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Time of India
2 hours ago
- Health
- Time of India
Active Covid cases in India cross 3,000, Kerala leads the surge
India's active Covid-19 cases have crossed the 3,000 threshold, with Kerala reporting the highest number of infections, according to data released by the Union health ministry on Saturday. The number of active cases has risen sharply from 257 on May 22 to 3,395 as of May 31. In the last 24 hours alone, 685 new cases were recorded, and four deaths were reported, one each in Delhi, Kerala, Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh. Health officials maintain there is no reason for alarm. 'The severity of infections is low, with most patients under home care,' an official source told news agency PTI. Dr Rajiv Behl, Director General of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), said on Monday that genome sequencing from affected regions in the west and south of India confirmed that the variants driving the latest increase are all Omicron subvariants — LF.7, XFG, JN.1, and NB.1.8.1. 'We should monitor and be vigilant, but there is no cause to worry,' he said. The rise in active cases is most pronounced in Kerala (1,336), followed by Maharashtra (467), Delhi (375), Gujarat (265), Karnataka (234), West Bengal (205), Tamil Nadu (185) and Uttar Pradesh (117). Delhi reported the death of a 60-year-old woman who had acute intestinal obstruction, while Karnataka reported a 63-year-old cancer patient who had co-morbidities including tuberculosis. Odisha health secretary Aswathy S urged residents not to panic, assuring that all seven patients in the state are stable and the situation remains under control. 'The latest ICMR report says that the present variant does not exhibit severe symptoms, and most cases are mild,' she said. Delhi chief minister Rekha Gupta has reiterated that the city's hospitals are well-prepared. 'Nineteen patients are hospitalised in Delhi, but there is no need to worry. The government is alert,' she said. An earlier advisory instructed hospitals to ensure the availability of beds, oxygen, antibiotics, and vaccines. Karnataka issues precautionary guidelines As active cases continue to rise in Karnataka, the state's health and family welfare department has issued a detailed advisory aimed at preventing further spread. Healthcare workers have been directed to report all Influenza-Like Illness (ILI) and Severe Acute Respiratory Infections (SARI) cases, especially those with co-morbidities. A portion of these cases will undergo RT-PCR testing, and symptomatic individuals among vulnerable groups — including children, the elderly, and pregnant women, must be tested. The advisory also mandates the tracking of positivity rates and CT values, genome sequencing of severe cases, and sewage surveillance where applicable. With schools set to reopen in June, a separate circular instructed schools to send symptomatic children home and ensure that teachers and staff do not work while ill. 'Avoid crowded or poorly ventilated areas, especially for immunocompromised individuals,' the circular said.
The Hindu
3 hours ago
- Health
- The Hindu
Puducherry upgrades emergency medical services
Puducherry's emergency healthcare infrastructure has undergone a significant upgrade with the launch of a state-of-the-art 108 Command Centre that is expected to deliver quicker and more effective assistance for those in critical need. According to a press note, the crucial upgrade of the 108 Command Centre is the result of a collaborative initiative between the Directorate of Health and Family Welfare Services, Puducherry, JIPMER and ICMR through the INDIA-EMS study, which operates as an National Health Research Priority Project (NHRP) aimed at developing advanced emergency care systems nation-wide. The INDIA-EMS team along with State officials developed a Smart Ambulance Dispatch System. This unique, indigenously-developed application is specifically designed to improve both the quality of on-site care and en-route care (Pre-Hospital Care) for patients across Puducherry. The new system is expected to facilitate faster response times and more efficient management of emergency medical situations. Chief Minister N. Rangasamy, who also holds the Health portfolio, formally commissioned the upgraded facility and reaffirmed the government's commitment towards ensuring accessible and high-quality healthcare for all sections of the Puducherry population. He also distributed smartphones for drivers, tabs for technicians and raincoats for both personnel. Jayanta Kumar Ray, Health Secretary, emphasised the imperative of prehospital care and the importance of control room to ensure that the golden-hour criteria was achieved by advanced response systems and ambulance support. V. Ravichandran, Director of Health, underlined the critical role of a technologically-advanced command centre in saving lives and improving patient outcomes during emergencies. Vir Singh Negi, Jipmer Director, Mission Director (NHM) and Ragunathan, deputy director (IEC) participated. Meenakshi Sharma, Scientist-G from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), New Delhi, who joined the event in virtual mode, commended the Puducherry government and the INDIA-EMS team for the initiative, which represented 'a significant step towards utilising indigenous innovation to enhance emergency medical care delivery.'
