Covid-19 surge in Hong Kong, Singapore: What's causing the spike?
'There is no indication that the variants circulating locally are more transmissible or cause more severe disease compared to previously circulating variants,' said Singapore's ministry of health.
What do the numbers say?
Data from Singapore shows that the estimated number of Covid-19 cases in the week ending on May 3 went up to 14,200 from 11,100 a week before. The average daily hospitalisation due to Covid-19 during this period also increased from 102 to 133, but daily admissions to the ICU declined slightly from 3 to 2.
The health authority added that LF.7 and NB.1.8 — both descendants of JN.1 variant that is used in new Covid-19 vaccines — were circulating in the country. These newer vaccines are unavailable in India.
Hong Kong has seen an increase in Sars-CoV-2 viral load in sewage samples. It has also noted an increase in respiratory samples testing positive for Covid-19, increasing to 13.66 per cent in the week ending on May 10 as compared to 6.21 per cent four weeks ago. It has recorded 81 severe cases, with 30 deaths, almost all of which were in elderly people with underlying health conditions.
Has Covid-19 become a seasonal infection?
It is likely. Hong Kong's Centre for Health Protection (CHP) says, 'According to the surveillance data after the resumption of normalcy, there were two relatively active periods of COVID-19 in Hong Kong, which lasted for about 15 weeks from April to July 2023 and for about seven weeks from February to March last year. COVID-19 became more active in mid-April of this year (i.e. about four weeks ago).'
Singapore's ministry of health says, 'As with other endemic respiratory diseases, periodic COVID-19 waves are expected throughout the year.'
What about India?
While not many are undergoing Covid-19 tests in India anymore, data collected from surveillance sites by ICMR laboratories show that there has been an increase in Covid-19 infections over the last few weeks — the number of Sars-Cov-2 positive samples increased to 41 during the week ending on May 11 as compared to 28 the week before, and 12 the week before that. However, the total number of respiratory infections has been on the decline since a surge in September last year.
India typically witnesses two peaks of respiratory infections — one during the winter months and the second immediately after the monsoon.
What should you do?
There is no need to panic at the moment. However, if you do get a respiratory infection, stay at home so that you do not transmit it to others. Avoid closed or crowded spaces as much as possible. If you do have to step out, mask up. And, wash your hands as frequently as possible. These steps will keep you safe not just from Covid-19 but any other respiratory infection.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hindu
4 minutes ago
- The Hindu
V-C hails critical role of nurses, paramedics in healthcare domain
P. Prakash Babu, Vice-Chancellor of Pondicherry University, has underscored the critical role of nurses and paramedics in the healthcare system. Addressing the recent graduation ceremony at Sri Venkateshwaraa Medical College, an affiliate institution of the University, the Vice-Chancellor told the graduating class of paramedics, nurses, physiotherapists, and allied health professionals that their role in the field of healthcare went beyond just supporting doctors. 'You are the backbone of the healthcare system. You are the first to respond in emergencies, the steady hand in recovery, and the kind voice in moments of fear. Whether it's a nurse offering comfort in a crowded hospital ward, a physiotherapist helping someone walk again after injury, or a lab technician ensuring accurate diagnoses — your work changes lives', Mr. Prakash Babu said. Recalling the vital roles of these health professionals in times of public health crises like the COVID-19 pandemic, he said: 'The world has finally begun to see what we have always known: that healthcare is not possible without paramedics and allied professionals. Dwelling on the theme of 'Viksit Bharat - 2047: Role of Paramedics in India', Mr. Babu said achieving the set goals required robust progress in various sectors, and healthcare stands as a cornerstone. Within the healthcare system, paramedics — including nursing staff, emergency medical technicians (EMTs), lab technicians, radiographers, and other allied health professionals — have a critical role in strengthening the healthcare delivery system, expanding accessibility and affordability and ensuring a continuum of care. The Vice-Chancellor also stressed the vital role of paramedics in emergency and disaster response, mass casualty management, crisis containment, propagation of digital health and telemedicine support and supporting preventive and primary care. Their mandate, which includes conducting awareness programmes, vaccination drives, screenings (BP, diabetes, malnutrition), and home visits, is key to reducing long-term national health costs and also reducing urban-rural health disparities, he said. According to the Vice-Chancellor, as India focuses on strengthening healthcare infrastructure — from metros to remote villages — the need for skilled, ethical, and compassionate paramedics has never been greater. 'You are entering a field where your degree is not just a qualification; it is a responsibility. A responsibility to serve with empathy, to uphold the dignity of life, and to continue learning every day', he said. The Vice-Chancellor also conferred degrees upon the graduating students. B. Ramachandiran, chairman, Radha Ramachandiran, Founder Trustee, Rajiv Krishna, Managing Director, Sree Venkateshwaraa Group of Institutions (SVGI), Moushmi Rajiv, Executive Director, SVGI, B. Vidhya Rangaraju, Chief Operating Officer, Malliga Kannan, Principal Indirani College of Nursing, C. Ananda Vayaravel Cassinadane, Dean, College of Paramedical Sciences and S. Jeyanthi, Principal, College of Physiotherapy were present.
