Latest news with #Peerless
Time of India
a day ago
- General
- Time of India
Season's 1st Covid death in state is 43-yr-old with comorbidities
1 2 Kolkata: Bengal saw its first Covid-related death this year, after a 43-year-old woman passed away at a south Kolkata hospital on Tuesday. The deceased had heart and kidney ailments, said sources. This was among the five Covid deaths reported across the country on Tuesday. While the current spike is causing mostly mild infections, individuals with comorbidities need to remain cautious as they were vulnerable to severe infections, said health experts. The state reported 41 fresh cases in the past 24 hours, taking its total active caseload to 372, most of which are concentrated in Kolkata. At present, almost all major hospitals across the city have patients admitted for Covid treatment. The 43-year-old woman was admitted to CMRI Hospital on May 28 with complaints of a two-week-long bout of fever and respiratory distress. Suspected of an infection, her respiratory samples were sent for a viral panel test and she tested positive for Covid-19. While she apparently had no existing health conditions, tests revealed her heart ejection fraction was as low as 20%. Her urine output kept declining, due to which she was given dialysis. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo Initially under BiPAP support, doctors had to put her on ventilation as she kept sinking. "On finding sepsis indications, our medical team put up their best. But the decline in her condition, including the organ damage, was very swift. Some adjuvant health conditions were probably the cause of such a fast decline," said the unit medical head of the hospital. The death report cites acute coronary syndrome, acute kidney injury and septic shock in a case of Covid-19. Of the eight Covid-19 positive patients admitted at the hospital, the 43-year-old was the only one under intensive care. Reacting to this, Peerless Hospital chief microbiologist Bhaskar Narayan Chaudhuri said: "Whenever there is an outbreak of any infection like influenza, adenovirus, or Covid-19, there would be a few mortalities. That is the reason why the vulnerable need to remain protected." Peerless's lab detected three positive cases on Tuesday, including that of a child, who is admitted at the hospital. Critical care and ECMO specialist Arpan Chakraborty of Apollo Multispecialty Hospital said that a section of patients with comorbidities was likely to need intensive care if they tested positive for Covid. Among the seven Covid positive patients admitted at the hospital was an 80-year-old man who had heart issues. "Timely detection and close monitoring in hospital are required for patients," said infectious diseases specialist Sayan Chakraborty of Manipal Hospital Dhakuria. "We have three Covid patients, including one in the ICU, while we discharged two recently," said Doli Biswas, chief nursing officer of Fortis Hospital Anandapur. RN Tagore Hospital has two Covid-19 positive patients.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
Symptoms mild but Cov admissions rise, hosps expand isolation facilities
1 2 Kolkata: The spike in Covid patients in Kolkata and the rest of Bengal makes the elderly with comorbidities and children, especially those who suffered an adenovirus infection or pneumonia over the past three years, vulnerable to the existing Covid strains, say pulmonologists. Patients, suffering from associated respiratory illnesses, such as recurring bouts of asthma, frequent bronchitis, COPD or respiratory distress, were at a greater risk of getting Covid, they warned. Several private hospitals have started expanding their Covid units. While the infection might be mild for most, if numbers kept rising at the current rate, a significant section could get a severe disease, said CMRI Hospital pulmonology director Raja Dhar. "As the elderly and children are more vulnerable, the number of affected will swell, leading to a rise in severe cases. So, we need to isolate positives to curb transmission and ramp up testing, prevention measures and isolation facilities. Else, we will have an explosion of patients as a small number of severe cases could also be huge in our country," Dhar said. Five Covid patients are now admitted to CMRI, which has identified 14 beds, which could be scaled up to 32, if need be. Dhar added the current strain, believed to be Jn.1, a variant of Omicron, was highly transmissible though less virulent. Peerless Hospital has identified a ward with a dialysis facility and earmarked an eight-bed ITU for severe cases. The hospital now has two patients admitted, both stable. "We can accommodate five to 10 stable Covid patients immediately and at least eight severe patients at an ITU that can be converted," said Peerless CEO Sudipta Mitra. Two Covid patients are now admitted to RN Tagore Hospital, both stable. "If the numbers rise exponentially, severe cases will also go up. In terms of percentage, the number could be small, but in absolute numbers, we may have more severe cases over the next fortnight," said RN Tagore intensivist Sauren Panja. Covid patients at Manipal Hospitals were released by Sunday. "Our Dhakuria, Mukundapur and Salt Lake Broadway units each has an isolation unit. We are contemplating an isolation area to segregate suspected cases," said Manipal infectious diseases physician Sayan Chakrabarty. He added while symptoms remained muted, faster transmission might change the scene. "Those with lung ailments have the risk of aggravation if they get Covid. " At Charnock Hospital, a 'wider clinical team' has been set up. "Use of hand sanitisers and masks at the hospital has been reinstated. The hospital is setting up isolation wards and ICU beds for confirmed or suspected Covid cases. Patients with symptoms are being screened," said a Charnock spokesperson. Woodlands Multispecialty Hospital, which has identified a five-bed isolation unit, has one Covid patient admitted. "If numbers rise, we will use it. We have stepped up preventive measures and ramped up tests," said CEO Rupak Barua.
