Page 33 - Health Ministry

India records single-day rise of 774 Covid-19 cases, active cases at 4,187

India has recorded a single-day rise of 774 COVID-19 cases while the number of active cases stands at 4,187, the Union health ministry said on Saturday. Two deaths -- one each from Tamil Nadu and Gujarat -- were reported in a span of 24 hours, according to the ministry's data updated at 8 am. The number of daily cases was in double digits till December 5 but it began to rise again amid cold weather conditions and after the emergence of a new COVID-19 variant, JN.1 After December 5, the highest single-day rise of 841 cases was reported on December 31, 2023, which was 0.2 per cent of the peak cases reported in May 2021, official sources said. Of the 4,187 active cases, the majority (over 92 per cent) are recovering under home isolation. An official source said, "The currently available data suggests that the JN.1 variant is neither leading to an exponential rise in the new cases nor a surge in the hospitalisation and mortality." India has witnessed three waves of COVID-19 in the pa

Covid sub-variant JN.1: 619 cases reported from 12 states till Jan 4

The number of cases of COVID-19 sub-variant JN.1 reported from 12 states till January 4 rose to 619, official sources said on Friday. They said 199 cases have been reported from Karnataka, 148 from Kerala, 110 from Maharashtra, 47 from Goa, 36 from Gujarat, 30 from Andhra Pradesh, 26 from Tamil Nadu, 15 from Delhi, 4 from Rajasthan 2 from Telangana and one each from Odisha and Haryana. Even though the number of cases is rising and the JN.1 sub-variant has been detected in the country, there is no cause of immediate concern as the majority of those infected are opting for home-based treatment, indicating mild illness, officials said. The Centre has already asked states and Union territories to maintain a constant vigil amid an uptick in the number of Covid cases and the detection of the JN.1 sub-variant in the country. States have been told to ensure effective compliance of the detailed operational guidelines for revised surveillance strategy for COVID-19 shared by the Union Ministr

Kejriwal govt blames alleged wrongdoing in lab test on health officials

Earlier, Delhi LG VK Saxena recommended a CBI enquiry in the alleged 'Fake lab tests' in Aam Aadmi Mohalla clinics. Fake/non-existent mobile numbers were used to mark the entry of patients

Two cases of Covid-19 sub-variant JN.1 detected in Odisha's Bhubaneswar

The two cases were detected in Sundargarh and Bhubaneswar, Director of Health Services Bijay Kumar Mohapatra said, adding that the health conditions of both patients are stable

Hospitals, blood banks can only charge processing fees for blood: Govt

Hospitals and blood banks can now only charge processing fees for blood as the apex drug regulator has decided to do away with all other fees to check the practice of overcharging. In a communication to all states and UT drugs controllers cum licensing authorities, the Drugs Controller Genral of India (DCGI) stated that the decision was taken in view of the opinion that "blood is not for sale". Referring to the 62nd meeting of the Drugs Consultative Committee held on September 26, 2023, the DCGI in the letter on December 26 said, "It was recommended with respect of agenda No. 18 of ATR point 3, for overcharging of blood, it was opined that blood is not for sale, it is only for supply and only processing cost may be charged by the blood centre." The revised guidelines stipulate that only processing fees can be charged for blood or blood components which ranges between Rs 250 to 1,550 for blood or blood components. The DCGI has asked states and UT drug controllers to direct all blood

760 new Covid-19 infections in India; JN.1 variant cases cross 500 mark

Covid-19 cases: Two deaths were reported in the past 24 hours. While active cases stood at 4,423, Karnataka reported the highest JN.1 variant cases at 199

Health Ministry gives patients right to refuse ICU in new guidelines

The guidelines were compiled by a body of 24 experts having different levels of expertise in critical care medicine

India logs 602 fresh Covid-19 infections, five deaths; active cases dip

Five deaths were reported due to Covid-19 in the past 24 hours. The uptick in the cases has been attributed to the emergence of the new 'JN. 1 variant' and cold weather conditions

India reports 115 new JN.1 cases, marking highest single-day detection

These cases have been found across ten states and union territories, with Kerala reporting the maximum cases at 147. Goa (51 cases) and Gujarat (34 cases) followed Kerala

Amid JN.1 scare, India logs 573 new Covid-19 cases, 2 deaths in last 24 hrs

Since the Covid-19 outbreak in January 2020, the country has reported 45 million cases so far

