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Time of India
3 days ago
- General
- Time of India
Covid surge: Masks now compulsory in all Himachal Pradesh hospitals
A day after the first case of COVID was reported in Himachal Pradesh in the latest surge, masks have now been made mandatory for patients and their attendants while entering the hospitals, an official said on Wednesday. "In view of growing cases of COVID in various parts of the country, wearing masks has been made mandatory for the patients and their attendants while entering the hospitals for treatment," a health department official said. Himachal Pradesh's first COVID case in the recent surge was reported from Nahan in Sirmaur district. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Play War Thunder now for free War Thunder Play Now Undo An 82-year-old woman arrived at the Nahan Medical College and Hospital on Tuesday morning, complaining of cold and cough, and subsequently tested positive for COVID-19 in a rapid test, Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Amitabh Jain said. Additionally, the Himachal Pradesh government has issued advisories to medical staff to prepare for the management of COVID-19. Live Events The advisory strictly instructs following social distancing in public places. Children, the elderly and individuals with serious diseases are advised to take extra precautions and wear masks compulsorily, the official said.
Time of India
3 days ago
- General
- Time of India
Himachal Pradesh reports first COVID case in Nahan amid latest surge
Nahan: Himachal Pradesh on Tuesday reported its first COVID case of the latest surge in Nahan in Sirmaur district, according to the health department. An 82-year-old woman came to Nahan Medical College and Hospital Tuesday morning with a complaint of cold and cough and was found to be positive for COVID in a rapid test, Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Amitabh Jain said. Doctors advised the woman to get admitted, but she refused and returned home with medicines, he said. "Her sample will be sent for genome sequencing to know the variant of the coronavirus," the CMO said. He said the block medical officer has been directed to test everyone who came in contact with the woman. The oxygen plant at the hospital is fully functional and ICU prepared to deal with emergencies, he said. PTI
Indian Express
3 days ago
- General
- Indian Express
Himachal reports first COVID-19 case in latest surge as 82-year-old woman tests positive
An 82-year-old woman tested positive for COVID-19 Tuesday at the Yashwant Singh Parmar Government Medical College in Nahan in Himachal Pradesh's Sirmour district. Sources said the woman, who already has age-related complications, is a resident of Sarahan in Sirmour, and came to the hospital with COVID-19 symptoms. Dr Amitabh Jain, Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Sirmaur, said the woman tested positive through a rapid antigen test, and her sample will be sent to Mandi for genome sequencing to identify the variant. Dr Jain said following the positive test, the block medical officer (BMO) was instructed to trace and test all individuals who came in contact with the woman. He added that the oxygen plant at Nahan Medical College is fully functional, ICU facilities have been arranged, and a requisition for RT-PCR test kits has also been sent to the concerned department. Meanwhile, the Himachal Pradesh Health Department has issued an advisory urging public caution, making mask-wearing mandatory in hospitals, and strongly recommended for senior citizens, children, and those with co-morbidities in crowded areas. The advisory, approved by the secretary (Health), urged people in the state to follow the precautions strictly. According to the national COVID dashboard, there are 4,302 active cases in the country, with the highest number in Kerala at 1,373, followed by Maharashtra at 510, Gujarat at 461, and Delhi at 457 cases.
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- General
- Hindustan Times
Himachal sees first Covid case in latest surge, Sirmaur woman tests positive
An 82-year-old woman has been tested positive for Covid in Nahan Medical College of Sirmaur district in Himachal Pradesh. This is the state's first case of the latest surge. As per the authorities, the woman from Saranh area reached the medical college for treatment on Tuesday morning and was found positive in the rapid test. The doctors advised her to get admitted but she refused following which she was asked to ensure her home isolation. She was sent home after being administered necessary medicines. Sirmaur's chief medical officer Dr Amitabh Jain confirmed that the woman was tested positive for Covid. He said her sample would be sent to Mandi for genome sequencing after which information about the variant of Covid would be available. Dr Jain said that after the woman was found Covid positive, the block medical officer (BMO) was instructed that all the people who came in contact with the woman should be tested. The CMO said the oxygen plant in Nahan Medical College was fully functional. Arrangements for ICU have been made. A letter has also been written to the department for RT-PCR kit. The state government had last week issued an advisory to all medical colleges and hospitals regarding Covid in which the hospitals were asked to keep oxygen plants, ICU, testing labs, etc., ready. Genome sequencing of corona samples will be done at Nerchowk Medical College, Mandi.
