Medically Speaking Team

With a rise in coronavirus infections in India, the government reported 13,313 new cases of Covid-19 in the previous 24 hours, up from 12,249 instances on Wednesday, according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

According to the Ministry, 10,972 persons have recovered from the virus, bringing the overall number of recoveries to 4,27,36,027, representing a 98.6 percent success rate. With the registered cases, India’s active caseload currently stands at 83,990, representing a 0.19 percent increase.

According to the Health Ministry, the country’s daily positivity rate is 2.03 percent, while the weekly positivity rate is 2.81 percent.

It also informed that at least 38 people have died in the last 24 hours due to the infection.

Cumulatively, 85.94 crore covid tests have been conducted in the country so far, of which 6,56,410 tests were conducted in the last 24 hours only.

Covid vaccines

According to the Health Ministry, 196.62 crore vaccine doses against the Coronavirus infection have been administered so far under the Nationwide Vaccination Drive of the Union Government.

According to the sources, amid rising cases of COVID-19 in India, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya will chair a review meeting with the core team of experts today in the physical format in the afternoon.

Earlier, on June 13, Mandaviya chaired a meeting through video conferencing with Health Ministers and senior officials of States and Union Territories (UTs) to review the progress of the vaccination exercise HarGharDastak 2.0 campaign.

Highlighting increased case positivity in some districts and States and reduced COVID-19 testing, Mandaviya had stated that increased and timely testing will enable early identification of COVID cases and help to curb the spread of the infection among the community.

Also Read: Covid-19: Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya to chair review meet today

He had urged States and UTs to continue and strengthen the surveillance and focus on genome sequencing for identifying new mutants/variants in the country. He stated that the five-fold strategy of Test, Track, Treat, Vaccination and Adherence to Covid Appropriate Behavior (CAB) needs to be continued and monitored by States/UTs.

Pakistan health experts on Tuesday expressed concern over the recent spike in Covid-19 community cases and warned that the surge might turn into a sixth wave of the pandemic.

The medical experts urged people to wear face masks and maintain social distancing to prevent themselves from the deadly virus, reported The News. Mild symptoms are being observed among the infected people, and the situation can turn out of control if preventive measures are not taken by the people, the doctors warned.

Karachi has become the most affected city after registering 340 positive community cases. The officials from the health department said that the port city recorded 10.69 per cent positivity rate in the last seven days, local media reported.

The virus was detected in 34 of the 9,892 Covid-19 tests undertaken in the remainder of Sindh.

According to the National Institute of Health, 204 additional patients tested positive for coronavirus in the previous 24 hours after 13,300 tests were performed, raising the positivity ratio to 1.53 percent (NIH).

Notably, 66 infected persons were hospitalised to hospital intensive-care units (ICU).

Dr. Saeed Khan of Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS) indicated that the BA.5 variety has been detected in Pakistan and is being transmitted locally.

“While other [old] sub-variants of Omicron are also being reported in Karachi, this one is more contagious since it’s a new one and has been cause of concern in other parts of the world,” said Khan.

The unvaccinated, the elderly, and persons with impaired immunity, according to the DUHS professor, are most vulnerable.

Also Read: Covid case Update: 13,313 cases reported in India, 38 deaths reported

He said that the lack of Covid-19 preventative measures in public locations, the general people’s unwillingness to obtain a booster shot, and genetic differences amongst the variations allow them to spread quicker.

Aga Khan University professor Dr Faisal Mahmood said, “the introduction of the new variant BA.4 and BA.5, which can cause reinfections, increased travel — especially to Saudi Arabia for Umrah and Turkey for vacations — as well as the fact that six months have passed since the last booster, and that people have stopped wearing masks,” are among the major reasons for the spike in the community cases.

People do not seek COVID-19 tests if their symptoms are minor, according to professor Mahmood, who added that the total number of cases is higher than the reported instances due to the difficulty to record home testing kits.

Several activists and internet users chastised Chinese authorities for exploiting the COVID-19 health app to suppress dissent.