Covid sub-variant JN.1: Insacog says 196 cases detected in country

A total of 196 cases of COVID-19 sub-variant JN.1 have been detected in the country so far, with Odisha joining the list of states that have detected the presence of the variant, according to the INSACOG's data updated on Monday. Ten states and Union territories have so far detected the presence of the JN.1 sub-variant of the virus. These states are Kerala (83), Goa (51), Gujarat (34), Karnataka (eight), Maharashtra (seven), Rajasthan (five), Tamil Nadu (four), Telangana (two) Odisha (one) and Delhi (one), according to the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG). The INSACOG's data showed 179 Covid cases recorded in the country in December had the presence of JN.1, while 17 such cases were detected in November. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has classified JN.1 as a separate "variant of interest" given its rapidly-increasing spread, but said it poses a "low" global public health risk. The JN.1 sub-variant of the coronavirus was previously classified as a variant of ..

JN.1 Covid-19 update: 636 new cases; Kerala takes measures to avoid spread

Maharashtra has recorded 137 Covid-19 deaths, with 70.80% occurring in individuals over 60 years of age

India logs highest single day rise in Covid-19 cases in 10 months

Global health body World Health Organization (WHO) has classified the JN.1 variant as a separate variant of interest apart from its parent lineage BA.2.86, due to its rapid increase in prevalence

Sub-standard drugs: Delhi minister seeks suspension of health secretary

Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj on Friday recommended to the Lt Governor and the Centre the immediate suspension of the health secretary over the supply of "sub-standard" drugs to Delhi government hospitals. He also demanded strict action against the former director general of the Directorate General Of Health Services (DGHS). Addressing a press conference here, Bharadwaj said Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena has not taken any firm action against the officials concerned. He said upon assuming office in March 2023, he ordered an audit of medicines, equipment, and consumables but despite his repeated reminders to the health secretary, no action was taken. "The health secretary did not take any notice of this and did not initiate any audit related to the procurement of medicines," the minister claimed. Bharadwaj said in July, he sent a reminder to the senior official questioning why the orders had not been implemented and why there had been no audit of medicines and other items purch

162 JN.1 sub-variant cases reported across 9 states, Kerala leads with 83

Karnataka reported 158 fresh cases, taking the state's active case tally to 568. The state government has already announced a seven-day mandatory isolation for those who test positive for Covid-19

Health min Mandaviya inaugurates integrated public health labs in Andhra

Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya inaugurated seven integrated public health laboratories in various districts of Andhra Pradesh here on Friday. He also laid the foundation stone for two critical care blocks and a Biosafety Level-3 (BSL-3) laboratory in Vijayawada, which are aimed at giving a boost to the healthcare infrastructure in the state. "The BSL laboratory, seven integrated public health laboratories and the two critical care blocks once operational will play a pivotal role in providing quality medical services to the people of Andhra Pradesh," said Mandaviya, addressing officials and media. The Union Minister noted that the Central government is following a holistic approach towards health by upgrading and expanding healthcare infrastructure in the country, which also includes building more medical and nursing colleges. He said that now there are 23 All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) while MBBS and nursing seats have doubled. Mandaviya said collective .

Govt well prepared: Health Minister on 34 cases of JN.1 variant in K'taka

Earlier, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar urged the public to not panic while assuring that everything is fine so far

Covid-19 back this winter but vaccine makers have limited stockpiles

Gennova has 1 mn doses of Omicron-specific vax; Serum's Covovax available at vaccination centres, shows CoWIN

Private hospitals hesitate to procure Covid-19 vaccine amidst JN.1 surge

Executives reveal depleted vaccine stocks and express the need for government guidelines before initiating procurement

Delhi seeing 3-4 Covid cases every day: State health minister Bharadwaj

Delhi Health minister Saurabh Bharadwaj on Monday said that the national capital is seeing three to four Covid cases on average every day and asserted that the city is well equipped to fight the virus resurgence. Sixty-three cases of COVID-19 sub-variant JN.1 had been reported in the country till Sunday, including 34 in Goa, official sources said on Monday. Nine cases have been detected in Maharashtra, eight in Karnataka, six in Kerala, four in Tamil Nadu, and two in Telangana, they added. "There was a meeting with the Centre over COVID-19 situation and we were informed that the cases are increasing more in southern states like Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu," Bharadwaj told reporters on the sidelines of an event. "We have been conducting tests and we have receiving on an average three to four cases per day which is less than even one per cent. We have conducted mock drills and made all necessary arrangements," he said. States have been asked to monitor and report district-wise