Maharashtra reports 37 new COVID-19 cases

Mumbai: Maharashtra recorded 37 new coronavirus positive cases on Saturday, taking its overall infection count since January this year to 2,318, the health department said.
No fresh fatality linked to the disease has been reported since Thursday.
Of the new cases, 19 are in Mumbai, seven in Pune, five in Nagpur, two in Thane city and one each in Panvel, Sangli city as well the district's rural parts, and Akola city, an official statement said.
The health department has conducted 25,199 COVID-19 tests across the state since January this year, it said, adding a total of 1,962 patients have recovered so far.
Mumbai has reported 942 infection cases this year, including 501 in June and 435 in May, it said.
Thirty-two patients have succumbed to the infection in the state since January, of whom 31 had comorbidities and one was suffering from other diseases. PTI>

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2 hours ago

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Salman Khan says he's suffering from a brain aneurysm, AVM and trigeminal neuralgia: What are these conditions?

Bollywood superstar Salman Khan confessed he is battling multiple serious health issues during his appearance on Netflix's 'The Great Indian Kapil Show'. The actor said he continues to work despite struggling with neurological disorders. Here's what we know about these conditions, some of which are lesser-known read more Salman Khan made revelations about his health during his appearance on the first episode of Netflix's The Great Indian Kapil Show. File image/PTI In a shocking revelation, Bollywood's 'Bajrangi Bhaijaan' Salman Khan said that he is battling three serious medical conditions — brain aneurysm, AV malformation, and trigeminal neuralgia. The 59-year-old legendary actor made this revelation during his appearance on the first episode of Netflix's The Great Indian Kapil Show, casually mentioning these conditions while speaking to comedian and host Kapil Sharma. 'Hum ye jo daily ki haddiyan tudwa rahe hain, pasliyan toot gai, trigeminal neuralgia ke sath kaam kar rahe hain, aneurysm hai brain mein uske bawajood kaam kar rahe hain. AV malformation hai, uske bawajood chal rahe hain,' Salman said during the show. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD (I'm out here breaking my bones every day — ribs are fractured, I'm working despite having trigeminal neuralgia, there's an aneurysm in the brain, yet I'm still working. There's also an AV malformation, and still, I'm carrying on). So what are these medical conditions? Are they curable? Here's what we know about them What is a brain aneurysm? A brain aneurysm, also known as a cerebral aneurysm, is a bulge or ballooning in a blood vessel in the brain. According to the US' National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), it occurs when a weak spot in the artery wall balloons out and fills with blood. Experts at the Mayo Clinic explain that this happens when the force of blood flowing through the vessel puts constant pressure on the weakened section of the wall, causing it to expand over time. If the aneurysm continues to grow and eventually leaks or ruptures, it can lead to a hemorrhagic stroke, a serious and potentially life-threatening condition involving bleeding in the brain. Aneurysms can form in arteries anywhere in the body, including the heart, brain, abdomen, or legs, and are often linked to conditions like high blood pressure, atherosclerosis, or inherited traits. A brain aneurysm, also known as a cerebral aneurysm, is a bulge or ballooning in a blood vessel in the brain. Image courtesy: Cleveland Clinic What is AV malformation or AVM? An arteriovenous malformation (AVM) is a rare but serious condition where a tangled web of abnormal blood vessels forms in the brain, disrupting the normal flow of blood between arteries and veins. Under typical conditions, arteries carry oxygen-rich blood from the heart to the brain, and veins return oxygen-depleted blood back to the lungs and heart. But in the case of an AVM, this process is bypassed due to the abnormal connection, causing high-pressure arterial blood to flow directly into veins, which are not built to handle it. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD An arteriovenous malformation (AVM) is a rare but serious condition where a tangled web of abnormal blood vessels forms in the brain, disrupting the normal flow of blood between arteries and veins. Image courtesy: Cleveland Clinic AVMs are usually congenital, meaning they're present at birth, although symptoms may not appear until much later in life, sometimes not at all. According to experts cited by the Indian Express, about 12 per cent of patients with AVMs experience symptoms, and if none occur by the age of 50, they may never appear. When symptoms do occur, they can include buzzing in the ears, chronic headaches, seizures, muscle weakness, facial paralysis, as well as speech or motor issues. In more severe cases, AVMs can cause stroke or brain haemorrhages, making early diagnosis and monitoring crucial. What is trigeminal neuralgia? Trigeminal neuralgia (TN), also known as tic douloureux, is a type of chronic pain disorder that involves sudden attacks of severe facial pain. It typically happens when a blood vessel puts pressure on your trigeminal nerve near your brainstem. This nerve provides sensation to your head and face. The main symptom of trigeminal neuralgia is sudden, intense pain in the face, usually on one side. Trigeminal neuralgia (TN), also known as tic douloureux, is a type of chronic pain disorder that involves sudden attacks of severe facial pain. Image courtesy: Nature journal The pain may be an electric shock-like or stabbing sensation. One may also have facial muscle spasms during the attacks. In between pain attacks, one may feel burning, throbbing, numbness and dull achiness. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD What are the treatment options? Treatment for the conditions Salman Khan revealed—brain aneurysm, AV malformation (AVM), and trigeminal neuralgia—varies depending on their severity and risk. According to The Indian Express, small brain aneurysms (less than 4 mm) are often just monitored closely with regular imaging. If there's a risk of rupture, doctors may perform a minimally invasive procedure where soft platinum coils are inserted through a catheter to block blood flow to the aneurysm. Surgery is only recommended if the aneurysm grows or begins to show warning signs. For AVM, treatment usually involves minimally invasive techniques as well. A common approach is to thread a catheter through the blood vessels to reach the tangle and block it off. In some cases, radiosurgery—a focused form of radiation therapy—is used to gradually shrink the AVM without open surgery. When it comes to trigeminal neuralgia, the first line of treatment typically involves antiseizure medications and muscle relaxants, according to the Cleveland Clinic. If the pain becomes severe or medications don't help, surgical options may be explored. These include radiosurgery, rhizotomy (nerve destruction), peripheral neurectomy, or microvascular decompression, where blood vessels pressing on the nerve are repositioned. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Each of these treatments comes with its own risks and benefits, and decisions are usually made based on the patient's age, overall health, and how the condition progresses. With input from agencies

