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Research: New pollutants associated with an altered ratio of baby boys to girls

by Medically Speaking
written by Medically Speaking

According to one research, pollution generated by several substances such as mercury, chromium, lead, and aluminium appears to have an influence on the sex ratio of infants.

The research looked at over 100 potential variables, including the whole Swedish population and half of the US population. Poverty indicators, in addition to other contaminants, have been related to changes in the sex ratios of children born to millions of parents.

It found that mercury, chromium and aluminum pollution seem to have led to birth of more boys, while lead pollution resulted in rise in the number of girls.

Due to extreme chemical exposures, the farming also affects sex ratio.

The indicators of stress and deprivation measures have also been linked to high changes in sex ratios.

The factors like weather temperature, season of birth, violent crime rates and unemployment, did not show any relation.

The study does not show cause and effect but only correlations between several factors and sex ratios. The researchers feel more investigation is required to go into the depth of the reasons for these findings.

Andrey Rzhetsky at University of Chicago, who led research, said, “This is a list of suspects to investigate, and all the suspects have some credible evidence, but we’re very far from conviction.”

 

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OMICRON VARIANT
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Omicron is milder than Delta variant at primary level: Doctor

by Medically Speaking
written by Medically Speaking

With two cases of Omicron found in India, the South African doctor who originally identified the novel COVID variation claimed the patients she has studied so far show “milder” symptoms than those affected by the more common Delta version.

Fatigue, aches and pains are some of the signs of Omicron infection, according to Dr Angelique Coetzee, chairperson of the South African Medical Association.

Further detailing the symptoms, the physician said some patients infected with Omicron variant developed quite severe headaches and tiredness but none of them mentioned the loss of smell/taste or severely blocked of the nose or increase in body temperature, that were seen in patients affected by strains of COVID-19.

“So, this is what we say. It is milder than the Delta variant at the primary healthcare level. At the hospital level, that picture might change but these are very early days as there is not a lot of admissions yet at the hospitals,” Dr Coetzee said while speaking to ANI.

She emphasised that vaccines will protect people against the disease at this stage because irrespective of age group and co-morbidities, she saw that people who have been inoculated against COVID-19 exhibited milder symptoms on being infected with Omicron.

The Omicron variant was announced by South Africa’s National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD) on November 25.

Dr Coetzee said that on November 18, several patients had reported to her clinic with symptoms of extreme fatigue, body ache and headaches, which upon testing led to the discovery of positive Omicron cases. The doctor said the cases in South Africa did not rise immediately but this week they had begun to rise and increase in a significant way. “So we know that it is a fast-spreading virus,” she said.

“Our latest stats that I have just received show that in the past 24 hours we have 11535 cases of which the majority is between the age of 30 and 50-55 years of age group. So this is what we are seeing,” Dr Coetzee said.

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Mumbai: 2 doctors, nurse from Nair Hospital suspended for suspected medical negligence after 4-months old infant dies

by Medically Speaking
written by Medically Speaking

Two physicians and a nurse from Nair Hospital have been suspended for suspected medical malpractice.

According to Suresh Kakani, assistant commissioner, BMC, the decision was made after a 4-month-old infant died, resulting in a delay in treatment.
“A committee has been constituted to investigate the incident, and action will be taken against anyone found culpable,” he continued.

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ICMR has approved nine technologies for SARS-CoV-2 molecular testing

by Medically Speaking
written by Medically Speaking

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has authorised nine systems for SARS-CoV-2 molecular testing for easy international travel, all of which are regarded equal to the RT-PCR technique. Open system RTPCR, TrueNat, GeneXpert, RT-LAMP, CRISPR/TATAMD CHECK/FELUDA, Abbott ID Now, Accula by Thermofisher, Rapid RTPCR, and CoviDx DirectPlex are the nine Covid testing systems. The ICMR stated on Wednesday that all laboratories performing the tests will follow ICMR and Health Ministry rules to assure genome sequencing of all positive cases. The Ministry of Civil Aviation has urged all airports to allow RT-PCR testing of passengers by expanding the necessary facilities and logistics.

The travellers undergoing random sampling may give the sample and leave. However, random sampling would be limited to 2 per cent as per the latest guidelines and it would be on a self-paid basis, the ICMR said. The airport authorities may coordinate with the officials of states and UTs to select the passengers for random sampling.

As per the ICMR, post-arrival testing can be exempted if a person is travelling from a ‘NOT AT RISK’ country and has only a transit without leaving immigration in the ‘AT RISK’ countries before boarding the destination flight. However, if the person has travelled to any ‘AT RISK’ country in the last 14 days, he/she will be asked for post-arrival testing etc.

The travellers will have to submit their samples for post-arrival testing at the point of arrival. They will have to wait for the test results at the airport before leaving or taking a connecting flight. After the negative results are received, the passengers can take connecting flights to reach their final destination. The ICMR clarified that a passenger can exit the airport or can board a connecting flight for the final destination once the negative report is received. He/she need not wait for the report of all the co-passengers.

