Health

New Delhi, May 23 (PTI) Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday announced extension of the ongoing lockdown in Delhi by another week, saying the process of unlock will start from May 31 in a phased manner if the number of COVID-19 cases continued to decline.

In the past 24 hours, Delhi recorded around 1600 positive cases and the positivity rate went further down to below 2.5 percent, he said.

New Delhi, May 22 (PTI) The government has asked social media companies to immediately remove any content on their platform which mentions or refers to the term 'Indian variant' of coronavirus, in a bid to curb spread of misinformation around COVID-19.

Digital platforms said they have received the latest advisory.

On Friday, the IT ministry wrote to all social media platforms emphasising that the World Health Organisation (WHO) has not associated the term "Indian Variant" with the B.1.617 variant of the coronavirus in any of its reports.

Washington, May 22 (PTI) Observing that the ongoing "catastrophic" second wave of COVID-19 in India is a sign that the worst may be yet to come, the IMF has said that the situation in the country is a warning of the possible events in low- and middle-income nations that have seemingly escaped the pandemic till now.

New Delhi, May 22 (PTI) Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Saturday asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ensure the assured supply of essential medicines for the treatment of mucormycosis (black fungus) and cost-free care to those affected.

In a letter to the prime minister, she also pointed out that the illness is not covered under Ayushman Bharat and most other health insurance plans and sought immediate action on the issue.

New Delhi, May 22 (PTI) Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday said COVID-19 vaccination centres for those in the 18-44 years age group are being closed in the national capital due to lack of doses and appealed to the Centre to provide more vaccines.

From Sunday, all vaccination centres for youths in Delhi will be closed as stocks have run out, he said in a press conference.

New Delhi, May 21 (PTI) The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has developed a COVID-19 antibody detection kit that offers results in just 75 minutes, the defence ministry said on Friday.

The testing kit is called DIPCOVAN and it offers a "significantly faster turn-around-time as it requires just 75 minutes to conduct the test without any cross reactivity with other diseases", the ministry's statement noted.

The kit has a shelf life of 18 months, it added.

Tiruchirappalli (TN), May 21 (PTI) A decision on whether to extend the two-week lockdown in Tamil Nadu or not do so would be deliberated with a committee of experts and a panel of all-party legislators, Chief Minister M K Stalin said here on Friday.

Whether the curbs should be continued further and in case of extension of restrictions, what relaxations could be offered would all be discussed with experts and MLAs from all parties on Saturday in Chennai, he told reporters.

20 May 2021; MEMO: Gaza's medical teams are unable to sufficiently treat those wounded in Israeli air strikes because the Strip lacks the necessary medical equipment and drugs, the Director of the Palestine Red Crescent, Bashar Murad, warned yesterday.

Kanpur: What disturbs is a paucity of blood in the city's three main blood banks. The blood group of B and O negative are no longer existing in these blood banks.

The three blood banks are at Ursula Hospital, IMA Charitable Blood Bank and GSVM College.

Pregnant women, Thalassaemia patients, Anaemia patients, Chronic Kidney Disease patients on dialysis are most impacted by the paucity. 

Bengaluru, May 21 (PTI) Former union minister and eminent farmer leader Babagouda Patil died at a hospital in Belagavi on Friday, family sources said.

The 76-year old leader was undergoing treatment at the KLES Dr Prabhakar Kore Hospital where he died, the sources said.

He is survived by his wife, two sons and two daughters.

Born on January 6, 1945 at Chikka Bagewadi in Belagavi district, Patil did his BSc at RL Science Institute in Belagavi.