Coronavirus

Covid in pregnancy linked to higher autism, speech and motor delays: Study

Children born to mothers infected with Covid-19 during pregnancy faced a 29% higher chance of developing autism, speech and motor delays by age three, a major US study finds

Homebound: The film pushes many buttons, and that keeps it from greatness

We don't remember Henry Fonda from the cinematic The Grapes of Wrath, nor Om Puri from Bhisham Sahni's Tamas (both excellent performances) but are awed by the films themselves

Study shows Covid-19 in fathers may affect offspring's brain, cause anxiety

Changes in sperm caused by COVID-19 in a mouse could affect the offspring's brain development and cause anxious behaviours, a study has found, suggesting that the viral disease may have long-lasting effects on future generations, even as the results would need to be verified in humans, researchers said. The team from Australia's Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health found that an offspring mouse conceived after a father has been infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus and developed COVID-19 symptoms have higher levels of anxiety-like behaviours. "We let male mice recover from SARS-CoV-2 infection for a few weeks before they mated with healthy females. We found that the resulting offspring showed more anxious behaviours compared to offspring from uninfected fathers," Elizabeth Kleeman, research officer and first author of the study published in the journal Nature Communications, said. All offsprings from COVID-19-affected fathers were seen to display increased anxiety-like ..

CDC stops recommending Covid-19 shots for all, leaves decision to patients

The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has adopted recommendations by a new group of vaccine advisers, and stopped recommending COVID-19 shots for anyone leaving the choice up to patients. The government health agency on Monday announced it has adopted recommendations made last month by advisers picked by US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Before this year, US health officials following recommendations by infectious disease experts recommended annual COVID-19 boosters for all Americans ages 6 months and older. The idea was to update protection against the coronavirus as it continues to evolve. As the COVID-19 pandemic waned, experts increasingly discussed the possibility of focusing vaccination efforts on people 65 and older who are among those most at risk for death and hospitalization. But Kennedy, who has questioned the safety of COVID-19 vaccines, abruptly announced in May that COVID-19 vaccines were no longer recommended for healthy children and pregnant wom

Man with HIV endured 2-year Covid infection, study reveals new record

A Lancet study documents a 41-year-old's persistent Covid infection lasting more than 750 days, raising concerns about viral evolution in immunocompromised patients

The Wisdom of Plagues: Book traces lessons not learned from pandemics

Covid-19 was the saddest pandemic NYT reporter Donald G McNeil ever covered. Now he shows how outbreaks like AIDS and Ebola foreshadowed the next in patterns, responses, and impact

Could one mRNA therapy stop flu, Covid, and more? Scientists say yes

Inspired by a rare mutation that makes people virus-resistant, researchers have created an experimental mRNA nasal therapy that may offer broad protection against future outbreaks

Trump admin ousts CDC Director Susan Monarez following vaccine clash

Monarez's ouster follows a confrontation she had on Monday with Kennedy, in which she pushed back against his vaccine stance

Respiratory viruses like flu, coronavirus may trigger cancer relapse: Study

A new study reveals that respiratory infections like common flu and coronavirus can awaken dormant breast cancer cells in the lungs, raising concerns for survivors

Health ID - Digital, Secure, Inclusive

With a federated architecture, no health records will be stored in a central repository, reducing the risk of a single hacked server leading to leakages

Long-Covid, viruses: New research looks for links to chronic fatigue

Medically the symptoms are known as myalgic encephalomyelitis or chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). The World Health Organization classifies this as a post viral fatigue syndrome

India resumes tourist visas for Chinese nationals after five-year freeze

The development marks a shift in the strained ties between the two countries, which are aiming to improve ties and ease tensions after Galwan clashes in 2020

Staying home during Covid to be treated as duty for trainees: Rail ministry

The Railway Ministry has clarified that stay-at-home period during COVID-19 lockdown would be counted as duty for trainee railway servants for increments in salaries. "As the Railways are aware, the training period spent by a railway servant, whether on remuneration of stipend or otherwise, is to be treated as duty, provided it is followed by confirmation, for the purposes of increments," read a circular dated July 7, 2025, addressed to all Zonal Railways and production units. The ministry's circular came after one of the Zonal Railways unit sought to know whether the period spent at home during nationwide lockdown due to pandemic be considered as duty also for the purpose of increments. The ministry said that it has already issued instructions in 2020 during the release of held up payments of stipends to the trainee railway servants for the period they had stayed at home during the lockdown due to Covid subject to a condition that this period must not exceed six months. "In view o

No link between Covid-19 vaccines and sudden deaths, says health ministry

ICMR and Aiims studies find that genetics, lifestyle and post-Covid factors-not vaccines-are responsible for sudden deaths in young adults

Scientists find new 'brain-inflaming' bat viruses in China: Should we worry

Chinese scientists discover new viruses in bat kidneys linked to fatal brain diseases, raising urgent concerns about future outbreaks

Younger population seeing high rates of infection amid Covid surge: Experts

According to data available on the Union health ministry's Covid dashboard, India has 5,976 active cases from 29 states and Union Territories (UTs) as of June 19

India's active Covid-19 cases fall under 6,000; three deaths in 24 hours

India Covid-19 update: Of the three fatalities, two were from Delhi, while one was from Kerala. All the victims were elderly individuals and had chronic health issues

India's active Covid-19 caseload drops to 6,483; 4 deaths reported

India Covid-19 update: Of the four deaths, two were reported in Maharashtra, while Kerala and Delhi accounted for one each

Covid-19 cases dip again: Was this mini-wave just a seasonal bump?

India's Covid cases are falling after a mild surge driven by fast-spreading Omicron sub-lineages, with experts saying these short spikes may now be seasonal patterns

India's active Covid-19 cases dip below 7,000; 1 death reported in 24 hrs

India Covid-19 update: The single fatality was a 44-year old female from Maharashtra who had a chronic liver problem