 

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Coronavirus covid
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12 suspected Omicron cases admitted to Delhi’s LNJP hospital

by Medically Speaking
written by Medically Speaking

Twelve overseas arrivals suspected of being infected with the Omicron strain of Covid-19 have been hospitalised to Delhi’s designated Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital.

Ten of the twelve have tested positive for Covid-19, while the other two are exhibiting symptoms but have yet to be tested.

On Thursday, there were eight patients in the ward. The figure increased to twelve with four new cases reported on Friday. Of these four, two passengers returned from UK, one from France and one from the Netherlands.

All twelve samples wil be genome sequenced in order to determine which strain of the coronavirus they belong to.

As per a government directive, all individuals who test positive for the Omicron variant of coronavirus are to be isolated and treated at LNJP Hospital. So far, two confirmed cases of Omicron have been detected in India, both in Karnataka.

OMICRON TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS

According to the Centre’s travel restrictions in light of the Omicron variant, passengers arriving in India from ‘at-risk’ nations have to undergo an RT-PCR test at the airport. Those who test positive will be shifted to isolation facilities while those who test negative have to undergo seven-day home quarantine.

The countries designated as “at-risk” are the European countries, the UK, South Africa, Brazil, Botswana, China, Mauritius, New Zealand, Zimbabwe, Singapore, Hong Kong and Israel.
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RML Hospital, boycotting all usual services today to provide NEET-PG 2021 counselling

by Medically Speaking
written by Medically Speaking

Taking their protest over the delay in NEET-PG 2021 counselling to the next level, the resident physicians of Dr Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) hospital have decided to boycott all normal services from today, December 3. As a kind of protest, the hospital had already discontinued its OPD services.

“As the withdrawal of OPD services didn’t bring any concrete response from the authorities, due to insensitive response of governing bodies responsible for the delay in NEET PG 2021 counselling, we are compelled to boycott all routine services at RML HOSPITAL (OPDS). Special Clinics, IPDs, Elective OTS) from December 3, 2021, onwards till the time our genuine grievances are not fulfilled,” the letter by the Resident Doctor Association read.

However, all emergency services in the hospital will run as usual. ” If no concrete steps are taken by the stakeholders to ensure immediate completion of NEET PG Counseling 2021, we will be forced to take an extreme and harsh decision of shutting down the emergency services as well and complete responsibility will be on administration and concerned officials,” the letter added.

“This decision has been taken in consensus with the national and state RDAs. A further action plan will be decided in due course after meeting with them,” as per the letter.

“With the possibility of an imminent upcoming COVID wave, it is essential that the counselling process is started at the earliest to prevent the collapse of the health care system and we request all stakeholders and administrative authorities to ensure that the process of induction of new doctors is completed at the earliest,” the letter read.

The OPD services at the Centre-run RML, Safdarjung and Lady Hardinge hospitals were affected for the fifth consecutive day on Thursday as resident doctors continued their protest against the repeated postponement of the NEET-PG 2021 counselling.

A nationwide withdrawal from outpatient department services by resident doctors of many hospitals began on November 27, following a call given by the Federation of Resident Doctors Association (FORDA).

 

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covid-19 virus
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Covid case update: India reports 9,216 new cases

by Medically Speaking Team
written by Medically Speaking Team

India has reported 9,216 new Covid-19 cases in the last 24 hours, according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The total number of active cases in the country is currently 99,976. So far, the Nationwide Vaccination Drive has administered about 125 crore vaccine doses.

 

The rapid spread of the new Omicron variety around the globe is causing dread and anxiety among countries and governments alike. According to news agency PTI, the omicron version of COVID-19, which had not been detected in the US until the middle of this week, had been discovered in at least five states by the end of Thursday. This paints a clear picture of how virus mutations can readily travel their way across any environment. Two South African travellers were also tested “preliminarily positive” for the Omicron version of COVID-19 after arriving in Singapore, according to the Singapore Ministry of Health.

All primary and secondary contacts of both Omicron-positive patients have been traced and are being tested, according to the health ministry’s joint secretary Lav Agarwal. Both patients are males in their sixties, ages 66 and 46, with modest symptoms. He went on to say that no severe symptoms had been observed.

Despite the uproar surrounding Omicron, experts have advised people to remain calm and take adequate precautions to avoid the new form. New varieties will continue to emerge, according to Dr. Ashok Seth, Executive Director of the Fortis Escorts Heart Institute, but the key is to remain cool and not worry. “If we’re properly vaccinated and follow COVID guidelines, we can protect ourselves from any variety,” he told news agency ANI.

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UK approves new treatment against Covid that may work against Omicron

by Medically Speaking Team
written by Medically Speaking Team

The UK’s drugs authority authorised a novel antibody therapy for Covid-19 on Thursday, believing it will also work against emerging variations like Omicron.

Xevudy or sotrovimab, according to the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), is for persons with mild to moderate Covid-19 who are at high risk of developing severe illness.

Sotrovimab is a single monoclonal antibody developed by GSK and Vir Biotechnology that operates by attaching to the spike protein on the surface of the Covid-19 virus. As a result, the virus is unable to connect to and penetrate human cells, preventing it from replicating in the body.

