Latest news with #COVID-19-causing
New Indian Express
20 hours ago
- Health
- New Indian Express
Covid infections growing milder, occasional surges expected but don't worry: experts
The death toll is 55 in the current surge which started January this year, primarily among individuals with pre-existing illnesses, according to the Union Health ministry. "People with pre-existing illnesses and those older than 65 should follow standard precautions, as they would against any other respiratory infection -- not just for COVID-19," explained Lahariya, a consultant physician and former staff member of WHO. Kerala is the most affected with over 1,600 cases, followed by Gujarat, West Bengal, Delhi and Maharashtra, ministry data shows. The case surge in India is part of a wider wave impacting parts of Southeast Asia, including Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Hong Kong, which have been seeing a rise in infections over the past months. Wastewater surveillance by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-National Chemical Laboratory (NCL) has detected presence of SARS-CoV-2 -- which causes COVID-19 -- in samples from 10 sewage treatment plants in Pune, the Times of India reported. Patterns are similar to those seen in the weeks preceding earlier surges, NCL scientists were quoted as saying. Genome sequencing of samples from India's west and south have shown links to the subvariants of Omicron -- LF.7, XFG, JN.1 and NB.1.8.1. The cases are not severe and there is no need to worry, Director General of Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) Rajiv Behl said earlier this week. LF.7 and been classified as 'variants under monitoring' (VUM) by the WHO to alert public health authorities that a variant of SARS-CoV-2 requires prioritised attention and monitoring. JN.1 has been circulating in India since November 2023. The current situation, Behl stressed, is being monitored. Immunologist Satyajit Rath explained that the subvariants driving up case numbers indicate that they are probably better at binding themselves to human cells, despite pre-existing antibodies created in response to a prior infection or vaccination -- or 'infectivity'. "However, the important issue here is not their infectivity, but their tendency to cause severe disease, or 'virulence'," Rath, former scientist at New Delhi's National Institute of Immunology, told PTI. "Since selection pressure among the virus strains depends on infectivity and transmissibility -- and not on virulence -- there is no reason to expect a steady increase in the virulence of the emerging virus strains, which, in fact, has not at all been seen either," he added. Moreover, given that the COVID-19-causing virus is now endemic and constantly 'mutating' or evolving, ups and downs in infections in the population are expected, the health experts said. "People need not worry themselves until they are informed of a new 'variant of concern'. VUM is not relevant to the public, but only to public health authorities," Agarwal said. Lahariya advised the public to gather information from reliable sources and not to forward unverified messages, while Rath suggested that citizens keep a watch for the virulence of newly emerging strains. The experts also stressed on the role of authorities. "National and state governments in India should keep a watch on cases, monitor the trends in new cases and share data widely. The linkage between infections and clinical outcomes should be explored to understand the clinical features of the variants in circulation," Lahariya said. Rath drew attention to systemic issues that remain regarding preparedness of public health systems and availability of healthcare facilities across sections of the society should a virulent variant emerge. "The catch is, how efficiently, systematically and rigorously are our public health systems tracking virus strains, their infectivity and their virulence, not only for SARS-CoV-2 but for any other infection?" he asked. "Are we making next generation Covid vaccines at all? Are we making them available widely and affordably? Are we even carefully tracking evidence to see how well or poorly the current vaccine-induced immunity functions against emerging strains?" he added. The poor and vulnerable would need special protection "but are masks being made widely and freely available? And if not, we are throwing poor communities onto their own resources even for taking such simple precautions, and that is a systemic problem," Rath said.
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First Post
5 days ago
- Health
- First Post
Covid-19 now just like any other respiratory illness, predominant in India after recent surge: Expert
SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19 disease, is just like any other respiratory illness now and there is no possibility of another catastrophic wave like the one driven by Delta variant in 2021, according to Soumya Swaminathan, a former Chief Scientist at the World Health Organization (WHO). read more At present, 'LF.7' and 'NB.1.8' — both descendants of the 'JN.1' variant — are the main variants of the COVID-19-causing virus circulating in Singapore. AP File Soumya Swaminathan, a former Chief Scientist at the World Health Organization (WHO), has said that SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19 disease, is now just like any other respiratory virus and there is no need to panic at the moment. In recent weeks, Covid-19 cases have risen in India. As per the latest information, there are 3,961 active Covid-19 cases in the country, with 203 new cases and four deaths being reported in the previous 24 hours. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In an interview with CNN-News 18, Swaminathan said that the SARS-CoV-2, just like any other virus, is bound to periodic surges every six to eight months and the ongoing spike in cases is a result of such a periodic surge. She went on to compare it with influenza virus. 'It has been around now for five years. It is of course constantly mutating and changing like other viruses. And, just like we get every year a spike of influenza cases at certain seasons, we have also now started seeing that periodically, maybe every six to eight months or so, there is a rise in Covid cases,' said Swaminathan, who also served as the Director General of Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) during 2015-17. Swaminathan further said that there was no chance of another catastrophic wave of Covid-19 like the Delta variant's wave of 2021. Swaminathan noted that influenza virus was the predominant respiratory infection for most of the year and it was only in April and May that Covid-19 over influenza. She said that it is likely to happen now as Covid-19 has become just another viral infection now. Swaminathan said, 'It's likely that every few months or once a year, we will see this type of thing happening in the future. The good thing is, of course, that we all have immunity now, both from vaccination and from natural infections that many of us have had in the last few years. And, so, what you're seeing now is a mild disease mostly, even though people are testing and reporting positivity, you find that hospitalisations are very few.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD While there is no need to panic, people with higher risk of sickness should take the usual precautions, said Swaminathan. Those with higher risk include people with compromised immune systems, pre-existing health conditions, and older people, according to Swaminathan.
