logo
Special Covid intensive care ward set up at Mettupalayam government hospital

Special Covid intensive care ward set up at Mettupalayam government hospital

Time of India4 hours ago

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.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

'Clean sweep needed': RFK Jr fires vaccine advisory board; AMA calls move 'undermining trust'
'Clean sweep needed': RFK Jr fires vaccine advisory board; AMA calls move 'undermining trust'

Time of India

time32 minutes ago

  • Time of India

'Clean sweep needed': RFK Jr fires vaccine advisory board; AMA calls move 'undermining trust'

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced on Monday that he had dismissed all 17 members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), the key scientific group advising the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on vaccine use. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Kennedy said he would replace them with his own nominees and planned to convene the new committee in just two weeks in Atlanta. The decision sparked sharp criticism from major medical organisations. The American Medical Association (AMA) described the move as undermining trust and disrupting a transparent process that has saved countless lives. Dr. Bruce A. Scott, AMA president, warned that Kennedy's action, coupled with falling vaccination rates, could lead to an increase in vaccine-preventable diseases. Dr. Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association, called the mass dismissal "a coup" and said it was 'not how democracies work.' He added the decision raised concerns about whether the new committee members would be seen as impartial, and accused Kennedy of breaking his promise not to remove the existing panel. Kennedy, a former anti-vaccine activist turned health secretary, justified the sweeping change in a Wall Street Journal opinion piece. He claimed that many committee members had conflicts of interest and argued that the overhaul was necessary to restore public confidence in vaccine science. He wrote: 'A clean sweep is needed to re-establish public confidence in vaccine science.' However, an NPR investigation found that the government report Kennedy cited to support his conflict of interest claims showed no such issues. What is the ACIP? The ACIP is a crucial advisory body that sets national vaccine policy, including schedules for routine immunisations for children and adults. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Its members are independent experts who base their recommendations on thorough scientific review. The CDC director then approves these recommendations for official use. Kennedy also noted that without removing the current members, the previous Trump administration would not have been able to appoint a majority of new members until 2028. The Biden administration had installed the entire current panel, though ACIP is traditionally a non-partisan group. This shake-up follows other controversial actions by Kennedy since taking office. These include changing COVID-19 vaccine recommendations without consulting the committee and cancelling vaccine research programmes aimed at future pandemics. The ACIP's webpage listing members was removed shortly after the announcement. Despite Kennedy's assurance that new members would prioritise 'public health and evidence-based medicine' and no longer serve as 'a rubber stamp for industry profit-taking agendas,' public health experts remain deeply concerned about the impact of this overhaul on vaccine policy and public trust.

U.S. Health Secretary RFK Jr. ousts entire CDC vaccine advisory committee
U.S. Health Secretary RFK Jr. ousts entire CDC vaccine advisory committee

The Hindu

timean hour ago

  • The Hindu

U.S. Health Secretary RFK Jr. ousts entire CDC vaccine advisory committee

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Monday (June 9, 2025) removed every member of a scientific committee that advises the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on how to use vaccines and pledged to replace them with his own picks. The 17-member Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices had been in a state of flux since Kennedy took over. Its first meeting this year had been delayed when the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services abruptly postponed its February meeting. Mr Kennedy, who was one of the nation's leading anti-vaccine activists before becoming the nation's top health official, recently took the unusual step of changing COVID-19 recommendations without first consulting the panel. Mr Kennedy, in a Wall Street Journal opinion piece, said the committee members had too many conflicts of interest. Committee members routinely disclose any possible conflicts at the start of public meetings.

XFG Covid strain enters Telangana, cases still mild
XFG Covid strain enters Telangana, cases still mild

Time of India

timean hour ago

  • Time of India

XFG Covid strain enters Telangana, cases still mild

1 2 Hyderabad: As concerns grow about rising Covid-19 cases in the country, for the first time, one of the samples sent by Telangana health officials for genome sequencing has been found to carry a new Covid-19 sub-variant called XFG. This was revealed by the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG), the central body that tracks changes in the virus. Of the five samples sent from Telangana, four — two men and two women — showed another recent sub-variant called LF.7.9, while the XFG strain was detected in a sample from one man. Dr Kiran Madala, co-chairman of the public relations and social media committee of IMA Telangana and a Covid-19 researcher, confirmed to TOI that both variants were detected in Telangana and the sequences were uploaded on INSACOG's portal. Both XFG and LF.7.9 are sub-lineages of Omicron and trace their origin to the JN.1 variant, which led to a global wave in late 2023 and early 2024. Nationally, these two sub-variants are among the most common at present. As per INSACOG data till Monday, 172 samples were identified as XFG, 82 as LF.7.9, followed by 35 XFJ and 18 others. Telangana has now joined Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and West Bengal, where the XFG variant has already been detected. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Thị trường có dấu hiệu suy thoái không? IC Markets Đăng ký Undo Across India, around 163 cases of XFG have been recorded so far, as per INSACOG. The World Health Organization (WHO) is currently tracking eight sub-variants globally, including NB.1.8.1, which is prevalent in Singapore. "There are ongoing studies on the transmissibility and impact of XFG, LF.7.9, and XFJ. So far, they appear mild. WHO hasn't issued any special advisory on them yet," said Dr Kiran Madala, who is also a professor at Gandhi Medical College. "Covid-19 has become endemic and is not severe in most cases," he added. While the majority of cases remain mild, experts advise caution for vulnerable groups. "According to Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) data, 66% of current respiratory viral infections in India are Covid-related. However, hospitalisation is low, including in Telangana. People with two or more comorbidities, weakened immunity, or above 70 years should remain alert," he said. Telangana currently has nine active Covid cases, down from 10 a day earlier, according to the Union health ministry dashboard. "There's no reason to panic," said Dr Ravinder Nayak, director of public health and family welfare. "The new sub-variants are part of the virus's natural evolution and are not showing significant clinical symptoms."

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store