Audit of 10 of 11 deaths reported so far this year finds COVID-19 as ‘incidental finding'
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who on Wednesday reviewed the COVID-19 situation in the State, said that officials had informed him that the 10 victims had been hospitalised for various co-morbid conditions and did not die from COVID-19.
'The COVID-19 positivity was only an incidental finding. and the cause of death is attributed to other co-morbid conditions. The situation is not alarming as of now and I have directed the Health and Medical Education Departments to work in coordination and get every COVID-19 death audited,' the Chief Minister said.
The audit was conducted following a recommendation by the State's Technical Advisory Committee (STAC).
The Chief Minister said that COVID-19 testing had been increased in the State since May. From the beginning of this month, over 500 tests are being done daily. 'Over 5,000 tests have been conducted in the last 10 days and 862 positive cases have been detected. I have directed the officials to ensure that all hospitals are prepared to treat COVID-19 cases appropriately. There is no need to panic as the situation is under control,' he said.
The Chief Minister, who said there have been complaints that private hospitals are unnecessarily fleecing people in the name of COVID-19 tests, directed officials to ensure people are not put to hardship.
As many as 28 new cases have been reported in the last 24 hours taking the total number of active cases to 467. Of these, four are being treated in hospitals.
COVID-19 death to be declared only after audit
Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao said following the Chief Minister's directions every COVID-19 death will henceforth be audited to find out if it was owing to COVID-19 or from complications of their co-morbid conditions. 'It has been decided in the Chief Minister's meeting that henceforth a COVID-19 death should be declared only after an audit to avoid unnecessary panic,' he said.
He said the number of positive cases are increasing as testing has been increased. 'The test positivity rate is around 8%. We are testing all Severe Acute Respiratory Illness (SARI) cases and 5% of ILI cases. All our hospitals are prepared to handle a surge in cases, if any, and there is no need for people to panic. They can continue their routine life without any fear. However, there is a need to follow COVID-19 precautions, especially in closed spaces and crowded areas,' he said.
State likely to cap COVID-19 test price
The Health Department is considering if there is a need to cap the price of COVID-19 tests in private hospitals. 'We have learnt that private hospitals are prescribing a panel of other expensive tests along with COVID-19 test, which is unnecessary. We have received several complaints and are deliberating with experts if there is a need to cap the prices. A decision in this regard is likely to be taken in a day or two,' said Harsh Gupta, Principal Secretary (Health and Family Welfare).
On the death audit, Mr. Gupta said the victims who had been admitted for their comorbid conditions, had developed SARI owing to fluid accumulation in their lungs. This fluid accumulation was because of underlying chronic kidney disease or heart issues and not due to COVID-19, he explained.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Economic Times
2 hours ago
- Economic Times
COVID wave is moving across USA: Health experts warn parents that children must do this
Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads FAQs Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads United States of America is witnessing a late-summer COVID wave, even as children are preparing to return to school. Fortunately, hospitalization rates remain low. The risk of severe illness and hospitalization among children younger than 1 who are infected with the coronavirus is comparable to that among adults 65 and older. That's why experts have said that a child's first exposure should be through a vaccine, rather than infection. However, this fall, it may not be possible for many parents to have a healthy child younger than age 5 immunized against COVID, as per a health experts noted that the coronavirus is still a threat, even for otherwise healthy children younger than 2. Among children ages 6 months to 2 years who were hospitalized with COVID from October 2022 to April 2024, more than half had no underlying medical conditions, according to data from the CDC, NYT News Service reported. Pfizer 's vaccine has long been available to these children under so-called emergency use authorization. But the Food and Drug Administration is considering discontinuing the authorization for that age group, according to an email sent by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to state and local health confirmed the possibility Monday evening and said that the company was "currently in discussions with the agency on potential paths forward." For children 5 to 11 years old, the Pfizer vaccine is expected to be approved and available, according to the CDC's email, which was reviewed by The New York July, the FDA granted full approval to Moderna's COVID vaccine for children -- but only for those who have health conditions that may put them at increased risk should they become infected. Novavax's COVID vaccine has never been available for children younger than upshot is that if the FDA does not renew Pfizer's authorization for children 