-The Hindu The method can reveal trends in viral loads, infections due to new viruses, AMR genes and act as advance warning system In ensuring sufficient precautions and preventive measures be taken in pandemic-driven situations, a very important estimate is of the number of people infected, regions where infection is high and decreasing or increasing trends in viral load. Based on this, civic bodies can decide on targeted vaccination drives, lockdowns and...

-The Telegraph Drug helps patients recover from fever in an average of three days and from cough in four days A painkiller called indomethacin prescribed for arthritis and spondylitis is an effective treatment for mild or moderate Covid-19, Chennai-based researchers have told India’s apex health research agency, seeking its inclusion in Covid-19 treatment guidelines. The researchers have submitted what they claim are “striking” study results, indicating that patients of mild or moderate Covid-19...

-The Hindu The increase in cases threatens to impact physical classes that resumed on April 1. With the number of COVID-19 cases witnessing an upward trend, students going back to school on April 18 after a four-day weekend will be met with schools enforcing stringent protocols to contain the spread of the virus if there is a breakout. Private schools have been advised to close the entire school or a concerned wing...

-TheWire.in * The Parliamentary standing committee on chemicals and fertilisers has produced a report highlighting gaps in the availability of COVID-19 drugs and devices during the pandemic. * The committee has asked the national government why PSUs didn’t receive licenses to make COVID drugs when private manufacturers did. * The MPs on the committee also spotlighted widespread irrational drug use in COVID-19 management, despite the existence of a standard treatment protocol. New Delhi: The...

-TheWire.in/ The Reporters' Collective * Excess deaths in Rajasthan, Jharkhand and Andhra Pradesh were over 12-times the corresponding official COVID-19 death toll until early January 2022. * Data from across the country suggests governments are undercounting COVID-19 deaths by the lakhs, possibly to avoid the charge of epidemic mismanagement. * As a result, facilitated by disparate protocols, poor record-keeping and red-tape, thousands of families haven’t received the compensation they are due. Last year, just as...