AP imports one lakh test kitsWith RTKs, results can be obtained in just 10 minutes on whether or not a person carried virus

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy launching rapid test kits (RTKs), in Amaravati on Friday.

Ramp Up Testing

PTI

Amaravati  18.04.2020

The Andhra Pradesh government on Friday imported one lakh rapid test kits (RTKs) from South Korea to step up Covid-19 testing in the State.

The Andhra Pradesh government chartered a special flight to import the RTKs from Seoul directly to Vijayawada airport. The kits, manufactured by SD Biosensor of South Korea, were presented to Chief Minister Y S Jaganmohan Reddy at a high-level review meeting on Covid-19 at his camp office on Friday.

With the use of RTKs, the result could be obtained in just 10 minutes on whether or not a person carried the virus. The State government placed an order for a total of one million RTKs and the first batch of one lakh kits was delivered on Friday. The kits will be dispatched to all 13 districts in the next three days and doctors and other medical staff will be trained in their usage before they are put to actual use in a week. With the arrival of one lakh RTKs, the government now seeks to ramp up testing of Corona cases to 17,000 per day by next week, Special Chief Secretary (Health) K S Jawahar Reddy said.

“We started with 90 tests per day on February 15, with just one lab in the State. Now, with seven VRDL facilities, the testing capacity has gone up to 3,000 per day. With RTKs and TruNat machines, the testing capacity will increase to 17,000 a day in a week,” Reddy told reporters.

The Medical and Health Department is also going in for pooled sample testing, wherein one sample could determine the condition of five people. “The ICMR has suggested this method where 100 tests will give the result of 500 people. We are initially doing the pooled sample testing in Vijayawada city,” the Special CS said.

As part of community surveillance measures, (blood) sample collection, tracking and results would all be monitored online through a new MIS module.

In the door-to-door ‘Syndromic Survey’ conducted by Asha workers and ANMs recently, over 32,000 people were found to have symptoms for Covid-19.

“In the next seven days, we will complete testing of all these 32,700 people,” Jawahar Reddy said.

Meanwhile, 38 more Covid-19 cases have been reported from Andhra Pradesh in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of coronavirus cases in the State to 572.

While 13 cases were reported in Kurnool, six in Nellore, five each in Chittoor and Anantapur, four each in Guntur and Krishna and one in Kadapa, according to the latest bulletin by State Command Control Room, Andhra Pradesh.

The total number of positive Covid-19 cases in the state is 572. Till now, 35 patients have been discharged, while 14 deaths have been reported. Remaining 523 are currently undergoing treatment.

No room for ‘trial and error’ exercise

18.04.2020

Even as the countdown for the easing of lockdown started, flaws in the guidelines have begun to surface. A case in point is the dramatic overnight change in the status of Suryapet district. Barely 24 hours after the Union government let it be known that the district was in the orange list, 16 new corona positive cases were reported on Thursday, taking the total number of positive cases in the district to 39. This should certainly push the district into the red zone. The moot point is that this kind of situation may well occur anywhere after easing of the lockdown. How does the administration handle these kind of situations where change occurs overnight and drastically at that.

Then there is this case of a Markaz returnee in Karimnagar, who tested negative for the virus on two earlier occasions. Just as the district officials were beginning to breathe easy after the town, often referred to as the ‘ground zero’ of coronavirus in Telangana State, did not report any positive case in the past 10 days, came the dampener that this person had tested positive, after 29 long days.

These are not isolated incidents and even more importantly, not the only indicators that suggest an easing of lockdown could be a bad idea at this juncture. Several nations are already paying the price for hasty decisions to lift the lockdown, and have been forced to clamp down even more sternly after witnessing a sudden and steep rise in corona positive cases during the ease out period.

The sheer magnitude of the problem and the ruthlessness with which the virus had unleashed attacks on nations across the globe leave little room for any ‘trial and error’ exercises. Prudence would be in continuing with the lockdown at least till May 3, and then take an informed call after taking stock of the situation rather than experiment with easing that may well lead to indefinite lockdown should the situation not work out to the desired scenario.

As Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao has often said, the one factor that should be paramount in decision-making should be protection of people’s lives. Economy can be revived and rebuilt, however long and painful the path maybe, but then people’s lives can’t be brought back. Should we allow all the good work done in the past four weeks to be undone with just one stroke is the million dollar question?

