Tag: Latest Trending News

Viral

Guidelines issued For Private Labs To Test COVID-19, Price Fixed At Rs. 4,500

HT News

The Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) has released guidelines for private laboratories to starting conducting tests for novel coronavirus. Also, the central government has fixed the maximum price for the test.

ICMR guidelines for COVID-19 testing by private labs

 

Labs notified by the Union Health Ministry and with NABL accreditation for real-time PCR SA for RNA virus would be allowed to conduct COVID-19 tests said ICMR in its guidelines.

The private labs were asked to ensure appropriate biosafety and biosecurity precautions while collecting respiratory samples of suspected patients. ICMR suggested home collection of samples that will prevent suspected persons from travelling and infecting others.

Commercial kits for real-tome PCR-based diagnosis of coronavirus are also allowed to use but they should be either US FDA approved or European CE certified or both. These kits could be used for in-vitro diagnosis of COVID-19 in emergent conditions. But it is necessary to intimate the Drug Controller General of India before using these kits.

Laboratory test of a suspect should be performed only when a qualified physical prescribes the test. And the lab staff should be trained in good practices to perform real-time PCR. Also, the laboratories must follow national guidelines on disposing the biomedical waste.

COVID-19 test cost and reporting

ICMR will give registration numbers to private labs. Also, the labs are asked to report the details of a test to ICMR headquarters data base. The price determined for COVID-19 test is 1,500 for preliminary screening and additional 3,000 for confirmation test. But the overall cost shouldn’t exceed to Rs. 4,500.

Source: https://bit.ly/3aaqnfH

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Today's Special Viral

World Water Day 2020 Observed On March 22 Under The Scare Of Deadly Novel Coronavirus

HT News

March 22 is World Water Day. The day is observed to spread awareness on sustainable management of freshwater resources. Every year, a theme is given to highlight the cause. The theme for World Water Day 2020 is “Water and Climate Change”.

World Water Development Report (WWDR) 2020

The WWDR published a report “Water and Climate Change” in which it stressed the to help the water community manage the challenges of climate change. It also highlights the opportunities that the climate change community has to improve water management offers in terms of adaptation and mitigation.

World Water Day 2020 events postponed

All events planned for observing the World Water Day on March 22 were postponed amid the scare of coronavirus. The global launch of the report “Water and Climate Change” organized in Geneva was also put on hold. But the alternative way of access the report through official website of the World Water Day Organization is available. People can access the report and meet and get-together on the website.

Highlights of World Water Day 2020 campaign

• Water should be at the heart of every action plan. The world can’t afford to wait for policymakers to make decision.

• The world can fight climate change with sustainable, affordable and scalable water and sanitation solutions.

• Everyone can play a role in controlling climate change. There are surprisingly easy steps people of all ages can take to address climate change.

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Viral

Trump Feels COVID-19 Be Treated With Hydroxychloroquine

HT News

President Donald Trump has gut feeling that a malaria drug could work to treat people with COVID-19. But his advisor Dr Anthony Fauci is politely denying Trump’s claim. Fauci is top infectious disease expert of the government.

Trump’s claim about a malaria drug

Donald Trump, during a television interview, claimed that he had gut feeling that that malaria drug hydroxychloroquine could be an answer to coronavirus that had been shutting countries down across the globe. But his advisor Fauci countered his claim by saying that the drug Trump was referring to was anecdotal.

Dr Anthony Fauci denies Trump

As director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at NIH, Fauci has 30-year experience in dealing with diseases including HIV, SARS, MERS, Ebola and the novel coronavirus. Fauci said that there was no medicine available to treat COVID-19.

Fauci said that Food and Drug Administration was looking for a way to use the said drug for emergency use but in a controlled manner to get data about its safety and efficacy. He said that for any drug to be qualified for a specific use must pass some clinic trials to substantiate to substantiate his claim on chloroquine.

Treating COVID-19 with chloroquine

Hydroxychloroquine is a drug widely used for treating malaria. Doctors in US prescribe this drug off-level. The good thing is that studies conducted in test tubes revealed encouraging signs that chloroquine could interfere with coronavirus. But it will be too early to make any opinion on the drug.

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Top Celebrities Viral

FIR Lodged Against Singer Kanika Kapoor For Being COVID-19 Positive

HT News

The Chief Medical Officer of Lucknow accused singer Kanika Kapoor of negligence in his First Information Report (FIR) to the police. The singer has been tested positive for COVID-19.