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Business Standard
11 hours ago
- Health
- Business Standard
India logs 2,710 active Covid-19 cases, Kerala tops with 1,147 infections
India recorded 2,710 active Covid-19 cases as on May 30, with Kerala, Maharashtra, Delhi and Gujarat making up for 77 per cent of the total infections in the country, according to the latest data from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The data suggests that there has been a 168 per cent rise in cases in India within four days, from 1,010 cases registered till May 26. Among the states, Kerala has the highest caseload of 1,147, a rise of 717 cases over the last four days. It is followed by Maharashtra at 424 cases, of which 40 were reported on Thursday. Delhi too saw an increase of 190 cases since May 26, with the national capital currently reporting 294 active Covid-19 cases. Gujarat became the fourth state to cross the 200-mark, with 223 cases. At least seven deaths have been reported due to the virulent disease this month, with figures still being confirmed by agencies. Karnataka (148 active cases), Tamil Nadu (148 active cases) and West Bengal (116 active cases) have also seen a rise in caseload in the last week. According to sources in the ministry, the surge is being led by the JN.1, XFG and LF 7.9 variants, which belong to the Omicron family and cause mild infections. To counter this surge, several states and UTs have come out with advisories asking both government and private hospitals to ensure preparedness in terms of beds, oxygen, antibiotics and other drugs. State governments have also asked hospitals for daily reporting of Influenza-like illnesses (ILIs) and Severe Acute Respiratory Illnesses (SARI) to the Centre's Integrated Health Information Platform (IHIP). Central health authorities also swung into action in recent weeks, holding several review meetings to assess the situation in the country. The review comes amid a noticeable uptick in Covid cases in Hong Kong and Singapore this month. 'The review meeting, led by the Union Health Secretary and the Director General (DG) of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) last week found that most of the cases in India are mild and under home care,' sources added. The ministry has stated that it remains vigilant and through its multiple agencies, is proactively monitoring the situation. On the recent rise, Rajiv Bahl, director general at the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), said that cases have been rising in the southern and western parts of India, and now a surge is being seen in the northern region. 'We are monitoring the situation through the Integrated Disease Surveillance Program (IDSP), which tracks cases nationwide,' he added. Experts believe the SARS-CoV-2 variants currently circulating in Singapore are LF.7 and NB.1.8 — both descendants of the JN.1 variant of Omicron, which was also behind a rise in infections in India early last year. According to data from the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (Insacog), India has already registered four cases of the LF.7 variant from Gujarat and one case of NB.1.8.1 sub variant from Tamil Nadu this month.