Time of India

3 hours ago

• Time of India

Winter viruses can trigger heart attack or stroke, our study shows. It's another good reason to get flu or COVID shot

Melbourne: Winter is here, along with cold days and the inevitable seasonal surge in respiratory viruses. But it's not only the sniffles we need to worry about. Heart attacks and strokes also tend to rise during the winter months. In new research out this week we show one reason why. Our study shows catching common respiratory viruses raises your short-term risk of a heart attack or stroke. In other words, common viruses, such as those that cause flu and COVID, can trigger them. Wait, viruses can trigger heart attacks? Traditional risk factors such as smoking, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity and lack of exercise are the main reasons for heart attacks and strokes. And rates of heart attacks and strokes can rise in winter for a number of reasons. Factors such as low temperature, less physical activity, more time spent indoors - perhaps with indoor air pollutants - can affect blood clotting and worsen the effects of traditional risk factors. But our new findings build on those from other researchers to show how respiratory viruses can also be a trigger. The theory is respiratory virus infections set off a heart attack or stroke, rather than directly cause them. If traditional risk factors are like dousing a house in petrol, the viral infection is like the matchstick that ignites the flame. For healthy, young people, a newer, well-kept house is unlikely to spontaneously combust. But an older or even abandoned house with faulty electric wiring needs just a spark to lead to a blaze. People who are particularly vulnerable to a heart attack or stroke triggered by a respiratory virus are those with more than one of those traditional risk factors, especially older people. What we did and what we found Our team conducted a meta-analysis (a study of existing studies) to see which respiratory viruses play a role in triggering heart attacks and strokes, and the strength of the link. This meant studying more than 11,000 scientific papers, spanning 40 years of research. Overall, the influenza virus and SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID) were the main triggers. If you catch the flu, we found the risk of a heart attack goes up almost 5.4 times and a stroke by 4.7 times compared with not being infected. The danger zone is short - within the first few days or weeks - and tapers off with time after being infected. Catching COVID can also trigger heart attacks and strokes, but there haven't been enough studies to say exactly what the increased risk is. We also found an increased risk of heart attacks or strokes with other viruses, including respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), enterovirus and cytomegalovirus. But the links are not as strong, probably because these viruses are less commonly detected or tested for. What's going on? Over a person's lifetime, our bodies wear and tear and the inside wall of our blood vessels becomes rough. Fatty build-ups (plaques) stick easily to these rough areas, inevitably accumulating and causing tight spaces. Generally, blood can still pass through, and these build-ups don't cause issues. Think of this as dousing the house in petrol, but it's not yet alight. So how does a viral infection act like a matchstick to ignite the flame? Through a cascading process of inflammation. High levels of inflammation that follow a viral infection can crack open a plaque. The body activates blood clotting to fix the crack but this clot could inadvertently block a blood vessel completely, causing a heart attack or stroke. Some studies have found fragments of the COVID virus inside the blood clots that cause heart attacks - further evidence to back our findings. We don't know whether younger, healthier people are also at increased risk of a heart attack or stroke after infection with a respiratory virus. That's because people in the studies we analysed were almost always older adults with at least one of those traditional risk factors, so were already vulnerable. The bad news is we will all be vulnerable eventually, just by getting older. What can we do about it? The triggers we identified are mostly preventable by vaccination. There is good evidence from clinical trials the flu vaccine can reduce the risk of a heart attack or stroke, especially if someone already has heart problems. We aren't clear exactly how this works. But the theory is that avoiding common infections, or having less severe symptoms, reduces the chances of setting off the inflammatory chain reaction. COVID vaccination could also indirectly protect against heart attacks and strokes. But the evidence is still emerging. Heart attacks and strokes are among Australia's biggest killers. If vaccinations could help reduce even a small fraction of people having a heart attack or stroke, this could bring substantial benefit to their lives, the community, our stressed health system and the economy. What should I do? At-risk groups should get vaccinated against flu and COVID. Pregnant women, and people over 60 with medical problems, should receive RSV vaccination to reduce their risk of severe disease. So if you are older or have predisposing medical conditions, check Australia's National Immunisation Program to see if you are eligible for a free vaccine. For younger people, a healthy lifestyle with regular exercise and balanced diet will set you up for life. Consider checking your heart age (a measure of your risk of heart disease), getting an annual flu vaccine and discuss COVID boosters with your GP. (The Conversation)