Accusation against Kanika Kapoor

She attended a dinner in Lucknow where there were several senior politicians including state minsters and parliamentarians. The FIR reads that the singer was advised to go on home quarantine after she was detected positive for coronavirus. But she disregarded the advice.

Kanika Kapoor’s answer to FIR

The 41-year old singer said in a social media post that she developed coronavirus symptoms a short time before and was isolated. She claimed that she came to Lucknow on March 11 after landing at Mumbai airport on March 9. She came from London that has high number of COVID-19 cases.

She further said that she was screened at both the airports but no virus was detected and she was unaware that she was carrying coronavirus. The singer is presently admitted to a hospital in Lucknow.

Politicians susceptible to be COVD-19 patients

Vasundhara Raje was swift to respond to the Kanika Kapoor’s post. The former Rajasthan CM said that she attended the dinner party with her son Dushyant Singh and that she and her son had self-quarantined.

Uttar Pradesh Health Minister Jai Pratap Singh was one of the guests to the dinner that the singer attended. He admitted to lapses at Lucknow airport and ordered an inquiry into the incident. He has also gone into self-quarantine. Meanwhile the President Ram Nath Kovind also met Dushyant Singh.

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News & Politics Viral

Narendra Modi Appreciated Bhutanese And Nepalese Contribution Towards COVID-19 Fund

HT News

Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to Twitter to thank Bhutan and Nepal for their contribution to the COVID-19 emergency fund to help SAARC countries in battling coronavirus outbreak.

PM Modi proposed emergency funds

On March 15, Prime Minister Modi proposed setting of an emergency fund for SAARC members. Also, he donated USD 10 million for the purpose. He suggested setting of COVID-19 fund while addressing the SAARC leaders and representatives via video conferencing.

He said that it was wonderful to see SAARC leaders taking initiatives that were adding strength to the collective fight against coronavirus. He further said that it shows their commitment to the collective fight against the pandemic.

Source: https://bit.ly/2Up8Ycu

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Devotional

Chaitra Navratri 2020 Calendar

HT News

Devoted to Adi Shakti Maa Durga, Navratri comes in twice a year. The first is Vasantik Navratri that is also called Chaitra Navratri and the second is Sharadiya Navratri. This year Chaitra Navratri starts on March 25.

Chaitra Navratri begins on the first day of the Hindu New Year that starts on the Shukla Paksha of Chaitra month every year. This year, Chaitra Shukla Pratipada or Vikram Navamsatwar 2077 falls on March 25. The Chaitra Navratri will start on the same day.

Starting from March 25, the Navratri festival will continue till April 2. NavmiTithi is on April 2 and Dashami on April 3.

Here’s the information about Ghat or Kalash establishment for Navratri festival

March 25, Wednesday

First day of Navratri starts with the worship of goddess Shailputri. It is also an auspicious day for Kalash establishment.

March 26, Thursday

Worship Maa Brahmacharinion the second day

March 27, Friday

Worship Gauri incarnation of Maa Durga on the third day

March 28, Saturday

Worship Kushmanda incarnation of Maa Durga on the fourth day

March 29, Sunday

Worship Maa Skandamata on the fifth day

March 30, Monday

Worship Maa Katyayani on the sixth day

March 31, Tuesday

It is the seventh day of Navratri or Maha Saptami. And it is an auspicious day for worshipping Mata Kalratri.

April 01, Wednesday

The eighth day of Navratri is called Durga Ashtami. And it is the day of Mahagauri.

April 02, Thursday

It is Chaitra Shukla Navami or Ram Navami because Lord Rama was born on this day. Also, it is the day for worshipping Maa Siddhidatri.

April 03, Friday

The tenth of Navratri is for performing havan … Read the rest

News & Politics Viral

Myths Surrounding The Intensity Of COVID-19

HT News

COVID-19 became a known thing to science within a few months of coming into the world. It arrived from oblivion and spread like a wildfire. Today, it has taken the entire world in its grip but there seems to be no end to this pandemic.

Some most important and unanswered questions about COVID-19

Q.How does it spread?

The SARS-CoV-2 has infected over 2 million people in the world and resulted in over 10,000 deaths. It is passed through tiny droplets from coughing and sneezing.

Q: Is there any fear of reinfection

It is largely unknown but some people in China and Japan got re-infected from the virus. But it could be a low level of infection from the earlier infection.

Q: What is the number of coronavirus cases in the US?

Until the US start mass testing for COVID-19, determining number of infected cases could be anybody’s guess. There could be people with mild infection or the number could be scary.

Q: How deadly COVID-19 is?

