Covid-19’s spread similar to H1N1’s

NEW DELHI: The geographical distribution of Covid-19 has a strikingly similar pattern with the H1N1 influenza in 2009, suggesting that though the spread in population could be high, it is unlikely to uniformly affect all parts of the country, the government said in its containment plan for large outbreaks.The plan, released on Saturday, detailed post-lockdown measures to deal with large outbreaks where efforts will be focused on active surveillance in identified geographical zones along with implementation of social distancing measures with strict perimeter control. Besides, intensified testing may be required among all suspect cases, high risk contacts and those with severe acute respiratory infection. ....read more

Special SERIES ONLY EVIDENCES on SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) - Clinical presentation (Part 5)

Clinical presentation (Part 5)What are the signs and symptoms of an infected person?What is known?The majority of COVID-19 cases are mild (81%, N = 44,000 cases)....read more

CMAAO Corona Facts and Myth Buster 34

CDC recommends people wear cloth masks to block the spread of COVID-19Fact. Yes. Surgical masks and N95 respirators should be set aside for healthcare workers.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released guidelines to recommend that US people should wear homemade face coverings to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus. ....read more

Never hurt the ego of a person

It is a well-known Vedic fact that if you hurt the ego of a person, he will never forgive you, especially, if you have insulted or implicated him in character assassination, or have cast implications about financial embezzlement or you call a woman as old or a man as impotent in public. For example, if I hurt the ego of a chowkidaar, next time if a patient comes to the hospital gate and asks where Dr. KK Aggarwal is, he only has to whisper, “Which Aggarwal? The one whose cases never survive?” ....read more

Health Sutras By Dr K K Aggarwal

Always wash your hands before and after food and after using the bathroom.

Healthcare News Monitor

India and US must join hands during Covid-19 crisis, not increase nativist impulses

The Print- Katherine B. Hadda

Although it only concluded a month ago, US President Donald Trump’s February visit to India seems like a lifetime away. As reflected in the arms sales deals and other announcements, the visit made clear that both the US and Indian governments are moving towards a broad consensus on the issues of regional and global defense and security. However, the failure to reach even a modest trade agreement after months of intensive talks revealed a lack of similar consensus on economic issues. If there is one bright spot about the coronavirus pandemic, it is that this crisis might make it more obvious to both the United States and India how they can — and should — build on their commercial synergies to tackle the emerging problems that Covid-19 presents. US-India pharma ties: Our common interests are nowhere clearer than in the pharmaceutical industry, which has been a great success story of US-India trade and investment. It is well known that India provides 40-50 per cent of US generic drugs. But the commercial benefits from the sector are not one-sided. When I visited Dr Reddy’s Labs in Hyderabad, I saw firsthand how the company imports significant amounts of inputs from the United States. Cutting-edge pharma research also benefits from this type of cooperation. Taking advantage of global time differences, Mylan’s labs in West Virginia and Hyderabad operate and cooperate on a virtual 24/7 schedule. Yet, as the current pandemic has made clear, the pharmaceutical industry in both India and the United States has arguably become too dependent on Chinese inputs. This in turn has created uncertainties in the market just when new research and treatments are most needed. One example of this is India’s decision exports of certain drugs important to the US and other countries.

Bengaluru-based Bione launches Indias first at-home testing kit for Covid-19

ET Healthworld

With the world putting forward all measures to fight the coronavirus pandemic, genetic and microbiome testing firm Bione, on Thursday, launched Indias first Rapid Covid-19 at-home screening test kit. Experts around the world have emphasised on the need for increased testing in order to control the spread of the disease. The easy-to-use kit, approved by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), displays accurate results within minutes. To take the test, one has to clean their finger with an alcohol swab and use the lancet provided to finger-prick. The cartridge provided reads the results from the blood sample thus obtained, within 5-10 minutes. The testing kits are priced between Rs 2000-3000, depending on the global supply, and are available on the healthcare companys website and can be received within 2-3 days of placing the order. In a statement, Bione - currently equipped to supply 20,000 kits per week - said that the product has been sourced from its worldwide CE and FDA approved partners. Talking about the feat, Surendra Chikara, CEO of the Bengaluru-based company, said, "By bringing down the result time, we are looking to make an impact and help India fight Covid-19. We strongly believe that the governments support is pivotal in leading a revolution against coronavirus."

Coronavirus: Mumbai hospital says cancer patients at high risk, urges them to stay home

India Today - Saurabh Vaktania

ata Memorial Hospital in Mumbai has urged cancer patients to stay home as they face higher risk after contracting the novel coronavirus. Cancer patients are on high risk due to lockdown and rapid spread of the deadly virus, said the hospital. Tata Memorial Hospital is strongly urging patients to not leave their home. The doctors are also asking people to avoid unessential travel to the hospital and urged them to take advice online through its portal Navya Care. Therefore, cancer patients can get advice from experts online, without stepping out of their homes. We believe that patients with cancer might be at an increased risk of Covid-19 because they are immunocompromised. This is why we are strongly advising cancer patients or their caregivers from undertaking any and all nonessential travel to Tata Memorial Centre. Tele-health has never played a more important role in saving lives, said Padma Shri Dr. Rajendra Badwe, Director, Tata Memorial Centre. On the Tata Memorial hospital website, there is a link given to Navya Care. All People have to register on the website. Cancer patients have to upload their case paper, past medical test data and prescription of medicines. Patients, who do not have website access or unaware about how to operate on the website, can contact experts on their mobiles and send the case papers via WhatsApp.

First COVID-19 positive woman in Bhopal discharged from hospital

IndiaTV

A woman who was first to test coronavirus positive in Bhopal discharged from the hospital along with her father on Saturday. She and her father who is a journalist now test negative. The 26-year-old woman from Bhopal has tested positive for coronavirus on March 22. The patient has a travel history to the United Kingdom. She returned to Bhopal three on March 19. The number of cases of the novel coronavirus across the globe crossed the 1 million mark as the global death toll topped 50,000. In India, the number of cases crossed the 3,000 marks at 3,082 and the death toll crosses 80.