India Today
2 hours ago
- India Today
Can an Indian version of Mediterranean diet protect your heart? AIIMS finds out
Doctors and researchers are testing a new diet plan designed especially for Indians suffering from heart by the popular Mediterranean diet, this Indian-adapted version could be a way to offer simple, local, and effective strategies to protect the heart, especially at a time when India faces a high burden of cardiovascular Indian Adapted Mediterranean Diet (IAMD) is now in its third phase of testing through a clinical trial involving 140 patients at the All India Institute of Medical Science, New Delhi, and funded by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).advertisement Developed by experts at AIIMS and The George Institute for Global Health, with help from researchers in the US, the diet uses Indian ingredients to recreate the health benefits of the original Mediterranean diet, known for its heart-protective and anti-inflammatory details of the IAMD have been published in the peer-reviewed journal BMC THIS DIET MATTERSCoronary artery disease (CAD) is the most common type of heart disease and one of the leading causes of death in India. CAD happens when the arteries that supply blood to the heart become narrow or blocked due to plaque buildup (sticky, waxy substances made of cholesterol, fat, calcium, protein in the blood or even waste products from cells).This can lead to chest pain, shortness of breath, and even heart risk factors contribute to CAD like poor diet, lack of physical activity, obesity, and family history. Multiple studies show that changing the way we eat can lower the risk and help prevent future heart problems. Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the most common type of heart disease and one of the leading causes of death in India. () 'The first phase was about the development of the diet,' Dr. Ambuj Roy, professor of cardiology at AIIMS Delhi, who is leading the trial, told 'We explored what the Mediterranean diet is and whether we could create equivalents within the food constraints here in India, while retaining its anti-inflammatory properties.'ADAPTING THE MEDITERRANEAN DIET FOR INDIAThe traditional Mediterranean diet includes lots of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, olive oil, and herbs like rosemary and thyme. These foods are linked with lower rates of heart disease and better overall for Indian patients, eating olives and fava beans isn't practical, or affordable. That's why the researchers created a local version of the diet using ingredients easily found in Indian of farro and bulgur, they used broken whole wheat and Basmati rice. Mustard and peanut oil replaced extra virgin olive oil. Herbs like tulsi (holy basil), ajwain (carom seeds), turmeric, and nutmeg were used in place of Mediterranean vegetables were swapped thoughtfully. 'We supplemented green leafy vegetables with Indian greens like bathua, chaulai, fenugreek, and radish leaves,' said Dr. Suparna Ghosh Jerath, a nutrition researcher at The George Institute and part of the IAMD THE DIET PLANSThe team from The George Institute didn't just stop at picking the ingredients. They built detailed seven-day diet plans that matched the calorie needs of different people. These included five calorie options: 1200, 1400, 1600, 1800, and 2000 kcal diet was split into six meals a day - three main meals and three smaller ones. Meals were built to balance nutrients, with 15% from proteins, 25–30% from fats, and 50–53% from carbohydrates. The traditional Mediterranean diet includes lots of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, olive oil, and herbs like rosemary and thyme. ( advertisement"We developed 7-day diet plans tailored to each individual's calorie needs and gave them these meal plans. For now, we are experimenting with North Indian cuisine. As you know, food habits change every 100 kilometres in India. So, we do plan to extend this to other parts of the country—South Indian, Eastern, and Western cuisines," Dr. Roy researchers provided a detailed matrix representing recommendations for the Mediterranean Diet, the Indian counterparts, their availability and acceptability, and the adaptations based on the North Indian food environment. Except for quinoa, cannellini, and fava beans, the whole grains and legumes found in the MD were also present in North Indian whole wheat and local rice varieties (Basmati) were substituted for bulgur and farro, respectively, and maize flour was added instead of virgin olive oil was partially replaced with the more culturally acceptable and available mustard and peanut oils. Some condiments and spices in the MD, like thyme, rosemary, and marjoram, were supplemented with other herbs and condiments used in Indian cuisine, such as Indian basil (tulsi), carom seeds (ajwain), turmeric (haldi), Nutmeg (jaiphal) and mace (javitri).advertisementSimilarly, the green leafy vegetable list was supplemented with Chenopodium Album (Bathua), amaranthus viridis (Chaulai), fenugreek leaves (methi), and radish leaves (mooli ke patte).The team has already applied for grants to expand this work into other regions of INFLAMMATION WITH DII SCORESThe researchers also used a scientific tool called the Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII), pioneered by Dr. James Hebert of the University of South Carolina, to check how much inflammation each diet could cause or plays a big role in heart disease, and diets that reduce inflammation can help protect the heart. Inflammation plays a big role in heart disease, and diets that reduce inflammation can help protect the heart. () Most Indian diets studied in CAD patients had DII scores between -1.8 and 3.8, with a median score of 1.1, which is slightly pro-inflammatory. The adapted Mediterranean diet, however, scored between -7.8 and -8.4, which is strongly anti-inflammatory.'We tried to make the recipes highly anti-inflammatory by including foods known for such properties,' said Dr. Jerath. 