Studying in Australia in times of Covid-19

Universities Down Under have been quite supportive and responsive to the concerns and needs of international and Indian students have been coping well with the lockdown there

Australia is unique in the number of intakes with multiple intakes happening in October/ November and March too

Telegana today 18.04.2020

Australia has done a good job of controlling the virus and expects things to be normal by the end of July — Divya Tadi, University of Sydney

Australia has risen over the years as a favourite destination for Indian students wanting to pursue higher education. Starting in the early years of the new millennium, Australia rose up the ranks of international education destinations and last year over a hundred thousand students from India enrolled in various colleges and universities in Australia. Indian students are behind only Chinese students in the number of international students studying in Australia. And also a significant portion of 7 billion dollar revenues that the overseas education industry in Australia earns is from the Indian sub-continent.

The Australian education system is semester based and the main intakes are at the start of the two semesters viz., in July/August and January of every year. However, Australia is unique in the number of intakes with multiple intakes happening through the year mainly in October/ November and March too. Under the aegis of this article, we shall endeavour to examine how the Covid-19 virus has impacted the student intake for the future as also how the students currently enrolled in various universities are faring during the shutdown.

Uncertainty over exams

Students across India have not taken the final exams of the various courses they are enrolled in. Usually, April is when they would have been taking the exams. But with the lockdown extended till May 3 and likely to get extended till the first week of June 2020 for educational institutions, one is not able to say with any degree of certainty as when the exams will be held. Though the process for admissions for the July intake for Australian universities extends up to May end, the uncertainty over the exams, results, visa, travel restrictions etc., makes the starting of the July 2020 intake a highly doubtful one.

The Covid-19 situation seems to be under control in Australia compared to most other developed nations. They seem to have been quick in placing travel restrictions and avoided widespread community transmission of the virus. As part of the process to minimise community transmission, all the universities in Australia have asked students to stay indoors and attend online classes. Several universities have come out with statements saying that they will not award fail grades or hold examinations for this semester. Rather, the students will be assessed based on various criteria.

On economic front

While this is on the academic front, on the economic front, significant impacts have applied to the broader Australian economy. Commercial restrictions are in place for all residents in Australia with only essential services open for public consumption. International students, like most Australian residents, have been hit to a certain extent as they may be unable to work and earn their monthly expenses. There was some consternation amongst the Indian student community on the reported statement of the Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison that “the international students who cannot support themselves may have to find a way to go to their countries”.

Coming at a time when the pandemic was raging both in India and Australia and all flights between the two countries had been suspended, besides being insensitive, it also led to a number of students and their parents in India worry about their future. However, to the credit of the Australian universities and the civic administration of several cities, they were quick to reach out to the international students and offer assistance to any student who was in financial distress.

In good spirits

The author personally spoke with a few Indian students and found them to be in good spirits. Divya Tadi, studying Masters in Telecommunications at the University of Sydney, said that Australia has done good job of controlling the virus and expects things to be normal by the end of July 2020.

Another student Mighty Sushanth Dodla who is doing Masters in Social Work from the James Cook University was all praise for the support the varsity has been giving to international students. The university was providing free food and essentials like toothpaste and soaps on a fortnightly basis to the students. Akhil Eaga who is studying Masters of Information Technology course in the University of Western Sydney has a slightly different story to tell. While the students are being given help in the form of food supply packages and financial hardship grants, some of his friends who have joined Masters programmes in Mechanical, Chemical, Biology and other degrees which require a lot of physical presence in the labs are unable to do so and are finding it difficult to adjust to online mode of learning. A few of them have cancelled their admissions and are planning to return to India at the first opportune time.

The overall feeling after talking to a number of students is that the universities have been quite supportive and responsive to the concerns and needs of the international students and Indian students have been coping well with the lockdown there.

Admission process

Resultantly, given the situation, many universities are going ahead with the admission process for July 2020 but with conditions attached. For example, University of Adelaide has expressed the hope that if travel restrictions are lifted and international travel becomes more acceptable, they hope to see students in the campus. However they have also stated that if international travel restrictions are in place students can avail of online classes for the first semester.

