
No need to panic, but mask up for safety: Collector on Covid
Trichy: The present Covid-19 wave is a sub-variant of
Omicron
and it is not expected to be virulent, but people can mask up in crowded places as a precautionary measure, said district collector M Pradeep Kumar.
He was talking to reporters on Monday after a routine inspection of the warehouse where the electronic voting machines are kept.
"It is necessary for us to be safe and wear masks in public places. There is no need to fear Covid," he said.
On desilting of waterbodies before the opening of the Mettur dam, the collector said, "With the water being released on June 12, desilting work has been carried out in canals and channels measuring a total of 389km long in Trichy district. Arrangements are being made to dredge C and D category canals under the 100-day employment scheme."
On illegal posters in Trichy, he said, "Special spots have been set up in the city for putting up posters. If posters are pasted on school and college walls, they will be removed, and appropriate action will be taken."

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Time of India
28 minutes ago
- Time of India
Diagnostic chains plan to scale up as Covid cases surge
New Delhi: Leading diagnostic chains are looking to scale up their operations amid surging Covid-19 cases in the country. Executives said they were seeing a "noticeable" spike in the testing, particularly RT-PCR and rapid antigen tests . However, there is little consensus on taking booster shots. "To ensure prompt service, we've enhanced our testing capacity, streamlined workflows, and reinforced staffing, even extending working hours. Rapid RT-PCR machines and AI-based analytics have been integrated to reduce turnaround times and now average 4-6 hours for urgent cases," said Dr. Shelly (Mittal) Mahajan, lab director & clinical lead at Mahajan Imaging & Labs. India's Covid cases have crossed 6,000 with 358 new cases being reported in the last 24 hours. According to data by the Union health ministry, Kerala has been the most affected by Covid-19, with as many as 1,957 active cases. Gujarat saw the maximum increase of 158 cases since yesterday followed by Karnataka (57), West Bengal (54) and Delhi with 42 new cases. Play Video Pause Skip Backward Skip Forward Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration 0:00 Loaded : 0% 0:00 Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 1x Playback Rate Chapters Chapters Descriptions descriptions off , selected Captions captions settings , opens captions settings dialog captions off , selected Audio Track default , selected Picture-in-Picture Fullscreen This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Text Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Caption Area Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Drop shadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Les trous de mémoire n'ont rien à voir avec l'âge. Il suffit de faire ceci Découvertes Santé | Compléments En savoir plus Undo Mahajan said they have already proactively scaled up operations to meet the growing demand. "We are witnessing a noticeable increase in Covid-19 testing, particularly RT-PCR and rapid antigen tests," she said. With learnings from past waves, Dr Navin Dang, founder and chairman of Dr Dangs Lab, said they were "well prepared" to address any eventuality. "We know what is to be done now, and if there is any need, we will scale up in no time," Dr Dang said. Live Events Executives said testing has increased by 70% already and 25-30% of those tested now confirmed positive. "Over approximately the last 2-3 months, we are witnessing a spike in Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) testing by 70%. The rise in testing is a positive shift as people are now choosing awareness over fear. These new variants like JN.1, NB.1.8.1, and LF.7 could announce infections with mild flu-like symptoms, but without timely testing and patient isolation, they can spread rapidly and infect more people. Timely testing is crucial as it allows prompt intervention and improves one's overall well-being," said Dr Pranav Gupta, consultant and head, molecular biology at Apollo Diagnostic, Delhi. The Covid-19 curve still refuses to flatten in the country, and the cases are commonly seen in people of all age groups. Doctors say people with Covid are showing symptoms like the previous strain, mainly Omicron. The common symptoms include sore throat, fatigue, mild fever, cough, and occasional stomach upset or poor appetite. Loss of taste and smell is less common this time, but persistent cold-like symptoms will need timely attention. Doctors are vouching for measures like masks in crowded places and maintaining good hand hygiene. However, booster shots are not needed at this point, said Anurag Agrawal, Dean, Biosciences and Health Research at the Ashoka university. Dr RR Dutta, HoD, internal medicine, Paras Health, Gurugram said the virus can adversely affect vital organs such as the lungs, heart, kidneys, and even the brain in severe cases. "Preventive measures such as avoiding unnecessary gatherings and staying up to date with Covid-19 vaccinations and booster doses remain essential to reduce transmission risk and safeguard public health." Surendran Chemmenkotil, CEO, Metropolis Healthcare Ltd said that they have too seen a threefold increase in Covid-19 testing volumes.


Time of India
29 minutes ago
- Time of India
Special Covid intensive care ward set up at Mettupalayam government hospital
Coimbatore: A special Covid-19 intensive care ward was set up at the Mettupalayam government hospital on Sunday. This exclusive ward has been created following a surge in the number of Covid cases across the country. The intensive care unit has four beds with oxygen cylinders. However, hospital authorities have requested the public not to panic about the situation. A senior health officer from the hospital said, "The spread of the current variant of the virus is not as harmful as the one that initially affected people. The virulence of the virus has declined; simultaneously, people have also developed immunity against such infections. We are ready to handle cases, and the required medication is stocked." Meanwhile, the public have been advised to maintain fundamental hygiene habits like washing hands with soap and using sanitisers. Public have also been urged to avoid self-medication in case of fever, cold, or cough but to get consulted at the nearest hospital. People in the vulnerable categories, including children and pregnant women have been urged to report to the nearest health facility in case of persistent fever or respiratory difficulties.


Time of India
43 minutes ago
- Time of India
Karnataka reports 1.2k Covid cases since Jan
Bengaluru: Karnataka reported 1,220 Covid-19 cases since Jan 1, with 559 active cases, 652 recoveries, and 9 deaths recorded. The rise comes amid a fresh nationwide uptick in infections, with the current rate of positivity in the state at 40.7% – out of 650 tests conducted Monday, 265 found positive. However, health experts maintain that the current situation does not warrant panic, though precautions remain necessary. Out of 559 active cases, 552 people are under home isolation. According to Dr Sunil Kumar, epidemiologist and secretary of the Indian Association of Preventive and Social Medicine, the recent cases in Karnataka and other parts of the country are largely due to sublineages of the Omicron variant—specifically JN.1, LF.7, and NF.1.8.1. "These are not new variants, but descendants of Omicron. They are more transmissible, which explains the steady rise in the numbers," he said. Despite the increase in cases, the severity remains low. Dr Kumar noted, "Over 95% of patients are recovering at home, with only 3-4% requiring hospitalisation. Very few of those hospitalised need oxygen support. Another factor contributing to the rise is the expansion of testing. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Good News: You May Be Richer Than You Think Undo The state resumed screening for ILI (influenza-like illness) and Sari (severe acute respiratory infection), which naturally results in more detected cases. Covid moved into an endemic phase. Unlike earlier pandemic waves, such periodic surges are expected once or twice a year." Dr Vinay Hosadurga, a general physician at Vasavi Hospitals, pointed out a shift in symptoms with the current variant. "Earlier, many patients reported loss of smell and taste. That's no longer common. What we are seeing now in some cases is diarrhoea," he said. He added, "The monsoon season could further complicate diagnosis due to a simultaneous rise in flu cases. Since both flu and Covid-19 present similar symptoms such as fever and fatigue, patients are advised to avoid self-medication and consult a doctor. There is no cause for alarm, as most cases are mild. But it's still important to follow Covid-appropriate behaviour and seek medical advice if symptoms arise."