First Post
13-05-2025
- Health
- First Post
Planning a trip to Singapore? Mask up as Covid-19 cases are going up
COVID-19 cases are estimated to have increased to 14,200 in the week of April 27 to May 3, 2025, compared to 11,100 cases in the previous week, the Ministry of Health (MOH) and Communicable Diseases Agency (CDA) said in a statement read more At present, 'LF.7' and 'NB.1.8' — both descendants of the 'JN.1' variant — are the main variants of the COVID-19-causing virus circulating in Singapore. AP File Health authorities in Singapore said on Tuesday they are monitoring the recent rise in COVID-19 infections, and there was no indication that variants of the virus circulating locally are more transmissible compared to the previous ones. COVID-19 cases are estimated to have increased to 14,200 in the week of April 27 to May 3, 2025, compared to 11,100 cases in the previous week, the Ministry of Health (MOH) and Communicable Diseases Agency (CDA) said in a statement. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD During the same period, average daily COVID-19 hospitalisations rose from 102 to 133, but the average daily cases in the Intensive Care Unit fell from three to two cases, the health authorities said, adding that hospitals are currently able to manage the increase in cases. 'The Ministry of Health (MOH) and Communicable Diseases Agency (CDA) are monitoring a recent increase in COVID-19 infections in Singapore. There is no indication that the variants circulating locally are more transmissible or cause more severe disease compared to previously circulating variants,' the statement said. The authorities said that the increase in COVID-19 infections could be due to several factors, including waning population immunity, and expect periodic waves of the viral infection throughout the year, similar to other endemic respiratory diseases. At present, 'LF.7' and 'NB.1.8' - both descendants of the 'JN.1' variant - are the main variants of the COVID-19-causing virus circulating in Singapore. The variants together account for over two-thirds of the locally sequenced cases, the health authorities said. The MOH and CDA advised people with an increased risk of severe COVID-19 to keep updated with vaccinations, recommending that they receive an additional dose around one year after their last dose. At-risk individuals include those aged 60 and above, medically vulnerable individuals or residents of aged care facilities, the statement said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD People were also advised to observe precautionary measures, such as washing hands often, along with practising personal and social responsibility - including covering one's nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing. The health authorities also advised the public to minimise social interactions and unnecessary travel if unwell. Wearing a mask in crowded areas, or when displaying symptoms, such as having a runny nose, sore throat, headache or fever was also recommended, the statement said.
The Hindu
13-05-2025
- Health
- The Hindu
Singapore health authorities monitor rising COVID-19 cases
Health authorities in Singapore said on Tuesday (May 13, 2025) they are monitoring the recent rise in COVID-19 infections, and there was no indication that variants of the virus circulating locally are more transmissible compared to the previous ones. COVID-19 cases are estimated to have increased to 14,200 in the week of April 27 to May 3, 2025, compared to 11,100 cases in the previous week, the Ministry of Health (MOH) and Communicable Diseases Agency (CDA) said in a statement. During the same period, average daily COVID-19 hospitalisations rose from 102 to 133, but the average daily cases in the Intensive Care Unit fell from three to two cases, the health authorities said, adding that hospitals are currently able to manage the increase in cases. "The Ministry of Health (MOH) and Communicable Diseases Agency (CDA) are monitoring a recent increase in COVID-19 infections in Singapore. There is no indication that the variants circulating locally are more transmissible or cause more severe disease compared to previously circulating variants," the statement said. The authorities said that the increase in COVID-19 infections could be due to several factors, including waning population immunity, and expect periodic waves of the viral infection throughout the year, similar to other endemic respiratory diseases. At present, 'LF.7' and 'NB.1.8' — both descendants of the 'JN.1' variant — are the main variants of the COVID-19-causing virus circulating in Singapore. The variants together account for over two-thirds of the locally sequenced cases, the health authorities said. The MOH and CDA advised people with an increased risk of severe COVID-19 to keep updated with vaccinations, recommending that they receive an additional dose around one year after their last dose. At-risk individuals include those aged 60 and above, medically vulnerable individuals or residents of aged care facilities, the statement said. People were also advised to observe precautionary measures, such as washing hands often, along with practising personal and social responsibility -- including covering one's nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing. The health authorities also advised the public to minimise social interactions and unnecessary travel if unwell. Wearing a mask in crowded areas, or when displaying symptoms, such as having a runny nose, sore throat, headache or fever was also recommended, the statement said.