Online programme

What remains unclear is will the student be deemed to have gotten admission into a programme of study, if commencing through an online programme, even if a visa has not been granted? Yes, says Marcel Creed, vice-president of Global Study Partners, a digital student recruitment platform based out of Sydney in Australia. He quotes the example of Swinburne University which clearly states that students can commence studies online in their home countries and can come to Australia once the situation changes and students will be granted full credits for units successfully completed online. A valid visa at that time is of course necessary to enter Australia.

Sought-after students

Finally, students of Indian origin are going to be sought after worldwide post this pandemic period given the expected sharp drop in the number of students from China. While students do make their choice of destination based on various factors, one factor that is likely to play a significant role in the post Covid era is how students of Indian origin were treated during the times of this crisis. Politicians will do well to bear this in mind while making any statement regarding the status of international students. After all, international students are adding a lot to the financial well-being of the universities in Australia and to the economy of the country.

Prof. KP Singh

CEO, IMFS

info@imfs.co.in

Corona Effect

Trump proposes three-phased revival plan

US President’s plans to restart economic and social activities see opposition from health experts who think it is premature as it leads to flare-ups

Police officers and pedestrians cheer medical workers outside NYU Medical Center in New York. —Photo: AP

IANS

New York  18.04.2020

US President Donald Trump has proposed a three-phase, locally targeted plan for opening the coronavirus-battered nation, but will leave the decision on implementing it in the hands of the state Governors. “We are opening up our great country,” Trump declared on Thursday with his two highly regarded medical advisers, Anthony Fauci and Deborah Birx at his side. “America wants to be open, and Americans want to be open,” he said.

Trump unveiled the guidelines after a teleconference with state Governors. Trump’s plans to restart economic and social activities in a nation facing serious economic and social setbacks have met with opposition from Democrats and some public health experts who think it is premature and could lead to coronavirus flare-ups.

To be gated in order to begin the phases, a State will have to have a downward trajectory of people with both influenza and Covid-19 symptoms as well those testing positive for the disease, in addition to having adequate testing for health care workers.

Easing curbs

In the first phase, some of the workers can return to work in phases, with special accommodation for vulnerable people and social distancing, but telecommuting will be the preferred method. Vulnerable people will be under Stay-at-Home rules and others will have to observe social distancing and groups of more than ten will not be allowed to socialised. Religious meetings and events like sports can take place under social distancing norms.

If there is no rebound and the states again meet the gating requirement like cases going down further over 14 days, they can move to the second phase, where restrictions are further loosened to allow socialise in groups of up to 50, permit non-essential travel, and reopen schools and gyms, allow elective surgery.

US provides nearly $ 5.9 mn aid to India

Washington  18.04.2020

The US has provided nearly USD 5.9 million in health assistance to India to contain the spread of Covid-19, the State Department has said. The amount is being used to help India hinder the spread of the disease by providing care for the affected, disseminating essential public health messages to communities and strengthen case-finding and surveillance, it said on Thursday.

The assistance is also being used to mobilize innovative financing mechanisms for emergency preparedness and response to this pandemic.

“This builds on a foundation of nearly USD2.8 billion in total assistance, which includes more than USD1.4 billion in health assistance, the United States has provided to India over the last 20 years,” it said in a update of the US efforts in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The State Department and the US Agency for International Development have now committed nearly USD 508 million in emergency health, humanitarian, and economic assistance. PTI

Corona Battle 

Doubling rate of cases down: GovtHealth Ministry says the rate is less than national average In 19 States and Union Territories

Preventive measures: Firefighters spray disinfectants near India Gate, in New Delhi on Friday. — Photo: ANI

PTI

New Delhi  18.04.2020

The Union Health Ministry said on Friday the rate at which the number of coronavirus cases in the country was becoming double in the last one week was 6.2 days, as against three days before the nationwide lockdown was imposed.

Joint Secretary in the Health Ministry Lav Agarwal claimed that India has been doing better than many other countries on the outcome ratio, which is the number of recoveries from coronavirus infection versus the number of deaths.

“If 80 per cent of the patients in India are recovering and in 20 per cent cases deaths are being reported, then by that standard India has been doing a little better than many other nations on the outcome ratio,” he said.

