BUSINESS
Health ministry urges states to keep a vigil on COVID-19 patterns at district level as restrictions end on March 31
The communique by the health ministry follows a letter by home secretary Ajay Bhalla to states saying that all COVID-19 containment measures will end from March 31.
CORONAVIRUS
Huge response to COVID-19 shots for 12-14 age group; private hospitals keep away
Private healthcare providers struggling to use up their stocks of Covishield and Covaxin shots are showing no enthusiasm for the Corbevax vaccination of children.
CORONAVIRUS
As COVID-19 transmission rate plunges, experts feel it’s time for mandatory masking to go
India has recorded less than two COVID-19 cases per million people for several weeks now, active coronavirus cases have fallen below 25,000 and daily new cases have dropped to below 2,000.
BUSINESS
Govt data shows minimal disruption in institutional deliveries during COVID-19 pandemic but activists sceptical
The government’s response to a question in Parliament on the extent of disruption to institutional deliveries in India paints a picture contrary to reports from the ground, strengthening scepticism among those tracking the developments closely.
CORONAVIRUS
New COVID-19 cases hover below 2k mark for second day in a row
Assam, Delhi, Goa, Jammu and Kashmir, and Sikkim reported a minor rise in active infections over 24 hours
CORONAVIRUS
Active COVID-19 cases in India fall below 30,000, but Centre asks states to step up surveillance efforts
The health ministry has also urged states that in the wake of rising case trajectory in some countries, there should be continued focus on the test, track, treat, vaccination against coronavirus and adherence to COVID-19 appropriate behaviour
HEALTH-TRENDS
Explained I New tuberculosis vaccine: why India waits with high hopes
In high-income countries, tuberculosis mainly affects the elderly, whereas in countries such as India, the disease each year takes the lives primarily of young and middle-aged adults, the most productive members of society.
CORONAVIRUS
India reports under 3,000 new COVID-19 cases fourth day in a row
Only Andaman and Nicobar Islands, apart from Uttarakhand, reported a nominal rise in active coronavirus caseload in the 24 hours.
BUSINESS
In Depth I Medical students abroad: Regulator says it’s working on reforms to prevent an exodus every year
National Medical Commission officials say students go abroad to study medicine out of a belief that their personality will develop from interaction with students from other parts of the world and their culture and by learning foreign languages. Such students often lack sufficient clinical skills, they say.
HEALTH-TRENDS
Bharat Biotech joins hands with BioFabri to develop, distribute a new TB vaccine MTBVAC
MTBVAC is the only live attenuated vaccine against Mycobacterium tuberculosis in development. Its large -scale efficacy trials are set to begin in Senegal, South Africa and Madagascar in the second half of 2022
CORONAVIRUS
India reports 2,876 new COVID-19 cases, 98 deaths in last 24 hours
In nine states and UTs, marginal rise in active coronavirus caseload was registered, mainly due to increase in tests to detect fresh infections
CORONAVIRUS
Analysis: Co-morbidity clause removed for 60-plus to get COVID-19 booster shots. Will it draw more people to vax centres?
The highest number of 60-plus population is in Uttar Pradesh, followed by Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu. In these three states, there are over 1 crore people above 60 years. All other states and UTs have below 1-crore population in this age group.
CORONAVIRUS
India reports 2,568 new COVID-19 cases, 97 deaths in 24 hours
In two states and UTs, there is no active COVID-19 case now while in 4 others, there are less than 20 active infections.
CORONAVIRUS
BA.2.2 sub-variant sparks fresh COVID-19 concerns but scientists allay fears
In January this year, Omicron was found in over 95 percent samples subjected to whole genome sequencing from across the country of which BA.2 was the most dominant sub-lineage detected in samples, followed by BA.1
CORONAVIRUS
India's maternal mortality rate dips to 103; Kerala, UP, Maharashtra mark sharpest decline
The rise in MMR in West Bengal, Haryana, Uttarakhand and Chhattisgarh, however, have emerged as a cause of concern and the government said that these states need to review their existing efforts to get better results.
INDIA
COVID-19 vaccine for 12-14-year-olds to start from March 16; all above 60 years can take boosters
The new decision will mean that, while Corbevax will be offered to the younger adolescents, those in the 15-17-year age group will continue to get Covaxin.
CORONAVIRUS
Fresh COVID-19 cases over 24 hours touch lowest in 680 days
The active load of coronavirus in all the states and UTs, including Kerala, is now under 10,000
BUSINESS
Star ratings or warning labels on packaged food? Battle reaches PMO
Opposing a move by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, health and nutrition experts have knocked on the doors of the Prime Minister’s Office and the government’s think-tank Niti Aayog to roll back a proposal to introduce health star ratings on packaged and processed food items.
CORONAVIRUS
India reports 4,194 new COVID-19 cases, 255 deaths from virus in 24 hours
None of the states and Union Territories in India reported a rise in active COVID-19 caseload over the last 24 hours
CORONAVIRUS
India’s COVID-19 vaccination coverage formidable, but slow boosting policy has many worried
The majority of those eligible for vaccination and precaution doses have availed them but experts say that panels such as the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation and National Expert Group for Vaccine Administration on COVID-19 should be faster in taking decisions needed now.
HEALTH-TRENDS
Two years of COVID-19: India fares better, but still not indefensible against another wave, another pandemic
With more hospital beds, better oxygen supply mechanism, and a formidable vaccination coverage against coronavirus, the country is offering hope that we will do better if another variant or a new virus were to hit. But there are also areas that need a total reboot.
CORONAVIRUS
We should stop managing COVID-19 the way we did in 2020: Gagandeep Kang
Kang believes that the high vaccination coverage among the adult population against COVID-19 in India is a high point and hints that the infectious disease may have reached endemic stage in the country since the end of the second wave last year
CORONAVIRUS
India records 4,184 fresh COVID-19 cases, 104 deaths in last 24 hours
With the fresh cases, the total tally of COVID-19 cases in the country now stands at 4,29,80,067, according to the Union Health Ministry data
INDIA
No upper age limit for medical entrance exams, clarifies medical education regulator
A previous attempt by the government to fix an attempt limit for medical aspirants in 2016 had been rolled back after protests from the students but the withdrawal of upper age limit comes years later during which students have been fighting a legal battle in the Supreme Court.