According to The Singapore Post, Chinese officials utilised the health app code to prevent depositors who had lost access to their cash from demonstrating against local banks in Henan province. During the early stages of the epidemic, China created a color-coded smartphone app to track people’s movements in an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and execute its zero-COVID policy.

The authorities had employed mobile applications to identify and isolate persons who may have been infected with COVID-19.

According to recent media reports, police in Zhengzhou, Henan province’s capital, employed mandatory codes to limit the mobility of people furious because local banks had frozen their accounts, according to The Singapore Post.

Hundreds of depositors who were unable to withdraw funds recently planned to travel to Zhengzhou to protest against local banks that had blocked their accounts due to internal system upgrades.

Also Read: Health experts warn of sixth Covid wave in Pakistan

Many people discovered that the so-called health codes on their phones had changed from green to red upon arrival. They couldn’t travel because they were red, so the demonstrations died down. The red coding appeared to be solely for depositors. Citizens lost access to public transportation and public venues like as restaurants and shopping malls, as well as the right to travel throughout the nation, if they did not have a green code on their smartphone app.

A red code, which normally indicates illness or close contact, suggested that he or she was a public health danger.

According to the reports, the police detained numerous persons and barred them from moving. Several persons reported being forced to quarantine or being denied access to public transit or buildings.

Local banks including as Kaifeng’s New Oriental Country Bank, ZhechengHuanghuai Community Bank, ShangcaiHuimin County Bank, and YuzhouXin Min Sheng Village Bank have had difficulty providing cash withdrawals.

However, banks blocked deposits on April 18, resulting in heated protests last month, according to The Singapore Post.

Meanwhile, human rights organisations have slammed authorities for utilising their huge COVID monitoring infrastructure to disrupt protests. Many people resorted to Chinese social media sites to express their concerns over the action.

Hu Xijin, a popular Chinese commentator and former newspaper editor, said “health codes” should be used solely for the purpose of preventing pandemics.”

“If any area uses health codes to restrict people’s movements for other purposes, this is clearly a breach of pandemic prevention laws… and damages the support of the people for our fight against the virus,” he said.

The Monkeypox epidemic has been declared a Public Health Emergency of Global Concern by a scientific group created in response to the Covid-19 danger.

This comes only days after the World Health Organization’s (WHO) chief announced the formation of the International Health Regulations Emergency Committee in response to the spread of the Monkeypox virus to 32 non-endemic nations. On June 23, specialists will gather to determine if the ongoing epidemic becomes a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, the highest degree of global alert now applicable only to the COVID-19 pandemic and polio.

The World Health Organization (WHN) has declared Monkeypox a public health emergency, indicating that the epidemic is not restricted to a single country or area and that rapid action to prevent community transmission is required.

“The World Health Network declares the monkeypox outbreak a Public Health Emergency of Global Concern, by which it indicates that this outbreak is not limited to a single country or region and should be addressed by immediate actions taken wherever community transmission is taking place in order to ensure that the least effort is needed and the smallest impact is suffered due to this outbreak,” the WHN said.

The growth of Monkeypox in 58 countries through local community transmission around the world, with 3,417 confirmed Monkeypox cases reported across 58 countries, and the rate of growth of cases increasing week by week across multiple continents

“The World Health Network @TheWHN has just declared monkeypox a pandemic emergency. Will the @WHO declare #monkeypox a **Public Health Emergency of International Concern** (PHEIC) later today or by end of Friday?” said Eric Feigl-Ding, Epidemiologist and health economist.

Severity of Monkeypox

The terrible pain, scarring, blindness, and death that has historically been documented in instances of monkeypox.
The severity of Monkeypox in youngsters, who have so far escaped infection during the present outbreak but are expected to get sick if community transmission spreads.

The possibility of transmission to animals, including rodents such as mice, rats, squirrels, and domesticated pets, creating a reservoir that will spread over the world, resulting in a continual risk of human infection and the need to alter everyday living to prevent exposure in many situations.

The WHN stated that efforts are required to prevent broad public communication about the symptoms of monkeypox.