6 months to 4 years, or fully approve the vaccine, healthy children in that age group will have no officially sanctioned options -- although doctors may still choose to provide the vaccine "off label."In May, Health Security Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced that COVID vaccines would no longer be offered to healthy children or pregnant women. Kennedy has called the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines dangerous. In May 2021, in the thick of the pandemic, he filed a petition with the FDA demanding that the agency revoke authorization for the CDC, which typically makes such recommendations, later walked back the secretary's statement, saying that healthy children could get the shot if a doctor agreed that it was told the CDC it was ramping up supplies of its vaccine for the fall, according to the agency's email. But it is not approved for healthy children, and if the FDA rescinds authorization for children younger than 5, parents of healthy children will find themselves with no Nixon, a spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services, declined to comment on potential regulatory changes and said any reports before an official statement should be treated as "speculation."But public health experts noted that the coronavirus is still a threat, even for otherwise healthy children younger than 2. Among children ages 6 months to 2 years who were hospitalized with COVID from October 2022 to April 2024, more than half had no underlying medical conditions, according to data from the vaccines have also been shown to offer modest protection against long COVID in some children. The effects are already becoming apparent. Providers have stopped ordering last year's shot, as they often do at this time of the year. Normally by this point, there would be a clear plan for the 2025-26 season.A1. The full form of CDC is Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.A2. Full form of FDA is Food and Drug Administration.
News18
2 hours ago
- News18
Maharashtra reports two new COVID-19 cases
Agency: PTI Last Updated: Mumbai, Aug 12 (PTI) Maharashtra on Tuesday reported two new cases, taking the tally of infections to 2,755 since January this year, the state public health department stated. As many as 44 patients have succumbed to the ailment since the beginning of the year, out of which 43 were suffering from comorbidities and 1 with another disease, it said. Mumbai and Navi Mumbai have recorded one new case each. According to the health department, 45,057 COVID-19 tests were conducted across the state since January 1, and 2,684 patients have recovered to date. Mumbai has recorded 1,106 infections, including 551 in June, 102 in July, and 12 in August so far this year. PTI SM ARU First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
Covid variant XFG surges 14% in US as WHO tracks spread to 38 nations, India confirms 163 cases; here's what we know so far
The United States is reporting a steady increase in Covid-19 cases linked to the XFG variant, now the country's third-most common strain this summer. Also known as 'Stratus,' XFG is a recombinant of two earlier Omicron subvariants—LF.7 and LP.8.1.2—first identified in Southeast Asia in January 2025. The World Health Organization (WHO) has placed XFG under its 'variant under monitoring' category. This means that while it is not considered a major health threat at present, its spread is being closely tracked. Global and national spread Data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that XFG represented 0 per cent of US cases in March, rising to 2 per cent in April, 6 per cent in May, and 14 per cent by late June. This puts it behind only two other variants in prevalence. The variant has also been reported in several European nations. WHO figures indicate its global share rose from about 7 per cent in early May to 22.7 per cent by late June, spanning at least 38 countries. ⚠️ BREAKING: COVID-19 Cases Rising in 25 US States, Including California, Florida, and Texas, Signaling Onset of 'Summer Wave' In India, the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (Insacog) recorded 163 confirmed cases of XFG by the end of June. Symptoms and health impact So far, XFG does not appear to cause symptoms different from or more severe than those seen with other Omicron strains. Variants like XFG can develop when a person is infected with two versions of the virus simultaneously, allowing genetic material to mix. Reported symptoms include: Fever or chills Cough Shortness of breath or breathing difficulty Sore throat Nasal congestion or runny nose New loss of taste or smell Fatigue Muscle or body aches Headache Nausea or vomiting The CDC advises immediate medical help for chest pain, confusion, difficulty staying awake, or pale/blue lips, skin, or nail beds. Expert assessment and vaccination guidance WHO and expert evaluations confirm that: Public health risk remains low No evidence of increased severity Current vaccines continue to protect against symptomatic and severe illness Precautionary measures Health authorities recommend the following steps: Get tested if symptoms appear Stay home if unwell Maintain good hygiene practices Keep vaccinations and boosters up to date While XFG is spreading quickly, current evidence suggests that with routine precautions and existing vaccination coverage, the impact can be managed effectively. To stay updated on the stories that are going viral follow Indiatimes Trending.