'For example, if we prepare dal and add garlic tadka and spices, it becomes more anti-inflammatory because of the properties of these ingredients.'advertisementMAKING THE DIET PRACTICAL AND AFFORDABLEA common worry about healthy diets is affordability. Many believe that plant-based diets rich in nuts, seeds, and oils are too expensive for the average Indian household.'When we talk about nuts and oils, there's a perception that this kind of diet is for the rich. But we've tried to divide the portions and design recipes in a way that even people from humble backgrounds can follow," Dr. Jerath added that it's not just about copying the Mediterranean diet, but making it culturally relevant and accessible. 'We didn't just copy the Mediterranean diet. We looked at Indian equivalents like whole grains and pulses and built from there.'FROM HOSPITALS TO HOMESThis study isn't just about feeding hospital patients. The researchers hope to eventually promote these diets at a community level.'We need to engage with community health workers and create an impact once we find that it's effective,' said Dr. Jerath. 'We focus on promoting traditional diets, especially in rural areas, things like consuming unpolished rice, whole grains, vegetables from kitchen gardens, and using natural farming methods.'She added that people have moved away from home-cooked food and rely more on processed food from the market. This shift has contributed to poor health HAPPENS NEXTCurrently, the third phase of the trial is underway at AIIMS Delhi. So far, 115 patients have been recruited. The plan is to recruit a total of 140 patients, who will be followed for six months. While the study is not large enough to test for major heart health outcomes, it is designed to measure dietary changes, anti-inflammatory effects, and improvements in health underway, the results from this trial could help shape future dietary guidelines for patients with heart disease and encourage more widespread adoption of healthier eating habits rooted in traditional Indian Dr. Roy summed it up, "It's not just the ingredients that matter, but the quantity, portion, intensity, and lifestyle factors that come with it."- Ends
NDTV
5 hours ago
- NDTV
Higher Dose of This Antibiotic Can Help In Tuberculosis Recovery: Study
New Delhi: A higher dose of rifampicin -- a bactericidal antibiotic used primarily to treat tuberculosis (TB) -- may be safe, and its use can potentially lead to recurrence-free survival in patients with pulmonary TB, according to a recent study by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). TB is curable but still remains the most common cause of death due to infectious diseases, with an estimated 1.3 million deaths globally in 2022. Rifamycins are a crucial drug group in the anti-TB regimen, which sterilise the lesions and aid in recurrence-free cure. Currently, rifampicin is administered at 10 mg/kg for six months to all patients with pulmonary TB. The team reviewed the available evidence from published clinical trials to determine whether higher doses of rifampicin (more than 15 mg/kg) are more efficacious and safer. "Compared to standard dose, higher doses of rifampicin were found to lead to early sputum conversion in eight weeks and thus faster TB bacteria clearance," said corresponding author Dr Leeberk Raja Inbaraj, Department of Clinical Research, ICMR- National Institute for Research in Tuberculosis, Chennai. Early sputum conversion is a valuable tool widely used as a surrogate marker for treatment response and those who are at risk for relapse in pulmonary TB. "The ability of high-dose rifampicin to achieve early sputum conversion and eliminate the persistent bacteria that cause relapse could potentially lead to recurrence-free survival. Early bacterial clearance is also of public health importance as this could potentially reduce disease transmission in the community," the researchers said. Notably, the study showed 20-30mg/kg rifampicin as the best balance. "This dose range showed better sputum conversion without a significant increase in serious side effects and may be considered in TB treatment," revealed the study, published in the Indian Journal of Medical Research (IJMR). On the other hand, doses above 30 mg/kg, although beneficial, came with severe side effects such as serious liver damage (hepatotoxicity) and adverse drug reactions (ADR), leading to treatment discontinuation. The study showed no reduction in death or treatment failure in people with more than 15 mg/kg doses of rifampicin. "High doses did not reduce mortality or treatment failure at 6 months compared to standard treatment," the team said. "This dose could be administered with close monitoring of adverse events and hepatotoxicity. There is an urgent need for adequately powered trials that assess long-term treatment outcomes, including recurrence," they added.