Time of India
13 hours ago
- Health
- Time of India
Centre monitoring COVID-19 situation closely; prepared to handle any scenario: Union Minister Prataprao Jadhav
New Delhi: As COVID-19 cases witness a gradual uptick, the Union Minister of State for Health and AYUSH (Independent Charge), Prataprao Jadhav, on Friday assured that the Centre is fully prepared to handle any situation that may arise. "Both our Central Health Department and the AYUSH Ministry are fully alert and closely monitoring the situation across all states. We have spoken with the respective Health and AYUSH Secretaries, as well as other concerned ministers," Jadhav told ANI. He added that the infrastructure developed during the earlier COVID-19 waves has been reviewed and that preparations are underway to deal with any eventuality. "We've reviewed the infrastructure built during the earlier COVID waves, such as oxygen plants and ICU beds, and have already begun preparations. Our health systems are well-equipped and ready to handle any situation that may arise in response to COVID," he said. On May 28, Rajasthan reported seven new COVID-19 cases in 24 hours, bringing the total number of cases this year to 39, with one death, according to the state health department. The new cases included two from AIIMS Jodhpur, two from Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Hospital in Jaipur, one from Rajasthan University of Health Sciences (RUHS), one from Reliable Diagnostic Centre, and one from Jaipuria Hospital, Jaipur. Punjab also reported two active COVID-19 cases recently, one patient from Yamunanagar and another from Ambala -- both currently undergoing treatment. Earlier, on May 26, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) had stated that while COVID-19 cases are being reported again from parts of the country, the circulating variants are currently showing mild symptoms similar to the Omicron strain. Speaking to ANI, Dr Rajiv Bahl, DG, ICMR, said the government is focusing on transmission, surveillance, and preparedness, but currently circulating variants have mild symptoms like Omicron. "The government and health agencies are closely monitoring COVID-19 cases and taking necessary steps." According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, till May 26, India has a total of 1010 COVID cases, with Kerala, Maharashtra and Delhi among the regions with the most active cases. Kerala is the worst hit of the three, having 430 active cases. Maharashtra is second, with 210 cases, and Delhi third, with 104 cases. These three regions make up the majority of the active cases, totalling upto 744 cases among the three.
NDTV
13 hours ago
- Health
- NDTV
India's Covid Cases Rise To 2,710, Kerala, Maharashtra, Delhi Worst Hit
New Delhi: India's active coronavirus cases have risen to nearly 3,000, with Kerala fighting the latest resurgence of infections - followed by Maharashtra, and Delhi. Official data shows a quick rise in the cases within four days. While India recorded a total of 1,010 cases on May 26, the official data by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare shows a total of 2,710 infections on May 30. According to the data, Kerala has recorded 1,147 cases, Maharashtra 424, Delhi 294, and Gujarat 223. Tamil Nadu has recorded a total of 148 cases so far, while Karnataka and West Bengal have reported 148 and 116 cases, respectively. Rajasthan has reported 51 cases, Uttar Pradesh 42, Puducherry 25, Haryana 20, Andhra Pradesh 16, Madhya Pradesh 10, Goa seven, and Odisha, Punjab, and Jammu Kashmir four each. Three states - Telangana, Arunachal Pradesh, and Chandigarh have reported three cases each, while Mizoram and Assam have two people detected with the infection each so far. No active case has been reported from Andaman and Nicobar, Sikkim, and Himachal Pradesh. The official data for Bihar is not yet available. Data suggested at least seven died this month across India. Two people who died in Maharashtra (1) and Delhi (1) had other severe ailments along with Covid-19. However, it is not yet clear whether others died due to the infection. All people who died, except for the one in Punjab, were senior citizens, officials said. However, officials have said that the coronavirus cases are mild in nature and there is no need to panic. Earlier this week, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) Director General Dr Rajiv Bahl said the agencies are watching what is unfolding, and stressed the need to be vigilant. "The public need not worry about this new variant of Covid-19. We just need to be vigilant. The government and all the agencies are watching what is unfolding. According to me, the basic precautions should be taken. We are not talking about enhanced precautions right now. But if someone is a cancer patient or has immunity problems, then we generally advise them to avoid any infection. Precautions need to be taken," he said. In India, the most common Covid-19 variant remains JN.1, comprising 53 per cent of samples tested, followed by BA.2 (26%) and other Omicron sublineages (20%), according to the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG). However, the recent cases have seen at least one case of the new highly contagious NB.1.8.1 variant, and at least four cases of the LF.7 variant, the report said. As of this month, the World Health Organisation (WHO) classifies LF.7 and NB.1.8 subvariants as Variants Under Monitoring (VUMs), not as Variants of Concern (VOCs) or Variants of Interest (VOIs). But these variants are reportedly driving the rise in Covid cases in China and some other parts of Asia.