“Before lockdown, the doubling rate of coronavirus cases was 3 days. Going by the number of cases in the last seven days, the doubling rate has been 6.2 days. In 19 States and Union Territories the doubling rate is less than the national average,” he said. The health ministry official also said the average growth factor of cases from April 1 has been 1.2, whereas between March 15 and 31 it was 2.1.

This decline of 40 per cent was due to increase in testing, including that of cases with severe acute respiratory infections (SARI) and influenza-like illness (ILI), Agarwal said. He also informed reporters that 1,919 dedicated Covid-19 hospitals with 1.73 lakh isolation beds and 21,800 ICU beds have been readied till now.

Agarwal further informed that five lakh rapid antibody testing kits, which arrived from China on Thursday, are being distributed to states for districts with high case burden. Head of Epidemiology and Communicable diseases at Indian Council of Medical Research

UoH is Covid testing centre

CITY BUREAU

Hyderabad  18.04.2020

University of Hyderabad (UoH) has been identified as a Covid-19 testing centre under the city clusters identified by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT).

The university at the earliest will identify 15 technical personnel for data entry, sample sorting, aliquoting and coordination with other testing labs, and be ready for testing once the ICMR Approved Testing Kits and required reagents are made available by the coordinating institution, varsity officials said. UoH will be conducting these tests at a separate BSL-2 laboratory at CDFD and the volunteers will undergo training at CCMB, before undertaking the actual testing. Volunteers have to be well-trained in handling RNA isolation and performing qPCR and who are willing to undertake the testing at CDFD which will be coordinated by the School of Life Sciences, UoH, a press release said. To scale up the testing capacity for Covid-19, testing centres are being established by research institutes and laboratories of Government Ministries and Departments, Universities, IITs, IISERs, and other Institutes of Eminence under the Central and State government. As part of this initiative, the cluster in Hyderabad consists of the Center for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics, CSIR-Centre for Cellular Molecular Biology, National Institute of Animal Biotechnology (NIAB); CSIR-IICT in addition to UoH. The coordinating institution for Hyderabad is CSIR-CCMB.

The city/regional clusters of testing centres will serve the city and State in testing of Covid-19 samples. Institutes and labs which have the capacity and expertise for both sample collection, handling/processing (BSL-2 facility) and testing (RT-PCR) serve as hubs and they will involve a number of laboratories, the release added.

BIE issues closure notices to 68 junior colleges

CITY BUREAU

Hyderabad  18.04.2020

The Board of Intermediate Education (BIE) has issued closure notices to 68 corporate and private junior colleges for failing to produce fire No Objection Certificate (NoC) mandatory for seeking affiliation. Of these colleges, 18 are Sri Chaitanya Junior Kalasala, 26 are Narayana Junior Colleges and other private junior colleges. These colleges are located in Hyderabad, Ranga Reddy, Medchal, Khammam, Nalgonda, Karimnagar and Nizamabad districts

According to the Board’s affiliation norms, junior colleges with buildings of 15 metres or above height (G+5 floor) should mandatorily obtain a NoC from the Telangana State Disaster Response and Fire Services Department. However, these colleges have been operating without complying with the fire safety norms.

Instead of submitting a fire NoC, the college managements were giving an affidavit to the Board stating that they would shift to a new building that adheres to fire safety norms in the next academic year and obtained conditional affiliation. Though BIE did not grant affiliation to these colleges due to lack of fire NoC this year too, they have found to be admitting students.

BIE Secretary Syed Omer Jaleel said the Board issued closure notices to 68 corporate and private junior colleges. “We have issued closure notices and they cannot run classes in these college buildings anymore. After the lockdown, the managements must shift the students to some other buildings which comply with fire safety and other affiliation norms of the BIE,” he added.

12 temples in TS offer online puja

State Bureau

Hyderabad  18.04.2020

Devotees can now get pujas or sevas done in their names at their favourite temples in the State, without stepping out of their homes during lockdown. The Endowments Department launched the facility across 12 temples in the State.

