrictive clampdowns at odds with some of the core values of western democracies may be necessary to contain and defeat the virus....read more

Hong Kong COVID-19 Hospital Acquired Infection Rate Zero

Medscape: Hong Kongs public hospital system appears to have successfully protected both patients and staff from SARS-CoV-2, according to a study published online in Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology. During the first 42 days of the outbreak, the 43 hospitals in the network tested 1275 suspected cases and treated 42 confirmed patients.However, there are no nosocomial infections or infections among the healthcare personnel.....read more

Facts about Soul and the Spirit

• Energy is the raw material of the universe.
• Information is the organization of energy into reproducible patterns.
• Consciousness is living information and energy (living energized information)....read more

How Corona Aware Are You

Health Sutras By Dr K K Aggarwal

Do not ignore early morning chest pain as most heart attack deaths occur in the early morning.

Healthcare News Monitor

Covid-19 outbreak: China import cuts cause drug crunch in Punjab

The Times of India- Vinod Kumar

With the outbreak of coronavirus (Covid-19) impacting supply of raw material from China for medicines, Punjab is staring at a shortage of essential drugs. To take stock of the situation, Punjab food and drugs administration (FDA) held a meeting with pharma companies in the state which informed that they have stock to meet requirements up to March 31 and might face shortage thereafter as 70% of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) are imported from China. FDA has directed all manufacturers to regularly submit report of APIs stock available with them and shortage if any. Recognising gravity of the issue, FDA has asked companies not to move application seeking no objection certificate for export of APIs/formulation to other countries. Fearing drug shortage, the central government has already imposed an embargo on export. India is worlds biggest supplier of generic drugs. "We will not entertain such applications for grant of NOC till the government of India does away with the restriction," FDA commissioner K S Pannu said. He said manufacturers had been directed to comply with price ceiling fixed by National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) and not to unnecessarily hold stock of life-saving essential drugs. Hew said drug-makers should ensure availability of such drugs to consumers. "Indulging in black marketing and hoarding of stock will invite violations of Drugs Price Control Order (DPCO), 2013," Pardeep Kumar, joint commissioner (drugs), said. The Drugs Prices Control Order has been issued by the central government under Section 3 of the Essential Commodities Act, 1955, to regulate prices of drugs. Once a drug is included in the list, National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) can fix its price. Those found violating the price fixed by NPPA are liable to face prosecution under the Essential Commodities Act (ECA), 1955.

Pharma sales growth back in double digits in February led by respiratory drugs

Mint- Leroy Leo

After two months of tepid performance, Indias pharmaceutical sales rose 12.1% year-on-year to ₹12,072.9 crore in February led by double-digit growth in eight of 10 segments, according to data from market research firm AIOCD-AWACS. In December and January, sales were at 8.8% and 7.7% respectively. Growth in February was primarily driven by price hikes, contributing 5.4 percentage points, while a rise in volumes and introduction of new products added of 3.8 and 2.9 percentage points respectively, AIOCD-AWACS said. Sales of respiratory and anti-infective drugs topped charts in February. Respiratory medicine sales grew a stellar 17.9% on year to ₹1,053.2 crore, while anti-infective sales rose 14.1% to ₹1,640.6 crore in February, pushing Indian pharmaceutical markets growth back into double digits. The robust performance in February was also on account of double-digit rise in other segments like cardiac care, gastrointestinal, anti-diabetic and analgesics, among others. During the 12 months ended February, pharmaceutical companies in India clocked sales of ₹1.4 lakh crore, up 9.7% year-on-year, with price increases being a major contributor to the higher revenue. Sales of medicines not under price controls grew at a faster pace of 9.8% than the 9.1% recorded by those under National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM). According to the data, over the last one year, growth in sales of medicines not under NLEM was primarily due to price increases, with volumes rising less than 1%. Cardiac care, anti-infective and anti-diabetic drugs led the year-long sales growth.

Coronavirus scare: Bengal man dies after returning from Saudi Arabia with fever

The Times of India

A 33-year-old labourer from Murshidabad who had returned from Saudi Arabia on Saturday with cough, fever and breathing distress, and had been admitted to Murshidabad Medical College and Hospital, died on Sunday. The swab sample has been sent to NICED in Kolkata to find out if he had been suffering from Covid-19. The report is expected on Monday. Till now, no Covid-19 case has been detected in the state. Another Murshidabad resident, a 21-year-old youth who returned to Kolkata from Dubai on Sunday morning, was admitted to Beliaghata ID Hospital after being thermal screened at Kolkata airport and was found to have with fever, cough and cold. Coronavirus fear goes viral: Why you shouldn’t panic Doctors said the 21-year-old youth worked as a sweeper in Saudi Arabia and had been suffering from fever and cold when he took a flight home. After being screened at the airport, he was handed over to workers from the health department who brought him to Beliaghata ID Hospital in a special ambulance around 11.15am. He was admitted in IB6 ward and doctors said his fluid sample would be sent for tests on Monday. Coronavirus outbreak: Dos and Donts With the addition of the youth, two persons are now admitted to ID Hospital as coronavirus suspects. If their test reports are negative, they will be discharged but will be advised home isolation for four weeks.

