Covid-19 live updates: Delhi reports 77 new coronavirus cases and 2 more deaths

Oxygen treatment increases cardiac function in Covid patients: Study

A small randomised experiment in individuals with post-COVID syndrome discovered that hyperbaric oxygen therapy improves the heart's capacity to contract normally. The research is presented at EACVI 2023, a scientific congress of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC). "The study suggests that hyperbaric oxygen therapy can be beneficial in patients with long COVID," said study author Professor Marina Leitman of the Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University and Shamir Medical Centre, Be'er Ya'akov, Israel. "We used a sensitive measure of cardiac function which is not routinely performed in all centres. More studies are needed to determine which patients will benefit the most, but it may be that all long COVID patients should have an assessment of global longitudinal strain and be offered hyperbaric oxygen therapy if heart function is reduced."

Mumbai reports 47 new Covid-19 cases, zero death; active tally at 409

Mumbai on Wednesday reported 47 new Covid-19 cases, taking the overall tally to 11,63,399, while no fresh death linked to the infection was reported in the city, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said. A BMC bulletin said the death toll remained unchanged at 19,768. On Tuesday, the financial capital logged 56 cases and zero fatality.

Three years of health emergency in US

A state of emergency was first declared in the United States in January 2020, more than three years ago.Authorities have spent months preparing for its eventual May 11 end. Covid vaccines and treatments, such as anti-viral drug Paxlovid, will mostly remain covered under public and private health insurance plans after the emergency ends, though policies for reimbursing test purchases vary. Other anti-Covid health measures were wrapped up this month as well, including vaccine requirements for US officials and foreign visitors arriving by air.

Delhi logs 77 Covid cases, 2 deaths

Delhi on Tuesday logged 77 fresh Covid-19 cases with a positivity rate of 3.27 per cent and two fatalities linked to the infection, according to data shared by the city government's Health department. With this, Delhi's case tally climbed to 20,40,229 and the death toll rose to 26,648, it said. The fresh cases emerged from 2,354 tests conducted the previous day, the bulletin stated.

US debt ceiling standoff talks look at Covid clawbacks, energy permits

Talks on raising the US federal government's $31.4 trillion debt ceiling enter a new phase on Wednesday, after Democratic President Joe Biden and top congressional Republican Kevin McCarthy's first negotiating meeting in three months. Biden signaled an openness to Republicans' demand to claw back some unused money for COVID relief, which is less than $80 billion. House of Representatives Speaker McCarthy told reporters that Biden also indicated a willingness to work on speeding up permitting for energy projects, a goal that went unmet in 2022.

US senators have reportedly revived a bid to form a Covid-19 commission.

New breathalyser test can 'sniff out' Covid in real-time

Scientists have developed a new laser-based breathalyser test powered by artificial intelligence (AI) that they say can detect Covid-19 in real-time with excellent accuracy. The team from the University of Colorado (CU) Boulder in the US hopes that the frequency comb breathalyser—essentially using laser light to distinguish one molecule from another—could revolutionise medical diagnostics.

Mexico declares end of Covid-19 health emergency

Mexico has declared an end to the Covid-19 health emergency in keeping with World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines, Undersecretary of Prevention and Health Promotion Hugo Lopez-Gatell said.

Daily Covid cases in India since Jan 2023

India's Covid graph

National recovery rate recorded at 98.77%

At 21,406, the active cases comprise 0.05 per cent of the total infections. The national Covid-19 recovery rate was recorded at 98.77 per cent, the ministry said.

Covid death toll in India reaches 5 lakh

The death toll climbed to 5,31,722 with eight fatalities which includes those reconciled by Kerala, the data updated at 8 am stated.

India has recorded 2,109 fresh Covid-19 infections, while the number of active cases have come down to 21,406 from 22,742, according to the Union Health Ministry data on Wednesday. The Covid-19 tally now stands at 4.49 crore (4,49,74,909).

The US caring economy was broken long before Covid-19

The disruptions caused by the pandemic have revealed deep flaws in our supply chain for physical goods. Certain market failures that had been festering for years were suddenly exposed. But long before Covid-19 arrived, various forms of childcare, daycare, eldercare and healthcare had already seen costs explode and services unevenly distributed, even as those working in the care economy remained poorly compensated.

UP primary school teacher submits fake Covid-19 positive document to get poll duty exemption

A primary school teacher in the Puranpur area here has been caught submitting a fake Covid-19 positive medical certificate to get exempted from polling duty in the upcoming municipal elections, an official said. He said orders have been issued to file an FIR against Ritu Tomar posted in Pachpeda village primary school of Puranpur block. The official on Tuesday said Tomar was assigned the duty of polling officer II in polling party number three at the pink booth in the municipal elections slated for May 11.

India's Covid graph

Active cases comprise 0.06% of the total infections

At 22,742, the active cases comprise 0.06 per cent of the total infections. Meanwhile, the national Covid-19 recovery rate was recorded at 98.76 per cent, the ministry said.

India has recorded 1,331 fresh Covid-19 infections, while the number of active cases have come down to 22,742 from 25,178, according to the Union health ministry data updated on Tuesday.

US readies for migrant influx as Covid-era border rules lapse

The United States is girding for the arrival of thousands of migrants this week, with the expiry of pandemic-era rules that have made claiming asylum at the border all-but impossible. The country's deep divisions over immigration are expected to be laid bare as a wave of people try to get a foothold in a place founded on the promise of safety and shelter, but where a rising tide of nationalism makes the welcome uncertain.

India reported 21,798 cases in the week ending Sunday (May 1-7), down 57% from the previous week’s tally of 50,769 cases. Deaths declined to 95 from 131 in the earlier week. With the exception of a few northeastern states, case counts dropped across India. By Monday night, the number of active cases had fallen below 25,000, down from over 47,000 a week ago.

Covid waning fast, weekly cases down 57%

Fresh cases of Covid-19 continued to fall steeply for the second week running with numbers dropping to less than half of the previous week’s tally, indicating that the surge in infections was waning across the country. Deaths from the virus and other key indicators too were on the decline.

Those who suffer from Covid-19 post-viral fatigue benefit from cognitive behavioural treatment, which results in fewer fatigue and attention issues.

Corona is already in the endemic stage

Speaking to ANI, Dr Rakesh Mishra said, "Corona is already in the endemic stage. The level of infection we saw recently from Bengaluru data was more significant than the third wave and would have had a big problem. However, it did not happen because of vaccination, or hybrid immunity. Clinically, the virus is more infectious, but clinically less harmful as it affects the body like the common cold."

After hovering for more than three years, coronavirus is in the endemic stage, however, the viral load and emergence of any new variant still need to be monitored, Dr Rakesh Mishra, director of Tata Institute for Genetics and Society (TIGS) said.