Australia finds new Omicron ‘lineage’ in arrival from S Africa

 Australia finds new Omicron ‘lineage’ in arrival from S Africa

09.12.2021

Australia’s Queensland state has found a new Omicron lineage in a traveller who arrived from South Africa, health authorities said Wednesday. The new lineage has about half the gene variations of the original and can’t be detected with typical screening, the state’s acting chief health officer Peter Aitken told reporters. It was found in a traveller who had arrived from South Africa and tested positive for the coronavirus on Saturday, he said. The new lineage has enough markers “to be able to classify it as omicron, but we don’t know enough about it as to what that means then as far as clinical severity, vaccine effectiveness,” Aitken said. “We now have Omicron and Omicron-like.” The discovery comes as Queensland prepares to reopen border to the rest of Australia next Monday. BLOOMBERG

Oz dreams of students drown under virus fears

Oz dreams of students drown under virus fears

Preeti.Biswas@timesgroup.com

Hyderabad: 07.12.2021

Jobless and debtridden, thousands of Australia-bound professionals, including those from Telangana and AP, are stranded in India for the last 21 months with little hope to return to Australia.

After pursuing education in Australia, international students can avail temporary graduate visa (subclass 485) that enables them to work in Australia for two years. Following completion of studies in November-December 2019 and securing work visa, many returned to India to meet families. But lockdown led to Australian government sealing borders, leaving many stuck.

Bagudu Giribabu, 27, returned after almost three years of education in Central Queensland University in Melborne in December 2019. “I had a work visa valid till December, 2021. I planned to stay in India till March, 2020. However, pandemic has been a nightmare. I lost my father in June 2020 to an accident. Now, I am the bread-winner of my family with ₹30 lakh loan. EMIs begin this month,” said Giribabu, whose work visa is to expire by December 9.

Mounika Nama, 27, got married in Australia and returned to India with her husband in February 2020. Now, she is stranded in India with an expired temporary graduate visa. “For six months in the pandemic, I spent $2,000 per month on rent. Later, I got my belongings shifted to a rental space where I spent $600 per month. This, in addition to my education loan. Me and my husband are in financially weak condition. Australia government is not allowing our return,” said Nama.

Many students are unable to apply for jobs here as original certificates are in Australia. Although Australia said it’ll allow temporary graduate visa holders to apply for a visa replacement from June, 2022, many rue it would lead to a loss of another six months.

Doctors protest delay in PG NEET counselling

Doctors protest delay in PG NEET counselling

They are only performing COVID duties

07/12/2021

Up in arms: Resident doctors staging a protest in the Capital on Monday. SHIV KUMAR PUSHPAKAR Shiv Kumar Pushpakar

Staff Reporter New Delhi

Over 4,000 resident doctors of the Central Government-run Safdarjung Hospital, Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, and Lady Hardinge Medical College on Monday boycotted work, as a protest against the delay in PG NEET counselling, said the Federation of Resident Doctors’ Association (FORDA).

“Over 4,000 resident doctors from the three hospitals boycotted work except for COVID-19 duties. The counselling for PG admission is stuck as the matter is pending before the Supreme Court,” FORDA president Manish said.

A FORDA delegation also met the Union Health Minister at RML Hospital. “The Health Minister assured us that he has taken note of our grievances and that the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare will get the case mentioned in the SC for an early hearing,” FORDA said.

Medico drives drunk, injures 4 hotel workers

Medico drives drunk, injures 4 hotel workers

07/12/2021

Staff Reporter Hyderabad

Four hotel workers suffered injuries after being hit by a car driven by a medico, driving under the influence of alcohol, at Madhapur here on Sunday night.

Around 11.30 p.m. when the victims were walking on the road near Inorbit Mall, a speeding car driven by Ammathalli Nikhil Kumar Reddy (26), an MBBS graduate from Maseedbanda, Kondapur, hit them. The victims were rushed to a nearby private hospital for immediate medical assistance.

According to Madhapur police Reddy along with his friends and flatmates, Gottumukkula Akhil Ramakrishna Raju (24) and Mendu Tharun (24), both medicos, consumed liquor at a bar in Gachibowli and were returning home.

Reddy’s blood alcohol content was 116 mg/100 ml against the permissible limit of 30 mg/100 ml.

Medical college ‘hushes up’ ragging incident

Medical college ‘hushes up’ ragging incident

07/12/2021

“The committee submitted its report only on Saturday and over 100 students of Saravanan’s batch were questioned and they said the four students were known to commit such an offence. We had to verify before taking action,” said Ms. Amuthavalli. The accused students were from Dharmapuri.

But asked about the absence of police complaint given that ragging was a serious offence, the Dean said an AR entry (accident register) was made at the time of admission and it was for the police to check the entry.

SP C. Kalaichelvan, however, said, “The first time no direct intimation was given by the hospital to the police. It is standard procedure that upon admission of any person with injuries [in suspicious circumstances], the police should be intimated.” It was projected as a scuffle between students and the hospital wanted it to be handled as an internal matter, he said. Saravanan, meanwhile, sent a mail to the Medical Commission, feeling let down by the perceived delay in the inquiry. The deputy warden, and the chief warden of the hostel, both associate professors at the hospital, resigned from their wardenship on Monday.

Assistance for overcoming suicidal thoughts is available on the State’s health helpline 104 and Sneha’s suicide prevention helpline 044-24640050.

GRH radiologist suspended

GRH radiologist suspended

07/12/2021

Special Correspondent MADURAI

The Director of Medical Education, Chennai, on Monday, has suspended a radiologist of Government Rajaji Hospital on a charge of sexual harassment.

A woman had come for scan to the hospital on November 27. The radiologist, it is alleged, misbehaved with the patient on the pretext of examining her. The patient narrated the incident to Dean A. Rathinavel, who asked the patient to lodge a complaint. Dr. Rathinavel placed the patient’s written complaint before an internal committee. After inquiry, the committee sent the observations based on which the DME ordered the suspension of the radiologist.

The radiologist claimed before the committee that he was being targeted by some of his seniors since he questioned their action during COVID-19 pandemic.

Maharashtra Omicron tally goes up to 10

Maharashtra Omicron tally goes up to 10

Two who arrived from South Africa and U.S. test positive

07/12/2021

More surveillance: A health worker collecting swab samples for COVID-19 testing in Mumbai on Monday. PTI

Staff Reporter Mumbai

Maharashtra on Monday reported two more patients with the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2, taking its total tally in the State to 10.

One of them is a 37-year-old man who came from Johannesburg, South Africa, on November 25. His 36-year-old friend, who came from the U.S. the same day, has also tested positive for the new variant, the State Public Health Department said.

Both patients have no symptoms and have been admitted to Seven Hills Hospital in Mumbai. They have taken Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine. Five high-risk and 315 low-risk contacts of both these patients have been traced. Further tracing is currently under way.

All 6,263 international passengers from at-risk countries and 635 of the 28,437 who arrived from other countries at three international airports in the State — Mumbai, Pune and Nagpur — have undergone RT-PCR test. Only 11 from at-risk countries tested positive for COVID-19.

Meanwhile, the Maharashtra Government on Monday reduced the rates for RT-PCR tests. A sum of ₹350 will be charged for the pick up of sample from collection sites, transport and reporting of sample. And ₹500 will be charged for collection from kiosks, COVID-19 care centres, hospitals and clinics and quarantine centres. A sum of ₹700 will be charged for collection of sample from the patient’s residence.

Labs cannot charge more than the prescribed limit from patients, said Public Health Minister Rajesh Tope.