Doctors body asks for risk allowance

The Times of India- PTI

Federation of Residents Doctors Association has demanded risk hazard allowance from the health ministry. In a letter written to the Union health minister, Harsh Vardhan, on Friday, the resident doctors union has said morbidities and mortalities among healthcare professionals involved in outbreak response and patient care was common. "Doctors are also at risk of exposure to common infectious diseases such as TB, HIV, hepatitis, Malaria, typhoid and others," FORDA said.

Healthcare News Monitor

Covid-19 outbreak: China import cuts cause drug crunch in Punjab

The Times of India- Vinod Kumar

With the outbreak of coronavirus (Covid-19) impacting supply of raw material from China for medicines, Punjab is staring at a shortage of essential drugs. To take stock of the situation, Punjab food and drugs administration (FDA) held a meeting with pharma companies in the state which informed that they have stock to meet requirements up to March 31 and might face shortage thereafter as 70% of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) are imported from China. FDA has directed all manufacturers to regularly submit report of APIs stock available with them and shortage if any. Recognising gravity of the issue, FDA has asked companies not to move application seeking no objection certificate for export of APIs/formulation to other countries. Fearing drug shortage, the central government has already imposed an embargo on export. India is worlds biggest supplier of generic drugs. "We will not entertain such applications for grant of NOC till the government of India does away with the restriction," FDA commissioner K S Pannu said. He said manufacturers had been directed to comply with price ceiling fixed by National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) and not to unnecessarily hold stock of life-saving essential drugs. Hew said drug-makers should ensure availability of such drugs to consumers. "Indulging in black marketing and hoarding of stock will invite violations of Drugs Price Control Order (DPCO), 2013," Pardeep Kumar, joint commissioner (drugs), said. The Drugs Prices Control Order has been issued by the central government under Section 3 of the Essential Commodities Act, 1955, to regulate prices of drugs. Once a drug is included in the list, National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) can fix its price. Those found violating the price fixed by NPPA are liable to face prosecution under the Essential Commodities Act (ECA), 1955.

Pharma sales growth back in double digits in February led by respiratory drugs

Mint- Leroy Leo

After two months of tepid performance, Indias pharmaceutical sales rose 12.1% year-on-year to ₹12,072.9 crore in February led by double-digit growth in eight of 10 segments, according to data from market research firm AIOCD-AWACS. In December and January, sales were at 8.8% and 7.7% respectively. Growth in February was primarily driven by price hikes, contributing 5.4 percentage points, while a rise in volumes and introduction of new products added of 3.8 and 2.9 percentage points respectively, AIOCD-AWACS said. Sales of respiratory and anti-infective drugs topped charts in February. Respiratory medicine sales grew a stellar 17.9% on year to ₹1,053.2 crore, while anti-infective sales rose 14.1% to ₹1,640.6 crore in February, pushing Indian pharmaceutical markets growth back into double digits. The robust performance in February was also on account of double-digit rise in other segments like cardiac care, gastrointestinal, anti-diabetic and analgesics, among others. During the 12 months ended February, pharmaceutical companies in India clocked sales of ₹1.4 lakh crore, up 9.7% year-on-year, with price increases being a major contributor to the higher revenue. Sales of medicines not under price controls grew at a faster pace of 9.8% than the 9.1% recorded by those under National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM). According to the data, over the last one year, growth in sales of medicines not under NLEM was primarily due to price increases, with volumes rising less than 1%. Cardiac care, anti-infective and anti-diabetic drugs led the year-long sales growth.

Coronavirus scare: Bengal man dies after returning from Saudi Arabia with fever

The Times of India

A 33-year-old labourer from Murshidabad who had returned from Saudi Arabia on Saturday with cough, fever and breathing distress, and had been admitted to Murshidabad Medical College and Hospital, died on Sunday. The swab sample has been sent to NICED in Kolkata to find out if he had been suffering from Covid-19. The report is expected on Monday. Till now, no Covid-19 case has been detected in the state. Another Murshidabad resident, a 21-year-old youth who returned to Kolkata from Dubai on Sunday morning, was admitted to Beliaghata ID Hospital after being thermal screened at Kolkata airport and was found to have with fever, cough and cold. Coronavirus fear goes viral: Why you shouldn’t panic Doctors said the 21-year-old youth worked as a sweeper in Saudi Arabia and had been suffering from fever and cold when he took a flight home. After being screened at the airport, he was handed over to workers from the health department who brought him to Beliaghata ID Hospital in a special ambulance around 11.15am. He was admitted in IB6 ward and doctors said his fluid sample would be sent for tests on Monday. Coronavirus outbreak: Dos and Donts With the addition of the youth, two persons are now admitted to ID Hospital as coronavirus suspects. If their test reports are negative, they will be discharged but will be advised home isolation for four weeks.

Doctors body asks for risk allowance

The Times of India- PTI

Federation of Residents Doctors Association has demanded risk hazard allowance from the health ministry. In a letter written to the Union health minister, Harsh Vardhan, on Friday, the resident doctors union has said morbidities and mortalities among healthcare professionals involved in outbreak response and patient care was common. "Doctors are also at risk of exposure to common infectious diseases such as TB, HIV, hepatitis, Malaria, typhoid and others," FORDA said.