Health

Mumbai, May 13 (PTI) Maharashtra health minister Rajesh Tope on Thursday said the Centre should bring down the prices of medicines used to treat black fungus, a serious but rare fungal infection now affecting coronavirus patients, and increase their quota for the state.

Symptoms of Mucormycosis, also known as black fungus, include headache, fever, pain under the eyes, nasal or sinus congestion and partial loss of vision.

New Delhi, May 13 (PTI) Nine-month-old Krishu, the only child to his blind parents, succumbed to COVID-19 at a Delhi government-run hospital on Thursday, while his father, battled the deadly virus at another hospital.

On Thursday evening, Jitender Singh 'Shunty', a former MLA, buried Krishu in a corner of the Old Seemapuri cremation ground.

This was the second time in two days that Singh was burying a child so young.

New Delhi, May 13 (PTI) After Bharat Biotech said it cannot supply more doses of Covaxin to Delhi, the city government wrote to the Serum Institute of India (SII) asking it to "come to its rescue", saying it has limited stock of Covishield for 18 to 44 years which will finish in one week.

To this, the SII said they are doing their best to meet countrywide vaccine requirements, official sources said.

NEW DELHI (AP) — The man in the WhatsApp video says he has seen it work himself: A few drops of lemon juice in the nose will cure COVID-19.

“If you practice what I am about to say with faith, you will be free of corona in five seconds,” says the man, dressed in traditional religious clothing. “This one lemon will protect you from the virus like a vaccine.”

WASHINGTON (AP) — In a major step toward returning to pre-pandemic life, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention eased mask-wearing guidance for fully vaccinated people on Thursday, allowing them to stop wearing masks outdoors in crowds and in most indoor settings.

New Delhi, May 13 (PTI) The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) on Thursday postponed the civil services preliminary examination, scheduled to be held in June, to October 10 in view of the alarming COVID situation.

The commission conducts civil services examination annually in three stages -- preliminary, main and interview -- to select officers of Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS) and Indian Police Service (IPS) among others.

Lucknow, May 13 (PTI) After a number of bodies were seen floating in the Ganga in the past few days, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday said the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh must be held accountable for "failing" its people badly.

According to Ballia residents, at least 52 bodies were seen floating at the Ujiyar, Kulhadia and Bharauli ghats in the Narahi area.

However, the district authorities did not tell the exact number of bodies found there.

Mumbai, May 12 (PTI) The COVID-19 inoculation drive for the 18-44 years age group in Mumbai has been suspended until further orders, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) announced on Wednesday evening.

The announcement followed the Maharashtra government's decision to suspend inoculation for this category and divert the vaccine stock for the above 45 years age group due to paucity of doses.

The BMC earlier in the day also issued revised guidelines allowingwalk-in vaccination in Mumbai for certain categories for three days.

Kolkata, May 12 (PTI) Switzerland headquartered Livinguard AG, a hygiene technology platform, has donated antiviral masks worth Rs 15 crore for the protection of COVID-19 warriors for distribution through NGOs, government organisations, civil society, hospitals and numerous healthcare centers, the company said on Wednesday.

The company claimed that its patented antiviral and antibacterial technology on textile treated with Livinguard Technology have been scientifically proven to destroy 99.9 per cent bacteria and viruses instead of just protecting inhalation, it said.

Dehradun, May 12 (PTI) Uttarakhand will import 20 lakh doses of Sputnik vaccine over the next two months, officials said on Wednesday.

Giving the information at a press conference here, Chief Secretary Om Prakash said a five-member committee has been constituted for the purpose and the required funds have been arranged.

The state government has also requested the country's leading vaccine manufacturing companies to supply doses of the vaccine to Uttarakhand, he said.