The Endowments Department authorities said traditional pujas are being performed by Archakas regularly in all the temples without any interruption. However, some devotees expressed desire that pujas be conducted in their names without their physical presence in the temples. The facility is being provided through Mee Seva website ‘https://ts.meesava.telangana.gov.in’ enabling sevas in Sri Laxmi Narasimha Swamy temple at Yadadri, Sri Raja Rajeshwara Swamy temple at Vemulawada, Sri Gyana Saraswati temple at Basara, Sri Seetha Ramachandra Swamy temple at Bhadrachalam, Sri Anjaneya Swamy temple at Kondagattu, Sri Peddamma Thalli temple at Jubilee Hills in Hyderabad and Sri Laxmi Narasimha Swamy temple at Dharmapuri. Similarly, devotees can book pujas through T-App Folio in Sri Gyana Anjaneya Swamy temple of Karmanghat in Hyderabad, Sri Mahankali temple at Secunderabad, Sri Yellamma Pochamma temple at Balkampet, Sri Mallikarjuna Swamy temple of Komuravelli and Sri Bhadrakali temple of Warangal.

Following online booking, pujas are performed in the name of the devotees who will be intimated about the same through SMS. Soon it will be extended to other temples as well, the officials said.

Further, devotees also can purchase ‘Talambralu’ of Sri Seetha Rama Kalyanam performed at Bhadrachalam on April 2. The facility which was earlier available only for devotees in Telangana, has been now extended to the rest of the country. About 10,000 packets of ‘Talambralu’ have been already booked online. Devotees can purchase them through T App Folio mobile application. In addition to the packet cost of Rs 20 each, devotees will be charged additionally for courier charges.

AP imports one lakh test kitsWith RTKs, results can be obtained in just 10 minutes on whether or not a person carried virus

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jaganmohan Reddy undergoing the test for Covid-19, in Amaravati on Friday.

Testing Times

PTI 18.04.2020

Amaravati

The Andhra Pradesh government on Friday imported one lakh rapid test kits (RTKs) from South Korea to step up Covid-19 testing in the State.

The Andhra Pradesh government chartered a special flight to import the RTKs from Seoul directly to Vijayawada airport. The kits, manufactured by SD Biosensor of South Korea, were presented to Y S Jaganmohan Reddy at a high-level review meeting on Covid-19 on Friday.

With the use of RTKs, the result could be obtained in just 10 minutes on whether or not a person carried the virus. The State government placed an order for a total of one million RTKs and the first batch of one lakh kits was delivered on Friday.

The kits will be dispatched to all 13 districts in the next three days and doctors and other medical staff will be trained in their usage before they are put to actual use in a week. With the arrival of one lakh RTKs, the government now seeks to ramp up testing of Corona cases to 17,000 per day by next week, Special Chief Secretary (Health) K S Jawahar Reddy said.

“We started with 90 tests per day on February 15, with just one lab in the State. Now, with seven VRDL facilities, the testing capacity has gone up to 3,000 per day. With RTKs and TruNat machines, the testing capacity will increase to 17,000 a day in a week,” Reddy said. The Medical and Health Department is also going in for pooled sample testing, wherein one sample could determine the condition of five people.

“The ICMR has suggested this method where 100 tests will give the result of 500 people. We are initially doing the pooled sample testing in Vijayawada city,” the Special CS said. As part of community surveillance measures, (blood) sample collection, tracking and results would all be monitored online through a new MIS module. In the door-to-door ‘Syndromic Survey’ conducted by Asha workers and ANMs recently, over 32,000 people were found to have symptoms for Covid-19.

“In the next seven days, we will complete testing of all these 32,700 people,” Jawahar Reddy said.

Meanwhile, 38 more Covid-19 cases have been reported from AP in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of coronavirus cases in the State to 572.

While 13 cases were reported in Kurnool, six in Nellore, five each in Chittoor and Anantapur, four each in Guntur and Krishna and one in Kadapa, according to the latest bulletin by State Command Control Room, Andhra Pradesh.

The total number of positive Covid-19 cases in the state is 572. Till now, 35 patients have been discharged, while 14 deaths have been reported. Remaining 523 are currently undergoing treatment.

Concerns as RGGGH doctor tests positive

The block has been shut down, and all PG doctors who were there are being tested, informed officials.

Published: 18th April 2020 05:36 AM

Chennai corporation staffers on a door-to-door survey in the city on Friday. (Photo | Ashwin Prasath, EPS)

By Sinduja Jane

Express News Service

CHENNAI: All patients admitted at the cardiology department block of Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital (RGGGH) have been shifted to an alternative facility after a PG doctor working there tested positive on Thursday. The block has been shut down, and all PG doctors who were there are being tested, informed officials.