Time of India
21-05-2025
- Health
- Time of India
With cases rising elsewhere, 3 Kol hospitals revive Covid safety steps
Kolkata: At least three private hospitals in Kolkata have revived Covid precautions in the wake of an outbreak in Southeast Asia and the detection of cases in Mumbai, Chennai and Ahmedabad. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Although almost no Covid case has been detected in Kolkata hospitals since last Dec, some have started collecting the travel history of those with symptoms and have recommended use of masks and sanitisers. Two hospitals have set aside isolation wards. BP Poddar Hospital has reintroduced several precautionary measures to ensure safety of patients, visitors, and healthcare staff. "We have reinstated our isolation ward, where we are planning to keep patients with a history of domestic or international travel, who have fever. They are being kept under observation where further treatment is carried out according to protocol," said Supriyo Chakrabarty, group advisor, BP Poddar Hospital. At the hospital's fever clinic, strict hygiene protocols have been revived, including the use of masks, hand sanitisers, and regular sanitisation of the premises. At Peerless Hospital, a two-bed isolation ward has been set aside for patients with Covid symptoms. "So far, we have not received any suspect. In case there is a surge, we will convert an entire ward overnight," said CEO Sudipta Mitra. Although Peerless is yet to begin screening patients with symptoms, it plans to identify those with a travel history to Southeast Asia. "We have not had a single Covid-positive patient since last Sept. Over the last week, we tested two non-Covid coronavirus positives. These are old strains, like 229E and OC 43. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now We are ready to revive Covid-19 tests, though," said Peerless Hospital chief microbiologist Bhaskar Narayan Chaudhuri. He added that the Jn1 strain currently in circulation was unlikely to trigger a severe disease since most have received two-three vaccinations and have developed immunity. Woodlands Hospital has revived use of sanitisers and started a campaign on hand hygiene. "We are keeping an eye on the situation," said CEO Rupak Barua. Charnock Hospital has received a few Covid-19 cases over the last month, though they have been mild and affected those with lower immunity, said Charnock pulmonologist Soumya Sengupta. "The new strain should not be more potent than the one that struck in the third wave. But we need to be careful since any viral infection could spread fast," Sengupta said. "At RN Tagore Hospital, we have isolation beds in the emergency, in the critical care areas, and in the wards. All infectious disease patients are isolated. We are following stringent protocols in all procedural areas to minimise the risk of cross infection during invasive procedures," said R Venkatesh, COO, Narayana Hospitals.
Daily Mail
20-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Diploma shares hit record high as technical products firm ups guidance
Diploma shares hit a record high on Tuesday after the FTSE 100-listed technical products supplier upgraded its annual guidance. The FTSE 100 group, whose products include cables, fasteners and hydraulic seals, now expects to achieve organic revenue growth of 8 per cent this year, up from a prior prediction of 6 per cent. It also raised its full-year operating margin forecast from around 21 per cent to about 22 per cent. Shares in Diploma soared 18 per cent to a record £49.90 in early trading before retreating to be 14.7 per cent up by late Tuesday afternoon. Diploma's new outlook follows a bumper first-half performance, with the firm's sales expanding by 14 per cent to £728.5million in the six months ending March. Growth was driven by its controls segment, which saw organic revenue jump by 16 per cent and total turnover surge by over a third to £391.3million. The London-based business noted that its Windy City Wire segment enjoyed greater demand for its digital antenna systems and data centres, as well as increased sales in its core building markets. At the same time, Diploma said its international controls arm benefited from tailwinds in established markets, such as energy and defence, and the takeover of aerospace parts manufacturer Peerless. In contrast, sales in its seals division fell by 6 per cent to £226.7million, partly due to a halt in government infrastructure projects hitting purchases of hydraulic components at R&G, its UK fluid power business. However, the company's total adjusted operating profits still climbed by a quarter to £156.9million, supported by a 190 basis points improvement in operating margins. Johnny Thomson, chief executive of Diploma, said the performance demonstrated 'our sustainable quality compounding with excellent earnings growth at fantastic returns on capital'. He added: 'We have a differentiated business model with a well-diversified portfolio of high-quality businesses, allowing us to deliver compounding growth in good times and bad.' Diploma also said recently-imposed tariffs had a 'limited impact' because a large share of its goods are locally sourced. Since returning to office in January, President Donald Trump has put a 10 per cent baseline tariff on imported US goods, and 25 per cent taxes on cars, steel, and aluminium entering the US. Trump gradually raised tariffs on most Chinese products to a whopping 145 per cent, but the US and China agreed last week to drop their respective tariffs on each other to 30 per cent for 90 days. Thomson said: 'Despite the uncertain environment, I feel confident in our ability to deliver on our upgraded guidance this year. And I'm really excited about our longer-term prospects too.'