Zawya
21-02-2025
- Health
- Zawya
India insurers look to hike health premiums as pollution stings
Indian insurers are considering making New Delhi residents pay 10% to 15% more for new health policies after an extraordinary spike in claims related to air pollution in 2024 in India's capital, according to nine executives aware of the matter. The plan, now in discussion amongst insurers and which would need approval from the insurance regulator, follows record-breaking air pollution in New Delhi last year. If approved, it would be the first time air pollution was used as a direct factor in figuring health insurance premiums in India, and could be used to justify price hikes in other cities as well. Toxic air led to more Delhi residents seeking treatment for asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and cardiovascular conditions in 2024, higher than in any prior year, five of the executives said. All the executives spoke on condition of anonymity as they are not authorized to speak with media. "We have to start thinking about pollution as a separate factor in the pricing in the sense that can we then start executing a particular charge for the areas which are impacted by it," said Amitabh Jain, the operating chief of Star Health , India's No.1 standalone health insurer. In 2024, the number of patients with respiratory ailments who needed to be hospitalized rose to 17%-18% in the second half of the year versus 5%-6% in the first half, Jain said. Also, respiratory claims rose 8.3% from fiscal year 2023 to fiscal year 2025 in the state of Delhi, which recorded the highest rise in healthcare costs in India during that period, according to a joint report from Boston Consulting Group and Indian healthcare administrator Medi Assist. Star Health and ICICI Lombard said pollution could soon become a direct factor in determining health insurance premiums if poor air quality persists. Bajaj Allianz General Insurance said the industry could also add new clauses specifically addressing pollution-related health concerns. The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) and prominent Indian insurers including Aditya Birla Health Insurance, Tata AIG, New India Assurance and Go Digit did not respond to requests seeking comment. For 2023/24, Indian insurers collected $12.4 billion in health insurance premiums, an increase of about 20% over the previous year, according to the latest IRDAI annual report. NOT JUST DELHI New Delhi chokes on smog every winter due to a blend of vehicle emissions, construction dust and smoke from illegal farm fires. In November, Delhi overtook Pakistan's Lahore as the world's most polluted city in Swiss group IQAir's live rankings, with Mumbai and Kolkata also making it to the list of top 10 cities with the most toxic air. On November 18, India's pollution control authority said the national capital territory's 24-hour air quality index (AQI) score touched a season-high of 491 on a scale of 500. Anything over 400 is "severe", affecting healthy people as well as "seriously impacting" those with existing health issues. In India, insurers can vary health insurance premiums by city based on factors ranging from hospitalization costs to demographics. Getting the regulatory nod to include air pollution as a factor would depend on insurers submitting proof to back the assertion that toxic air is leading to an increase in claims. "The frequency and severity of hospitalization purely due to the toxicity in the air needs to be isolated," PwC India Financial Services Advisory Leader Joydeep Roy said. "That involves commissioning longer-term studies." It is not known how long it would take to conduct such studies or to get the needed approvals from IRDAI. Senior citizens, children, outdoor professionals and those with preexisting respiratory conditions would likely pay the highest premiums. The plan, if approved, would likely make health insurance unaffordable for many who need it most. New Delhi's per capita income was $5,331 in 2024 according to the Delhi Statistical Handbook, and under current guidelines health insurance with a coverage limit of $10,000 for a family in the city would cost between $100 to $400 per year. "In India, owning health insurance cover is a luxury," said Delhi resident and COPD patient Aniket Tiwari, 28, who decided against getting coverage in 2024 because it was too pricey. (Reporting by Ashwin Manikandan; Editing by Dhanya Skariachan and Tom Hogue)