Additionally, efforts are needed to ensure universal availability of testing without limits based on particular indicators like as travel, known contact with infected persons, or participation in previously high-risk areas.

Also Read: WHO removes difference between endemic and non-endemic nations to bolster fight against Monkeypox

The World Health Organization (WHO) has stated that it has erased the difference between endemic and non-endemic nations from its monkeypox statistics in order to provide a more united approach to the virus. The illness was discovered on other continents after previously being exclusive to western and central African countries.

“We are removing the distinction between endemic and non-endemic countries, reporting on countries together where possible, to reflect the unified response that is needed,” the WHO said in its outbreak situation update dated June 17 but sent to media on Saturday.

It went on to say that between January 1 and June 15, the United Nations (UN) health department confirmed at least 2,103 monkeypox cases, including one fatality and one probable case in 42 nations. The elimination of the difference between endemic and non-endemic states comes only days before the Geneva-based agency’s emergency meeting on June 23. The WHO will meet on Thursday to decide whether the global monkeypox epidemic should be declared a public health emergency of international concern.

While the designation of the outbreak as a public health emergency of international concern is the highest alarm the UN agency can sound for the world, 84% of the monkeypox is notably found only in the European region. Other nations where the disease has been confirmed by health authorities include the Americas, Africa, the Eastern Mediterranean region and Western Pacific region. However, WHO has said that it believes the actual number of infections is likely higher.

84% monkeypox cases in European region

While the UN agency’s classification of the epidemic as a public health emergency of worldwide concern is the highest level of warning the globe may get, 84 percent of the monkeypox is discovered solely in Europe. The illness has also been verified by health officials in the Americas, Africa, the Eastern Mediterranean area, and the Western Pacific region. However, the WHO considers that the real number of illnesses is likely to be greater.

However, if monkeypox is deemed a worldwide health emergency, it will have the “same classification” as the COVID-19 pandemic, according to WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. He also mentioned that gathering specialists outside of the health department might aid in better knowledge of the monkeypox virus.

Also Read: Know how different parts of brain communicate with one another

“With the advice from the emergency committee, we can be in a better position to control the situation. But it doesn’t mean that we are going straight to a public health emergency of international concern,” said Dr Ibrahima Soce Fall, WHO’s emergencies director for Africa, referring to WHO’s highest level of alert for viral outbreaks.

“We don’t want to wait until the situation is out of control to start calling the emergency committee,” he added.

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On Saturday (local time), Dr Krishna Ella, Chairman and Managing Director of Bharat Biotech, said that the clinical phase III trials of the COVID-19 nasal vaccination were finished and that the business will submit its data to the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) next month.

In an exclusive interview with ANI, Dr Ella said, “We just completed a clinical trial, a data analysis is going on. Next month, we will submit the data to the regulatory agency. If everything is okay, then we will get permission to launch and it will be the world’s first clinically proven nasal COVID-19 vaccine.”

Krishna was speaking at Viva Technology 2022 in Paris, where India was named nation of the year.

Bharat Biotech was granted authorization to perform independent phase III studies on its COVID-19 nasal vaccination by India’s drug controller in January of this year.

Krishna stated that people who have taken the second dosage of COVID-19 must also take the booster dose.

“Booster dose of vaccine gives immunity. I always say the booster dose is a miracle dose for every vaccination. Even in children first, two doses don’t give much immunity, but the third dose gives an amazing response to the child. The same thing for adults also. The third dose is very important for adults. COVID-19 can’t be eradicated 100 per cent. It will be there and we have to live with it and handle it and more intelligently how to control it,” he said.

Talking about the Vivatech 2022, Krishna said that this is really great achievement for India, building a brand name in France.

“I am glad to say 65 startups from India, under NITI Aayog they all came, showing that technology to a lot of people, what India can do, how India can innovate for the world. They are vibrant because I was a startup in 1997.”
He said that earlier United States was the centre of startups but for the first time Indians are getting exposure in France.

