Category: Covid-19

** Govind Kant, stalwart of solar industry in Australia, dies of Covid-19 in India

Kant, father of two, is believed to be the second Australian to have died in India of Covid-19. Earlier this month, a 59-year-old Australian permanent resident had died after contracting Covid-19 in India.

** This newly-developed RT-PCR kit has higher accuracy of detecting Covid across mutant strains

The new multiplex RT-PCR kit, developed Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST), an Institute of National Importance.

SCTIMST has signed a non-exclusive license MoU with Huwel Lifesciences, Hyderabad, on 14th May 2021 to commercialize the kit

** Indian-origin researcher makes splitters for ventilator

iSAVE re-purposes flow valves to support two patients

A team of researchers in the United States has come up with splitters for ventilators that will address the shortage of the life-saving equipment. The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation, Bengaluru, recently approved the equipment. IndVentr is the Indian partner making the device.

Earlier this year, Shriya S. Srinivasan and her team were in discussion with Indian health officials. But the interest in their equipment was low.

Dr. Srinivasan, a biomedical engineer, is the daughter of immigrant parents. She visits India frequently to give bharatanatyam performances. She did her Ph.D in medical engineering and medical physics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard Medical School. She took up Project Prana on the sidelines of her ongoing post-doctoral work.

** Volunteers from around the world rally to help tackle COVID-19 in Karnataka

Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute 1992 batch doctors liaise with volunteer groups to offer services

Doctors living across the world — all alumni of the Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute (BMCRI) from the 1992 batch — have now banded together with a coalition of volunteer groups to offer end-to-end COVID-19 management for patients in Karnataka, particularly in Bengaluru.

While the Karnataka COVID-19 Volunteers Team (KCVT), with over 500 members, has set up a helpline (080-47166115) which counsels patients, refers them to doctors for tele-consultation, helps in home management and to find hospital beds, Mercy Mission is operating two COVID-19 care centres and has a tie-up with the HBS Hospital in Shivajinagar for critical care. While the helpline and tele-consultation with doctors is available for patients across the State, other on ground facilities are in the city.

** New blood-based biomarker to distinguish between bacterial and viral infections

As COVID-19 stands as a grim testimony to the damage an infectious disease can cause to human health and welfare, a major challenge in treating such diseases is misdiagnosis, which can lead to trial-and-error treatments, and improper use of antibiotics. Identifying the correct type of infection, is, therefore critical.

A recent study from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) has identified a set of molecular biomarkers that can be used in the differential diagnosis of acute bacterial and viral infections.

First author Sathyabaarathi Ravichandran, Research Associate in the lab of Nagasuma Chandra, Professor at the Department of Biochemistry, explained that antibiotics are given even for viral infections in some cases because of misdiagnosis. With current methods, it can take a lot of time to test for bacterial or viral infections.

** IISc. vaccine, DRDO drug and OxyCare system are game changers: Sudhakar

The Health Minister visited DRDO facilities in the city on Friday

Health and Medical Education Minister K. Sudhakar reviewed ongoing efforts at Indian Institute of Science (IISc.), which is developing a vaccine for COVID-19, and Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) that has developed a drug that prevents viral growth and a better oxygen management system. He hailed them as “game changers in the fight against COVID-19”.

Dr. Sudhakar visited DRDO facilities in the city on Friday where scientists appraised him of progress on 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG) drug they are developing in collaboration with Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories (DRL), Hyderabad. “Clinical trial results have shown that this molecule helps in faster recovery of hospitalised patients and reduces supplemental oxygen dependence,” DRDO scientists said.

He was also apprised of the OxyCare system, an intelligent oxygen management system that reduces exposure of healthcare providers by eliminating manual adjustments to oxygen flow. The PM-CARES Fund will procure 1.5 lakh units of Oxycare System at a cost of ₹322.5 crore. It will be deployed across the country, DRDO scientists said.

** Data consultant launches website to ease plasma donation process

Divya Jain, who had been amplifying requirements of oxygen and plasma on social media, roped in a tech-savvy friend and created the website fightagainstcovid19.org after buying a domain.

“I was getting a lot of requests for oxygen, plasma, hospital and medicines and I thought I have a good social media presence so should put it to good use.

I thought of doing it on small scale but then it grew to a seven-member team,” she said, adding that all the members are her colleagues and friends.

** Times Group chairperson Indu Jain dies

Indu Jain was awarded the Padma Vibhushan, the third highest civilian honour in the country, in 2016.

She set up The Times Foundation in 2000, with sustainable development and transformational change as its key goals. One of India’s most respected non-profits, it provides community services and runs the Times Relief Fund to offer assistance during cyclones, earthquakes, floods, epidemics and other crises.

She was the founder president of FICCI Ladies Organisation (FLO), established in 1983 to promote entrepreneurship and professional excellence among women in India. From 1999, she also served as chairperson of Bharatiya Jnanpith Trust, founded in 1944 by Sahu Shanti Prasad Jain, her father-in-law, to promote literature in Indian languages.

** Forum of Telugu NRI doctors joins fight against COVID-19

Besides donating essential equipment, it offers virtual guidance in critical cases

A U.S.-based forum of Telugu NRIs – Telugu Covid Task Force – USA (TCTF-USA) – has come forward to donate essential equipment such as pulse oxymeters, sanitisers, gloves, facemasks, PPE kits, and medicines for the COVID Care Centres (CCCs), besides adopting some of the mandals in Andhra Pradesh.