Hydroxychloroquine tied to higher risk of deaths, heart issues: Study

New York: Antimalaria drugs that US President Donald Trump has touted for treatment of Covid-19 were linked to an increased risk of death and heart ailments in a study. Hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine didnt benefit patients with the coronavirus, either alone or in combination with an antibiotic, according to the study published Friday by The Lancet medical journal.Researchers are searching through available options to treat the coronavirus, which has killed more than 330,000 people, including drugs like the antimalarials that are also already approved to treat lupus and rheumatoid arthritis....read more

CMAAO Coronavirus Facts and Myth Buster 103: Lab Parameters

(With inputs from Dr Monica Vasudev)889 What are the common lab findings:Lymphopenia is the most common laboratory finding seen in 83% of hospitalized patients. Worsening lymphopenia is a bad sign.Procalcitonin is usually normal on admission, but the levels may increase among those admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU). ....read more

World COVID Meter 22nd May: Living with COVID 1.0: End Fear Pandemic

212 Countries affected, Nearly 99 K cases and 4.5 K deaths per day. Minimum Likely Deaths 341456. Total cases 5 .2 MPresident Trump on hydroxychloroquine; Moderna vaccine tested in people appeared to be safe and able to stimulate an immune response against the virus. WHO agreed to initiate an inquiry into the global response to the pandemic, at the end of a rough annual meeting that saw the U.S. and China taking hits at each other. ....read more

Confession

Confession is one of the many ways of detoxifying the mind. It has its roots in Hindu mythology but today it is mainly practiced in Christian religion as a hardcore ritual. Among Christians one usually goes to a Church and confesses to the Bishop without disclosing his or her identity.In Hindu mythology, confession is a routine spiritual practice. People can confess to their Guru, to their God in the temple or their mentor....read more

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Oxford vaccine failure or success

Healthcare News Monitor

Coronavirus: Bangladesh doctors say treatment using anti-parasite drug gave astounding results

India Today

A combination of an anti-parasite drug with an antibiotic produced "astounding" results when used to treat the coronavirus, helping dozens of patients recover within four days without side effects, medical experts in Bangladesh say. A medical team lead by Dr Md Tarek Alam, head of the Bangladesh Medical College Hospitals medicine department, reported the findings, according to PTI. The team combined Ivermectin -- generally used for de-worming and as a treatment against head lice and scabies -- with the antibiotic Doxycycline. All 60 patients who received the treatment recovered, Dr Alam said. In early April, a study reported that Ivermectin stopped the coronavirus from growing in cell culture within two days, according to the news agency. No widely approved treatments exist yet for the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. But a U.S. trial showed that Gilead Sciences Incs remdesivir cut hospital stays by 31 per cent compared with a placebo, although it didnt significantly improve survival. The U.S. granted the drug authorisation for emergency use on May 1.

From Disruptive Covid Chaos, Comes an Opportunity for India’s Pharmaceutical Industry

The Wire- Vaishali Basu Sharma

COVID 19 has brought to the fore and fused the subjects of science, sustainability, and social issues. On May 14, 2020 the Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) announced that it would partner with the World Health Organization (WHO) on the Global Solidarity Trial for Treatment of the COVID-19 disease and fast-track trials to help in finding an effective treatment. 25% or 1.69 million of the 4.64 million people affected by the virus have been cured. According to the WHO, there are currently no drugs licensed for the treatment or prevention of COVID-19. Vaccines and treatment options for COVID-19 are currently being investigated around the world. Researchers are performing randomized controlled trials in humans before potential vaccines and other treatments become available. ‘Global Solidarity’ is an international clinical trial to compare four treatment options against the standard of care to assess their relative effectiveness against COVID-19. WHO has donated Gilead’s Remdesivir and Merck’s Interferon to ICMR for solidarity trial in India. There’s some evidence that certain medications may have the potential to be effective in treating the symptoms of COVID-19. Treatment options that are currently being investigated for protection against SARS-CoV-2 and treatment of COVID-19, include the use of Remdesivir, a broad-spectrum antiviral drug originally designed to target Ebola. Chloroquine used for the treatment of malaria and autoimmune diseases, is another drug that researchers say is highly effective at fighting the novel coronavirus. The Chinese government has recommended HIV drug Kaletra also known as Aluvia, as a treatment. Kaletra’s two antiretroviral components, Lopinavir and Ritonavir, are protease inhibitors designed to block HIV viral replication. ICMR has approved a Lopinavir-Ritonavir fixed dose combination (FDC), for Covid-19 patients. The Task Force for Repurposing of Drugs ranked Favipiravir and Tocilizumab as the most promising to fight the disease.

Maharashtra takes 80% beds in private hospitals, caps charges for treatment

The Indian Express- Tabassum Barnagarwala

After negotiating for several days with private hospitals, the Maharashtra government Thursday night issued a notification taking over 80 per cent beds in private hospitals and nursing homes across the state. In Mumbai alone, this will open up around 4,400 hospital beds in the private sector. The city has been struggling with a shortage of beds to treat critically ill Covid-19 patients. With 41,642 Covid-19 cases, Maharashtra accounts for a third of all cases in India. The notification covers hospitals run by charitable trusts, including all the big Mumbai hospitals such as H N Reliance, Lilavati, Breach Candy, Jaslok, Bombay Hospital, Bhatia, Wockhardt, Nanavati, Fortis, L H Hiranandani and P D Hinduja among others. The government has also capped treatment charges for Covid-19 and other illnesses to be treated in the new capacity created in these hospitals and nursing homes. State officials said these beds will be managed through a central portal and patients will be directed to the hospital where a bed is available. The charges for a Covid-19 patient in isolation ward cannot be more than Rs 4,000 a day, the maximum charge for an ICU (for (intensive care unit) is capped at Rs 7,500 a day, and charges for ventilator are capped at Rs 9,000 a day. The new charges will include drugs, doctor consultation fees, nursing, food and bed charges, but will exclude a Covid test, personal protective equipment, MRI, CT scan and expensive drugs like Tocilizumab. Earlier, a Covid-19 patient was normally charged between Rs 40,000 and Rs 50,000 a day for ventilator in a private hospital. With caps, the charges will be lower by as much as 82 per cent.

COVID-19 Patient In Pune Recovers After Plasma Therapy: Hospital

NDTV- PTI

A COVID-19 patient has recovered from the disease after he was given plasma-therapy, Punes Sasoon Hospital said in a statement. "First convalescent plasma therapy has been performed successfully at Punes Sasoon Hospital. A patient tested positive for COVID19 was given plasma for two continuous days on 10 and 11 May (200 ML)," Sasoon Hospital said. According to hospital officials, the patient has been shifted out of COVID ward now as his reports came negative. "He will be soon discharged from hospital," Sasoon Hospital said. Total number of coronavirus cases in Maharashtra has climbed to 41,642 including 1,454 deaths.