A cheaper, faster Covid-19 test

Stockholm: A method for fast, cheap, yet accurate testing for Covid-19 infection has been developed by a team of researchers. The method simplifies and frees the testing from expensive reaction steps, enabling upscaling of the diagnostics. This makes the method particularly attractive for places and situations with limited resources. It is equally interesting for repeated testing and for moving resources from expensive diagnostics to other parts of the care chain. The study led by researchers at the Karolinska Institutet was published in the journal Nature Communications. "We started working on the issue of developing a readily available testing method as soon as we saw the developments in Asia and southern Europe, and before the situation reached crisis point in Sweden," says principal investigator Bjorn Reinius, research leader at the Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics at Karolinska Institutet. "Our method was effectively finished already by the end of April, and we then made all the data freely available online." ....read more

Heart Failure and Diabetes - Normal or Low Pumping Action of Heart

Patients with diabetes have more than twice the risk of developing heart failure than those without diabetes. Join us today on MEDtalks with Dr K K Aggarwal COVID edition at 7:00 PM as we discuss all about heart failure and diabetes. Just click on www.facebook.com/drkkaggarwal or https://perfecthealthmela.com/vevent/general-webinar.php

CMAAO Coronavirus Facts And Myth Buster: Statins before admission

With input from Dr Monica Vasudev 1093: Statin use prior to hospital admission(Medscape Excerpts)1.Statin use during the 30 days before hospital admission for COVID-19 was found to be associated with a decreased risk of developing severe disease, and a faster time to recovery among patients without severe COVID-19, in a study published in The American Journal of Cardiology.2.The impact of statins, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE inhibitors) and angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) on COVID-19 severity and recovery is important, considering their high prevalence of use among individuals at risk for severe COVID-19. ....read more

World COVID Meter 26th September: Acute manageable immunogenic thrombogenic inflammatory viral disease pandemic

Cases: 1M April 2, 2M April 15, 3M April 27, 4M May 8, 5M May 20, 6M May 30, 7M June 7, 8M June 15, 9M June 22, 10M June 29th, 11M July 4, 12M July 8, 13M July 13, 14M July 17, 15M July 23, 16M July 25, 17M July 29, 18M August 1, 19M August 6, 20M August 10, 21M August 16, 22M August 19, 23M August 21, 24M August 27, 25M August 30, 26M September 3, 27M September 7, 28M September 10, 29M September 14, 30M September 18, 31M September 21, 32M September 23 Ground Zero: Wuhan - in live animal market or cafeteria for animal pathogens: 10th January; Total cases are based on RT PCR, 67% sensitivity Coronavirus Cases: 32,744,614,Deaths: 992,914,Recovered: 24,167,552 ACTIVE CASES 7,584,148....read more

Why are coconut and the kalash used in all poojas?

‘If nature wanted you to drink coconut water in non-coastal areas it would not have grown coconuts in the coastal areas’ is a common naturopathic saying. Coconut water is the treatment for most humidity-related illnesses in coastal areas. It is sterile water and has been used in surgical practice as a sterile fluid. It is also used as a replacement for oral rehydration solution. Hence, because of its many uses, it is regarded as the ‘Tree of Life’. Coconut is one of the most common offerings in a temple, weddings, and festivals. It is offered in all sacrificial fires whilst performing the Homa(fire rituals). The coconut is usually split and placed before the Lord and is later distributed as Prasadam. The fibrous outer covering of the dried coconut is removed except for a tuft on the top. ....read more

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Round Table on Consensus on Reinfection

Healthcare News Monitor

US vaccine shows strong immune response to Covid in clinical trials

ETHealth

Washington: The US pharmaceutical and medical device company Johnson and Johnson has developed a vaccine that in the early trials showed a strong immune response to the novel coronavirus with a single dose, an interim report published on the medical website medRxiv revealed. "The safety profile and immunogenicity after only a single dose are supportive for further clinical development of [VACCINE] Ad26.COV2.S at a dose level of 5x1010 vp, as a potentially protective vaccine against COVID-19," the report said on Friday. "A single dose of Ad26.COV2.S elicited strong humoral responses in the vast majority of vaccine recipients."

Hetero launches pack of generic coronavirus drug favipiravir at Rs 2,640

indiatvnews.com

Drug firm Hetero has launched a pack of its generic oral antiviral drug-- Favivir 800/200 on Friday for the treatment of mild-to-moderate symptomatic coronavirus patients in India. Favivir 800/200 will be available in a pack containing 16 tablets of favipiravir 800 mg and 2 tablets of favipiravir 200 mg priced at Rs 2,640 per pack, Hetero said in a statement. The higher strength of Favipiravir 800 mg by the company has been approved by the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI). The product will be marketed and distributed by Hetero Healthcare Ltd, it added.

On Covid duty, 100 resident doctors of GMCH-32 wait for their stipends

The Indian Express

DESPITE ORDERS issued by the apex court of India to ensure that salaries of doctors and frontline healthcare workers involved in the management of pandemic are paid on time and in full, the UT Administration is yet to pay the stipends of almost 100 resident doctors of GMCH-32. Resident doctors of batch 2017, who enrolled with the Government Medical College and Hospital, Chandigarh, for their post-graduation degrees in at least 15 departments, were thrust into the pandemic in the most crucial semester of their learning — they are the exiting batch. As the residents balanced their thesis submissions, studied for their exams and ran from pillar to post managing the inflow of Covid-19 patients amid a lack of resources which had initially been reported while extending their services to the hospital beyond their call of duties, they are yet to be paid for their services.

Covid-19, dengue double infection treatment complicated; needs balanced approach: Experts

HT

There is “no standard protocol” for treatment of patients who have contracted a double infection of Covid-19 and dengue, and a very “finely balanced” approach is needed to tackle both the ailments at once, experts said. Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia was shifted to LNJP Hospital on Wednesday for Covid-19 treatment and tested positive for dengue a day later. On Thursday evening, the 48-year-old AAP leader was shifted to the ICU of Max Hospital Saket here. He had tested positive for Covid-19 on September 14 and is perhaps the first prominent personality in the city to have been diagnosed with both infections. Medical Director of Rajiv Gandhi Super Speciality Hospital (RGSSH) B L Sherwal said both the diseases have no specific treatment, which makes it even difficult for treating doctors of such patients.