Time of India

4 hours ago

• Time of India

Covid 19 resurges in the country: How THIS common symptom is key to the new variant

The COVID-19 virus has made a comeback after a lull of a couple of years, and there has been a surge in the number of cases worldwide, including India. For now, most cases remain mild, and patients are recovering well at home, though the government has issued caution for those who are suffering from co-morbidities, including pregnant women, and elderly people. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now However, the COVID-19 virus continues to change and mutate, creating new variants that spread differently and cause different symptoms. One of the newest variants, called NB.1.8.1 or "Nimbus," has caught the attention of doctors and patients worldwide because it often causes a very painful sore throat, also called "razor blade throat." Let's dig deeper into the new symptom... History of the Nimbus variant Nimbus (NB.1.8.1) is a descendant of the Omicron variant, and was first detected in January 2025. Since then, it has spread quickly across many countries, including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, India, and parts of Asia. However, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) the variant remains mild as of now, and does not cause severe illness. Why Is Throat Pain So Common with Nimbus Doctors have noticed that many patients infected with Nimbus report a sore throat that feels extremely painful, to the extent that even drinking water feels difficult. Some describe it as if they are "swallowing razor blades" or "glass." This is different from the mild sore throat people experienced with earlier COVID variants. Leading doctors explain that in this symptom, the throat feels very dry and cracked, causing intense pain. This severe throat pain likely happens because the virus causes inflammation and irritation in the throat tissues, leading to pain that can exacerbate while eating and drinking. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Other symptoms Though throat pain is the new symptom of the Nimbus variant, it usually comes with other common COVID symptoms. These include: Cough Fever Fatigue Muscle aches that feel like extreme fatigue and tiredness Nasal congestion that can last longer than usual Headaches Nausea or vomiting Changes in taste or smell These symptoms are similar to those seen with other Omicron variants as well. What should you do if you have a sore throat Not all sore throats will be caused by Covid. However, if you are experiencing other symptoms as well, along with a sore throat that feels sharp or burning, especially if it is severe enough to make swallowing difficult, you should: Get tested for COVID-19: Since throat pain is a key symptom of the Nimbus variant, testing can confirm if you have the virus. Stay isolated: To prevent spreading the virus to others, stay home and avoid close contact with people. Drink plenty of fluids: Even if it hurts, try to keep yourself hydrated to soothe your throat. Use throat lozenges or warm salt water gargles: These can help ease the pain temporarily. Seek medical help if symptoms worsen: If you have trouble breathing, persistent high fever, or severe pain, contact a healthcare provider immediately. Remember, sore throats can also be caused by a bacterial infection that can only be managed with antibiotics. However, since Covid is a virus, it does not respond to antibiotics. Hence, it is important to not self medicate, and consult a doctor. Vaccine is still your best bet The good news is that current COVID-19 vaccines, especially with updated boosters, continue to protect people from severe disease, hospitalization, and death caused by the Nimbus variant. While the variant can cause painful symptoms like sore throat, vaccinated individuals generally experience milder illness. Sources: World Health Organization, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention