Latest news with #RT-PCR
Hans India
20 hours ago
- Politics
- Hans India
Port City ready for IYD celebration
Visakhapatnam: The11th International Yoga Day will be one of the biggest editions ever organised and the district administration is pulling out all stops to make it a massive success. With Prime Minister Narendra Modi arriving in Visakhapatnam a day before to take part in Yogandhra-2025 scheduled on June 21 (Saturday), he was received by Governor S Abdul Nazeer, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and Deputy Chief Minister K Pawan Kalyan along with an army of Ministers at Visakhapatnam Airport on Friday. The Prime Minister will take part in the International Yoga Day to be held at RK Beach scheduled to commence at 6:30 am and last till 7:45 am. Terming it as a historical celebration, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu mentioned that over 2 crore people will join the mega event scheduled in 1 lakh different locations across the State. In Visakhapatnam, about 26-km-long stretch that runs along RK Beach to Bheemunipatnam has been readied for the Yoga Day celebrations and the event is set to find a place in Guinness World Records along with a host of other world records for its largest participation ever. Long stretches of Beach Road have been carpeted in green, barricades were placed and flexies were installed, greeting Modi at various places across the city. About 326 compartments were facilitated forthe purpose. Guinness Record representatives will be present in each compartment at the beach stretch as the massive event is set to break world records. For safety reasons, an army of professional swimmers and snake catchers will be deployed along the stretch. A temporary hospital has been facilitated at every 5-km stretch. This apart, 335 LED screens and 326 WiFi points were facilitated. Approximately, 10,000 vehicles, including RTC buses, were used for transportation of the participants. Tight security cover is in place with 10,000 police personnel. As part of the safety protocol, the officials went through RT-PCR tests on Friday.
India Today
12-06-2025
- Health
- India Today
Is India's Covid testing facing price gaps and delay in data?
India is seeing an uptick in Covid-19 infections, reaching over 7,000 cases. But in contrast to earlier waves, there seems to be gaps in diagnosis and the current season of rampant viral infections and many individuals showing symptoms, RT-PCR tests are neither being prescribed widely nor being voluntarily taken."Most of the Covid-19 testing we're seeing today is happening within hospitals, where viral panel testing is mandatory before procedures or in cases of severe symptoms. Neither clinicians nor patients are approaching it with the same urgency anymore," said Dr. Vibhu Kawatra, a Delhi-based pulmonologist and allergy RT-PCR (Reverse Transcription–Polymerase Chain Reaction), which remains the gold standard for detecting Covid-19, works by identifying the virus's genetic material in nasal or throat Dr. Kawatra pointed out, "Only a doctor can prescribe an RT-PCR test, and unless the symptoms are severe or hospitalisation is required, the test is often skipped."Even when testing is sought, accessibility and affordability are serious barriers. RT-PCR (Reverse Transcription–Polymerase Chain Reaction), which remains the gold standard for detecting Covid-19, works by identifying the virus's genetic material in nasal or throat samples. (Photo: AFP) In the private sector, RT-PCR test prices vary drastically depending on the diagnostic lab. Dr. Path Labs charges upwards of Rs 5,000 for a home collection, while Max Healthcare offers the same at Rs 500. At Dr. Dangs Lab, a home visit costs Rs 700. Similar price ranges are being seen across neighbourhood clinics as wide pricing disparity reflects the fragmented nature of the diagnostic sector, proving to be despite this inconsistent pricing model, there seems to be reduced testing rates, coupled with the closure of many free government testing centres.A recent visit to Lok Nayak Hospital in New Delhi revealed that the Covid testing window had been shut down. Many other government-run facilities have scaled back or completely discontinued RT-PCR testing, further limiting testing options for the general cases highlight the need for routine testing to monitor its spread."The patients who have died not just had Covid-19 but also had underlying health conditions. It is not always the virus alone, but the comorbidities that tip the scale," said Dr. Sudeep Khanna, gastroenterologist and liver specialist at Indraprastha Apollo IN VIRUS GENOMIC DATASurveillance at the national level is also facing Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG), the official body monitoring Covid-19 variants in India, has been slow in releasing updated epidemiological data. There seems to be reduced testing rates, coupled with the closure of many free government testing centres. () Only limited information has been shared so far for newer variants like LF.1, NB.1.8.1, and XFG, making it difficult to gauge the evolving nature of the health experts stress the need for proactive surveillance, affordable and accessible testing, and better data STOCKPILEGovernment sources told India Today that there are enough Covid-19 vaccines in storage and ready to use. "We are fully prepared for any situation. We have enough stockpile to meet the requirements of our citizens. Moreover, if needed, we can even supply vaccines to other countries," the sources 1 billion people in India have taken at least one dose of either Covishield or Covaxin. Only limited information has been shared so far for newer variants like LF.1, NB.1.8.1, and XFG, making it difficult to gauge the evolving nature of the virus. () Covishield, manufactured and distributed by the Serum Institute of India under a licence from AstraZeneca, stopped being produced in December 2021 because fewer people were taking Covaxin, India's first home-grown Covid-19 vaccine made by Bharat Biotech with ICMR-NIV, also stopped production in early the halt in manufacturing, officials say that vaccine availability is not a believe the current rise in cases may be due to seasonal changes in respiratory infections though global health experts say the protection from past infections and vaccines may be wearing off, which could be causing new spikes in some general information about Covid-19 continues to be available, there seems to be hindrances in the timely response to the InMust Watch