“We have asked all PG doctors to quarantine themselves,” says R Jayanthi, dean of the hospital. “We have closed down the block for disinfection and patients have been shifted to an alternative facility. No patient is under quarantine.” The dean dismissed reports that 10 others, including seven PG doctors have tested positive.

“These are all rumours. We are testing all the PG doctors and a few others. Their results are awaited. So, far only one PG doctor has tested positive.” Meanwhile, sources said the infected doctor was posted at the COVID-19 Isolation ward of the hospital. It is not clear when and how he was brought back, and if any safety protocols were breached.

The Cardiology block is a seven-story building, adjacent to Orthopaedics and Cardiothoracic Departments. Fortunately, there weren’t many patients at the facility. “Only 25 percent of the patients in the ward were very sick. Most others had been discharged because of the COVID-19 outbreak. We have moved all of them out and disinfected the building,” said sources.So far, 13 doctors have contracted the virus in Tamil Nadu. But, not all of them were involved in treating the viral outbreak.

Medical college HoD helps feed 110 medicos, PG doctors in Andhra Pradesh

Dr Atmaram, Head of the Department of Orthopaedics at the college, came to their rescue and provided them home-cooked food.

Published: 18th April 2020 09:25 AM 

Dr Atmaram, Head of the Department of Orthopaedics, Anantapur Government Medical College.

By CP Venugopal

Express News Service

ANANTAPUR: When a senior resident and a PG doctor at the Anantapur Government Medical College here tested positive for COVID-19 two weeks ago, about 110 medicos were left in the lurch as their hostel staff abstained from work. However, Dr Atmaram, Head of the Department of Orthopaedics at the college, came to their rescue and provided them home-cooked food.

He spent from his pocket for this, and raised funds through friends as well. His friends went on to donate 90 sets of PPE to the hospital staff, while his wife and son gave the doctors homemade full-face shields.

Narrating how he stepped in to help the medicos, Dr Atmaram said, “I was moved by their plight when they approached me. With help from my cousin’s son and a few friends, we pooled in around `30,000 and started giving food to the 100-odd hostel residents.” About 50 of the medicos are girls.

He posted about the issue on an IMA group on WhatsApp, and the members started contributing. Within 24 hours, they had more than Rs 1 lakh. “I consulted my friends who run a restaurant, and they helped serve food to the medicos thrice a day. They get boiled eggs four times a week and non-veg once,” he said. When Dr Atmaram first asked for contributions, he didn’t know what to expect. “But when I saw the amount pooled, I thanked the donors and refused to take more.

Between `12,000 and `15,000 is spent on food every day, and the collected funds are sufficient for 15-20 days. There are 63 female and 50 male medicos, and the rest are PG doctors,” he explained. Dr Atmaram’s act evoked mixed reactions from the medical fraternity, with some supporting it and others saying it would be better for the government to help the medicos. “These house surgeons are the backbone of hospitals, and they should be fit to serve. These juniors are my family,” he said.

‘Visualised my children’ 

“My response was humane. These medicos come from different places. I visualised my children in their place and asked myself what I would do,” Dr Atmaram said

COVID-19 affected doctor pleads for drug on WhatsApp group

Both PG doctors who tested positive removed from Whatsapp group by CMCH Medical Superintendent

15/04/2020, WILSON THOMAS,COIMBATORE

A post-graduate medical student of the Coimbatore Medical College Hospital (CMCH) who tested positive for COVID-19 was removed from a WhatsApp group of doctors on Monday after he pleaded for hydroxychloroquine, an anti-malaria drug recommended for the treatment.

After the Medical Superintendent of CMCH removed the PG student from the WhatsApp group, a screenshot of the chat which was taken by someone from the group was circulated among the medical fraternity, drawing wide criticism.

The PG student who pleaded for the drug in the group and another PG student tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday. They reportedly contracted the disease while performing their duty in the COVID-19 ward at the Government Medical College and ESI Hospital recently.

The two PGs were members of the WhatsApp group in which doctors from CMCH and ESI Hospital are members. They were shifted to the COVID-19 ward at ESI Hospital on Monday evening and one of them asked for hydroxychloroquine at 7.45 p.m. Within minutes, he was removed from the group.