Presently, some countries are facing higher deaths than others. Wuhan, the epicentre of infection, has a death rate of 1.4% but it was 5.8% in late February. On the contrary, South Korea’s due to COVID-19 is less than 1%.

Q. Is it seasonal?

Some viruses become less transmissible in high temperature and it is expected that COVID-19 will also become less intense in the coming months but it would be too early to say anything about this deadly virus.

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Today's Special

Nirbhaya’s Killers Executed After Seven Years

HT News

All four convicts of Nirbhaya gang rape – AkshayThakur (31), Pawan Gupta (25), Vinay Sharma (26) and Mukesh Singh (32) – were hanged at 5:30 an in Tihar Jail, Delhi. Their execution took place soon after their final petition was dismissed by the Supreme Court.

Convicts had petitioned before Delhi High Court

It was a hurriedly filed petition and their lawyer cited coronavirus as a reason for not filing petition with proper documents. They had petitioned multiple times to stall their execution over the past few months. And they managed to do so three times at the eleventh hour. The lawyer of Ajay Thakur even pleaded to send them to India-Pakistan border or to Doklam at the China border instead of hanging.

Their last days in prison

The convicts were kept in isolation in separate cells in the last hours. According to an official they hardly slept. Also, they refused a last meal or the last wish. The official further said that they were barely eating in their cells. One of them even begged for his life while he was led to the gallows. The Asia’s largest prison was on lockdown since last night for the execution.

Asha Devi Nirbhaya’s mother on execution

She said that they all had to wait so long for that day. That day was a new dawn for the daughters of India. The beasts had been hanged. She went home and hugged picture of her daughter after hearing the Supreme Court’s verdict.

Source: https://bit.ly/3dhSYl6

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Viral

India Shuts Down To Battle Coronavirus Outbreak

HT News

The government banned international flights for a week staring this Sunday in order to escalate measures to fight coronavirus. Also, PM Modi urged children below 10-years and people above 65-years should stay inside. Meanwhile 18 new COVID-19 cases took the total number of coronavirus cases to 173 on Thursday. The pandemic has claimed over 8,000 lives globally.

Highlights of the story

• People above 65-years are advised to stay indoors until necessary. Only public representatives, doctors and government employees should come outside.

• All concessional travel except for students, patients and people with special needs are suspended by railways and airlines.

• Private sector employees are urged to work from home across all states, except for emergency and essential services.

• Fourth COVID-19 death of a 70-year old man with travel history to Germany was reported from Punjab. The earlier three deaths were from Delhi, Punjab and Karnataka.

• Punjab suspended public transport services in addition to restricting public gathering to less than 20 from Friday night. It became the first state to do so.

• The centre has sent 50% of his employees to work from home in addition to staggering working hours for the staff.

• India is on the Stage 2 of the outbreak. It suggests that the transmission is local and traceable. The health ministry said that there was no sign of community transmission.

• Schools, colleges, theatres, malls and shopping areas have been shut down and religious gatherings and weddings have been put off across the country.

Source:- https://bit.ly/2Qv60Sj

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Viral

Chloroquine Prices Sliced To 2015 Level To Fight Global Coronavirus Pandemic

HT News

A New Jersey based drug company Rising Pharmaceuticals doubled the price of its chloroquine phosphate tablets in late 2019. But the increased price was soon rolled back after the medicine is touted as a promising coronavirus treatment.

Treating COVID-19 with chloroquine

The publishing and analytics company Elsevier compiled a report on price increase by the said pharma company. The report said that the price of chloroquine phosphate tablet was increased by 98% between December 2019 and January 2020. The data provided to STAT revealed that cost of a 250-miligram tablet was increased from $3.87 to $7.66.

The company increased the cost of the drug months before the COVID-19 was declared a pandemic and much before the tablet was perceived as an effective medicine in the fight against the novel coronavirus. Chloroquine phosphate is usually given in malaria treatment but its demand increased in the past two weeks due to COVID-19 pandemic.

CEO of company explained price decrease

Ira Baeringer said that the price of the drug was reduced to 2015 level for all customers once the whole issue of COVID-19 pandemic started to explode. Even the President Trump said that the drug chloroquine was an effective treatment against coronavirus and that it was “approved for prescription.”

Food and Drug Administration contradicted Trump

Stephen Hahn interrupted to correct Trump almost immediately saying that any opinion on the efficacy of the drug should be made only after conducting clinical trials. Chloroquine phosphate has been manufactured since late 1940s and used as an antimalarial drug.

Source: https://bit.ly/2U4P3AA

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