Mint
03-05-2025
- Business
- Mint
Sahara's shadow: The spectacular unravelling of Subrata Roy
Subrata Roy's life unfolded like a strange whodunnit—where the "who" was always clear, but the "what" remained elusive. Accused of orchestrating one of India's largest Ponzi schemes, involving millions of investors, Roy was never sentenced, passing away before any judgment could be rendered in the multiple cases against him. By the time of his death, he had spent years in Delhi's notorious Tihar jail, only to be released on parole—as though even the law was uncertain of the exact nature of his guilt. Read this | Jayanti Dharma Teja: The enigmatic genius whose shipping empire was built on deception When the Central Registrar of Cooperative Societies (CRCS) launched a portal for investors to reclaim funds collected by Roy's firms, just ₹ 2,314 crore had been returned as of 28 February 2025—out of ₹ 15,775 crore made available under a Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) order. Many investors remain untraceable, adding to the enigma Roy left behind. Born in 1948, the boy from Araria in Bihar studied at Holy Child School in Kolkata and CM Anglo Bengali Intermediate College in Varanasi before completing a diploma in mechanical engineering from a college in Gorakhpur. The early death of his father meant money was tight. In Sahara: The Untold Story (2014), Tamal Bandyopadhyay recounts how Roy started out selling snacks from a scooter before moving on to electric fans under the brand name Air Sahara. That venture failed—but the name would live on in his aviation business. His fortunes changed in 1976 when he took over a struggling finance company, Sahara Finance. The mid-1970s were a tumultuous period in India. Soaring inflation and rising unemployment were pushing people to seek alternatives to staid bank deposits. It was fertile ground for dubious financial schemes—chit funds promising exponential returns were flourishing. When Sahara launched its first fund in Gorakhpur, the infamous Sanchayita scam was brewing in West Bengal, eventually affecting more than 131,000 people before its collapse in 1980. Peerless, too, was operating an insurance-based Ponzi scheme around the same time. These companies were given the seemingly respectable tag of "residuary non-banking companies" (RNBCs)—though there was little honour in their operations. But while Sanchayita and Peerless fell out of favour after the Chit Funds Act was enacted in 1982, Roy was just getting started. With a growing capital base—thousands of crores collected from small depositors—he began investing in the growth sectors of the 1980s and 1990s. Sahara India Pariwar, the grandiose umbrella for his businesses, expanded into real estate ( Aamby Valley City ), media (Sahara TV), aviation (Air Sahara), and hospitality (Grosvenor House Hotel in London and Plaza Hotel in New York). By the early 2000s, Roy was a fixture among India's business elite. Read this | Vijay Mallya's short-lived kingdom of pizzas His lifestyle matched his expanding empire. Though he described himself as 'a simple human being" whose first home with wife Swapna was a tin-roofed one-room house, he projected the image of a benevolent tycoon. He fancied himself a modern-day Robin Hood who had taught shopkeepers and panwalas to save through his parabanking model. He expected reverence—for his service to the poor, for his patriotic self-image. That explained his long, sermon-like speeches and the famous 'Jai Sahara" salute, which was mandatory for all employees. His official title was Chief Managing Worker, but he sat on a throne. In 2004, the wedding of his sons was a dazzling six-day spectacle. Thousands of guests were flown in on Sahara's private jets. Then prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee mingled with Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Romanian gymnast Nadia Comaneci, and Sachin Tendulkar. The guest list reflected Roy's political reach. While he was particularly close to Mulayam Singh Yadav—via friend Amar Singh—his network extended across party lines. But success bred carelessness. In 2009, Sahara Prime City filed a draft red herring prospectus (DRHP) with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) for its initial public offering (IPO). The disclosures revealed that two Sahara group firms—Sahara India Real Estate Corp. (SIRECL) and Sahara Housing Investment Corp. (SHICL)—had raised nearly ₹ 27,000 crore from millions of investors via optionally fully convertible debentures (OFCDs), in violation of Sebi rules. It was like a game of Jenga. The blocks came tumbling down. The scheme was a pyramid, possibly the largest the world had seen. At its peak, Sahara was the financial lifeline for 70 million investors—most of whom were left with nothing when the scheme unravelled. Also read | How Manu Manek aka Black Cobra went from college trader to market marauder In 2011, Sebi ordered the company to refund the money. Roy refused to comply—or even respond to court summons. Finally, in 2014, a special two-judge bench comprising Justices K.S. Radhakrishnan and J.S. Khehar sent one of India's most flamboyant billionaires to jail. He was released on parole after two years. Until his death in November 2023 at age 75, he continued to run his businesses. The Sahara empire, however, never recovered. And its full story, like the fate of its investors' money, may never be known.