Hans India
12-06-2025
- Health
- Hans India
COVID Testing Made Compulsory For Political Leaders Before Prime Minister's Meeting
Health protocols have been strictly enforced for high-level political gatherings as RT-PCR testing becomes mandatory for ministers and party officials before meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This precautionary measure comes as India's active COVID-19 cases surpassed the 7,000 threshold, prompting enhanced safety measures at the highest levels of government. Approximately 70 Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) representatives from Delhi, including the Chief Minister, all seven Members of Parliament, and various Members of Legislative Assembly, must complete RT-PCR testing before their scheduled evening meeting with the Prime Minister at his official residence. The gathering, planned for 7:30 PM, celebrates the party's recent success in Delhi's Assembly elections, with PM Modi hosting a dinner for state party leadership. The implementation of these testing protocols reflects growing concerns about the current wave of infections across the country. According to the Union Health Ministry's Wednesday update, India recorded 306 new cases and six fatalities within a 24-hour period. The deaths were distributed across Kerala (3), Karnataka (2), and Maharashtra (1). Kerala continues to dominate infection statistics, reporting 170 new cases in a single day and maintaining the highest number of active cases nationwide, with figures exceeding 2,000. Gujarat follows with 114 fresh infections and 1,223 active cases, while Karnataka logged 100 new cases during the same timeframe. Delhi's situation shows 66 additional cases in the past day, bringing the capital's total active caseload to 757 cases. The national distribution reveals Kerala leading in active infections, followed by Gujarat, West Bengal, and Delhi forming the top tier of affected regions. In response to the escalating situation, central authorities have initiated comprehensive mock drills nationwide to evaluate hospital readiness and infrastructure capacity. States have received directives to maintain sufficient supplies of oxygen, isolation facilities, ventilators, and critical medications. Despite the rising numbers, health officials emphasize that the majority of current cases present mild symptoms and manageable severity levels. The stringent testing requirements for political meetings demonstrate the government's commitment to preventing high-level transmission while maintaining essential governance functions during this challenging period.
Shafaq News
11-06-2025
- Health
- Shafaq News
CCHF: Iraq's Samarra district records 2025 1st case
Shafaq News/ Samarra district in central Iraq has confirmed its first case of Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) for 2025, a source from the Saladin Health Directorate reported on Wednesday. The source told Shafaq News that the patient, 41-year-old Othman Thaj Madloul, tested positive after a June 10 sample was verified by the Central Public Health Laboratory in Baghdad using RT-PCR. Health teams quickly enforced isolation protocols, launched contact tracing, and initiated awareness campaigns in high-risk areas.
NDTV
11-06-2025
- Health
- NDTV
Ministers To Undergo Covid Test Before Meeting PM Modi Amid Rising Cases
New Delhi: Amid the rising Covid-19 cases in India, any minister who is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi must get an RT-PCR test done, sources said. The decision comes as all BJP functionaries from Delhi, including the Chief Minister, are scheduled to meet the Prime Minister at his residence today evening. All the ministers would need to undergo the Covid-19 test, sources said. Additionally, in cases when PM Modi carries out a rally - all the officials present on the stage will also need to show their RT-PCR test. India's active coronavirus cases have climbed to 7,121, with Kerala fighting the latest resurgence of infections - followed by Gujarat and Delhi. According to the data available on the official website of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, 306 new cases were added to the active case count since Friday. Kerala has recorded 2,223 cases, Gujarat 1,223, Delhi 757, and West Bengal 747. Maharashtra has recorded a total of 615 cases so far, while Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh have reported 459 and 229 cases, respectively. Tamil Nadu has reported 204 cases, Puducherry 10, Haryana 125, Andhra Pradesh 72, Madhya Pradesh 65, and Goa six. Official data shows a total of 74 deaths since January due to the deadly virus so far, which began in 2020. Experts have warned that senior citizens are at the highest risk of contracting coronavirus. While states are on alert, officials have said that the coronavirus cases are mild in nature and there is no need to panic. The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) said the genome sequencing of samples in the west and south has shown that the new variants are sub-variants of Omicron, a strain that was behind the big Covid wave in India in 2022. These are LF.7, XFG, JN.1 and NB.1.8.1, ICMR chief Dr Rajiv Behl said.