“I am pleased to say that we now have another safe and effective Covid-19 treatment, Xevudy (sotrovimab), for those at risk of developing severe illness,” said Dr June Raine, MHRA Chief Executive.

“This is yet another therapeutic that has been shown to be effective at protecting those most vulnerable to Covid-19, and signals another significant step forward in our fight against this devastating disease. With no compromises on quality, safety and effectiveness, the public can trust that the MHRA have conducted a robust and thorough assessment of all the available data,” she said.

Sotrovimab is administered by intravenous infusion over 30 minutes and is approved for individuals aged 12 and above who weigh more than 40 kg. The MHRA said “it is too early to know” whether the Omicron variant has any impact on sotrovimab’s effectiveness, but they plan to work with the manufacturers to establish this.

But based on preliminary lab studies, researchers say the drug targets a part of the spike protein of the virus that has not yet undergone big changes or mutations, meaning it should work well against all variants.

A single dosage of the monoclonal antibody was reported to lower the probability of hospitalisation and mortality in high-risk persons with symptomatic Covid-19 infection by 79 percent in a clinical investigation. Sotrovimab is most effective in the early stages of infection, according to clinical trial data, hence the MHRA recommends using it as soon as possible, within five days after symptom start.

“When administered in the early stages of infection, sotrovimab was found to be effective at reducing the risk of hospitalisation and death in high-risk individuals with symptomatic Covid-19. Based on the data reviewed by the Commission and its expert group, it is clear sotrovimab is another safe and effective treatment to help us in our fight against Covid-19,” said Professor Sir Munir Pirmohamed, Chair of the UK’s Commission on Human Medicines.

Like molnupiravir, which is an antiviral pill treatment in use, the new therapy has been authorised for use in people who have mild to moderate Covid-19 infection and at least one risk factor for developing severe illness. Such risk factors include obesity, older age groups of 60 and above, diabetes mellitus, or heart disease.

The MHRA reiterated that sotrovimab is not intended to be used as a substitute for vaccination against Covid-19. Following the approval, the UK’s National Health Service (NHS) will confirm how this Covid-19 treatment will be deployed to patients.

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OMICRON VARIANT
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Two cases of Omicron variant found in Karnataka

by Medically Speaking Team
written by Medically Speaking Team

The Union health ministry announced on Thursday that two persons from Karnataka have tested positive for the Omicron type of coronavirus. In India, they are the first examples of the fast-spreading cases to be recorded.

The two cases of Omicron variant detected in Karnataka were done through genome sequencing by INSACOG consortium of 37 laboratories, established by the Union Ministry of Health.

“We need not panic, but awareness is absolutely essential. COVID-appropriate behaviour is required. All their contacts have been identified and they are under monitoring. The protocol is being followed,” Balram Bhargava, DG ICMR, said.

Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya reportedly held a virtual meeting with representatives of states over rising concerns regarding the Omicron variant of COVID-19. While India has already postponed the resumption of international flight operations that was slated to return to normalcy on December 15, Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia told the Parliament that 11 countries have been categorised as ‘at risk’ countries.

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Moderna Covid vaccine highly effective after 2nd dose: Study

by Medically Speaking Team
written by Medically Speaking Team

According to a research, the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine is 87% successful in avoiding infection, 95% effective in preventing severe illness, and 98% effective in preventing mortality. The study, which was published in The Lancet Regional Health – Americas journal, looked at the Moderna COVID-19 mRNA vaccine’s five-month efficacy as part of an observational study.

Funded by Moderna, the study included 352,878 recipients of two doses of the vaccine matched to 352,878 unvaccinated individuals by age, sex, race, and ethnicity.

“This research provides reassuring evidence of the high effectiveness of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine in preventing infection, hospitalisation, and death from COVID-19,” said Katia Bruxvoort, an adjunct investigator with Kaiser Permanente, an integrated health care organisation in Southern California, US.

“One of the important aspects of this study was that it included more than 700,000 adults who were racially and ethnically diverse and had a broad range of underlying conditions including chronic diseases, immunocompromising conditions, and autoimmune conditions,” Bruxvoort said.

In the study, vaccinated individuals received two doses of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine from December 18, 2020, to March 31, 2021.

Both groups were followed up on until June 30, 2021.

COVID-19 infections were found in 289 vaccinated individuals and 1,144 unvaccinated patients during follow-up.

The vaccination had an 87 percent efficiency against COVID-19 infection, according to the researchers.
According to the researchers, 13 vaccinated and 182 unvaccinated people were hospitalised with Covid, and 1 vaccinated and 25 unvaccinated patients died in the hospital.

“This study adds evidence of real-world Moderna COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness, particularly among the general population,” said Hung Fu Tseng, a researcher with the Kaiser Permanente, and the senior author of the study.

“Additionally, our follow-up on these fully vaccinated patients occurred through June 2021, a period that overlapped with the emergence of the Delta variant in the US. Long-term follow-up is ongoing to further evaluate the durability of protection,” Tseng added.
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