Covid-19 India Updates: Some Dos and Dont's while isolating at home according to AIIMS guidelines

Maharashtra recorded as many as 37,236 coronavirus cases on Monday, taking the tally of infections in the state to 51,38,973, the death toll increased to 76,398 with 549 new fatalities.  As many as 61,607 patients were discharged from hospitals, taking the number of recovered patients to 44,69,425, The number of active cases stands at 5,90,818.

Delhi recorded as many as 12,651 fresh coronavirus cases on Monday. With this, the tally of COVID-19 cases in the national capital has reached over 13.36 lakh, while the death toll mounted to 19,663. As many as 319 fatalities have been recorded in the last 24 hours, according to the latest bulletin issued by the Delhi health department.

At 19.10 percent, the city's COVID-19 positivity rate is at its lowest since April 16, according to a health bulletin issued by the Delhi government.

The positivity rate in Delhi has remained above the 20 per cent mark since April 17.

The World Health Organization (WHO) is set to restart an international clinical trial of three existing drugs that can save the lives of people hospitalized with Covid-19. This time the trial is aimed to dampen inflammation, an approach that has already shown promise, Nature reported. The clinical trial, named Solidarity, was first announced on March 18 by WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

The latest trial will test three drugs that dampen inflammation -- Infliximab, Imatinib and Artesunate. All three drugs were carefully chosen on the basis of the promise they showed in smaller clinical trials and widespread availability, John-Arne Rottingen, scientific director of the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, was quoted as saying.

-IANS

A worldwide network of scientists has isolated functional units of the SARS-CoV-2 proteins in such a way that their structure, function and interactions can now be characterised by researchers the world over and develop protocols to quickly spot mutations and new variants. The global consortium, led by researchers at Goethe University Frankfurt and TU Darmstadt, provides working protocols that will allow laboratories around the world to work quickly and reproducibly on SARS-CoV-2 proteins and also the mutants to come.

When the Covid-19 virus mutates, this initially only means that there is a change in its genetic blueprint. The mutation may lead, for example, to an amino acid being exchanged at a particular site in a viral protein. In order to quickly assess the effect of this change, a three-dimensional image of the viral protein is extremely helpful.

-IANS

The Health Ministry said that a total of 17,01,76,703 people have been vaccinated so far in the country, including 6,89,652, who were administered vaccines in the last 24 hours.

Witnessing a decline, India on Monday recorded 3,66,161 fresh Covid-19 cases in the last 24 hours with 3,754 fatalities, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said. On Sunday, India recorded 4.03 lakh cases for the fifth time after May 1. On Friday, India recorded the highest ever 4,14,188 cases.

In the past 18 days India's daily Covid tally has risen by over three lakh cases and over 3,000 casualties have been reported for the last 12 days. India's total tally of Covid-19 cases now stands at 2,26,62,575 with 37,45,237 active cases and a total of 2,46,116 deaths so far.

Anurag Thakur's remarks came in response to Mallikarjun Kharge's letter to PM Narendra Modi urging him to use Rs 35,000 crore allocated in the Union Budget to ensure free vaccine.

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While Covid-19 cases continue to surge, we need to be even more vigilant, while staying at home and keeping ourselves healthy and fit. While eating right and exercising ensures our bodies and minds stay fit, it is also important to strengthen our respiratory system -- as that is also severely affected by the virus.

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In his presentation, Assistant Professor of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Saurabh Mittal, highlighted how home isolation helps free hospital space and contain the spread of disease. It was noted that only patients having mild disease, in which there are only upper respiratory tract symptoms and no shortness of breath, are recommended for home isolation, but the decision about whether it is mild will be taken by a doctor. The availability of requisite facilities with an attached separate bathroom at the residence is necessary for self-isolation.

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-IANS