Also Read: Mouse study reveals intense exercise could suppress your appetite

“I am so happy to say the French government is very practical. They are really encouraging India and with truthfully a good heart. Again, they are really pushing how more the government can work together. How about the country’s startups can work together? How government policies can create an ecosystem that is scalable, even French President Macron was talking about how to scale it up between the two partnerships, how to scale up for globe and the digitalization all that is talking about infrastructure, digitalization all that they are talking and that is a good sign between the two countries and the first time French is coming closer to India,” he added.

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As we reach the second month of the pandemic, 42 nations have reported cases of monkeypox. As the illness spreads swiftly across countries, officials are investigating every suspected case to determine who is at danger. Health experts are concerned about the potential risk to vulnerable groups, such as tiny children and pregnant women.

While the effects of the monkeypox virus on pregnant women are not fully understood, WHO has issued a statement that says, “limited data suggest that infection may lead to adverse outcomes for the foetus or newborn infant and for the mother.”

Many Other Vulnerable Groups At Risk Of Monkeypox Infection

The present danger to the general population, according to the World Health Organization, is minimal. Health workers are at risk if they come into touch with a case without wearing the required personal protective equipment (PPE) to prevent transmission; while the risk of health-care-associated diseases has not been reported in this outbreak, it has been described in the past.

Also Read: WHO removes difference between endemic and non-endemic nations to bolster fight against Monkeypox

According to the World Health Organization, if monkeypox spreads to and among more vulnerable groups, it has the potential to have a greater health impact, as the risk of severe disease and mortality is known to be higher in immunocompromised individuals, such as those with poorly treated HIV infection.

Monkeypox Spread To Over 40 Countries

According to the most recent WHO update, 42 countries have reported 2,103 illnesses in areas where monkeypox is not generally recorded, with Europe accounting for 85 percent of cases. According to the most recent statistics, one person has died as a result of monkeypox. WHO warns all countries to be on the lookout for monkeypox symptoms. Some individuals may have sexually transmitted infections, which should be evaluated and treated as necessary.

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A recent study from the University of Calgary suggests that anti-cancer medications, rather than opioid-based pain medication, might be used to treat chronic pain.

Researchers discovered a chemical in the neurological system that increases pain sensitivity. This chemical was previously assumed to play a function in cancer progression, but its presence in the nervous system had never been described. It may now be able to employ current anti-cancer medications to inhibit pain by targeting this molecule.

Dr. Christophe Altier, PhD, who holds a Canada Research Chair in Inflammatory Pain, and his colleagues discovered the existence of a chemical in the nervous system that increases sensitivity to pain by analysing a large number of genes involved in the transmission of pain information to the brain.

This chemical was previously assumed to play a function in cancer progression, but its presence in the nervous system had never been described. It may now be feasible to inhibit pain with readily available anti-cancer medications.

“The most exciting part of this discovery is that we don’t need to develop a new drug,” says Dr. Christophe Altier, PhD, associate professor at the Cumming School of Medicine (CSM) and member of the Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases at the CSM. “We’ve shown that an existing drug, approved in the treatment of cancer, can be repurposed to treat pain.”

Altier’s team discovered that medications routinely used to treat lung cancer and a form of brain cancer might be useful in managing pain in mice. The researchers carefully examined for pain caused by nerve damage and inflammation and discovered that the cancer medications performed extremely effectively.

Research for other pain

The next step is to seek financing for clinical studies to examine if those suffering from chronic diseases like stomach pain and post-surgery pain would enjoy the same beneficial outcomes.

Because the drugs being used already exist and have been proven safe, the timeline for this treatment to become a reality will be shorter than if they had to develop new medications. Altier has already filed a patent application for this novel treatment with study co-author Dr. Gerald Zamponi, PhD, professor at the CSM and member of the Hotchkiss Brain Institute.

Also Read: Mouse study reveals intense exercise could suppress your appetite

The discovery will be welcome news for chronic pain sufferers who in the future might have the option to stop taking potentially addictive opioids that require increases in doses over time to remain effective.

“With these anti-cancer drugs, there is no effect on tolerance,” says Dr. Manon Defaye, PhD, first author on the paper. “We don’t need to increase the dose of the drug to obtain pain relief.”

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