A senior official with ESI Hospital said the doctors were given the drug immediately after the request was raised in the group.

‘Removal only incidental’

While only one of the two PG doctors made the appeal on Whatsapp, both of them who tested positive were removed from the group.

When contacted, CMCH Medical Superintendent T. Sadagopan, also the admin of the group, said he was removing the PG doctors from the group to make it an exclusive group of teachers when the request for drug was being made. Therefore, the removal of these two persons was merely incidental, he said.

R. Narayanababu, Director of Medial Education, Tamil Nadu, who visited CMCH on Tuesday enquired with Dr. Sadagopan about the incident. The DME also instructed the hospital administration to make necessary arrangements for the functioning of the hostel mess for PG students and house surgeons, the staff of which vacated the place after the two PGs tested positive on Monday. He also instructed the CMCH administration to conduct COVID-19 test for all the post-graduate students and house surgeons.

PG students and house surgeons had alleged that the CMCH administration did not provide them breakfast and lunch on time on Tuesday and dinner on Monday.

Meanwhile, the gents’ hostel at CMCH was fumigated on Tuesday as the two PGs who tested positive had visited the place prior to being admitted to hospital.

TN Medical Council serves show cause notice on CMCH official

18/04/2020, STAFF REPORTER,COIMBATORE

The Tamil Nadu Medical Council (TNMC) has served a show cause notice on T. Sadagopan, Medical Superintendent of the Coimbatore Medical College Hospital (CMCH), for alleged inappropriate treatment of two post-graduate medical students of the institution who tested positive for COVID-19.

It was alleged that Dr. Sadagopan removed the two PG students from a WhatsApp group of doctors of CMCH and Government Medical College and ESI Hospital, Coimbatore, after one of them pleaded for hydroxychloroquine, an anti-malaria drug recommended for COVID-19 management, on Monday.

The Council issued the show cause notice on the senior doctor based on an email complaint from the PG medical students, follow-up inquires by its office, and a report published on the columns of The Hindu on April 15.

The notice dated April 15 termed the complaint against Dr. Sadagopan as treatment 'unbecoming of a medical practitioner' to two COVID-19 positive post graduate doctors who risked their life while posted to look after Corona Ward duty at ESI Hospital.

According to Dr. Sadagopan, he removed only one PG student, not the one who asked for hydroxychloroquine in the WhatsApp group, and it was incidental as he was removing PG students from the group to make it a group of teachers.

On Thursday, P. Kalidas, senior professor from the Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, was appointed to hold full additional charge of the Dean replacing B. Asokan.

Lockdown woes: troubled times ahead for domestic workers

How long can they survive with the ration rice and ₹1,000 that the State has provided, asks State Coordinator, Tamil Nadu Domestic Workers’ Union

18/04/2020, STAFF REPORTER,MADURAI

Domestic workers in many parts of Madurai are yet to get paid for the month of March and several have been asked to stop coming to work from May. COVID-19 has deeply affected their livelihood, they say.

Speaking to The Hindu, M. Pandiammal, a domestic worker who used to travel from Melur to Uthangudi for work everyday, says that she was yet to receive payment from some of the houses. “I work at five houses. Although two households paid my salary for March, the rest are yet to pay me. I am unable to travel to their houses due to lack of public transport. I have given them the bank account details of my son. I hope they will send the payment soon,” she says.

K. Selvi, another worker who works at Tirumohur, says that she has been told not to come for work in two houses.

With two young daughters who will be going to classes 9 and 12 and one daughter who is to be married later this month, she says she doesn’t know how she will afford the expenses.

“It is difficult to imagine how I will manage. My husband too cannot earn as he is a laundry man and no one is undertaking his services for now,” she says.

She adds that she has spent ₹10,000 printing invitations and distributing it to her relatives. She says that the wedding will now be postponed but the expense will continue to rise.

Lily Pushpam from S. S. Colony says that her employers ask her to come twice or three times a week for doing ‘light work’. However, when she arrives, she spends at least an hour cleaning, mopping and washing. “Since all the members of the house are at home, my employer also makes me cut vegetables without any additional pay. We are being paid merely ₹1,500 for the entire month when we are risking our health and going to work,” she says.

State Coordinator, Tamil Nadu Domestic Workers’ Union, P. Clarammal, says that even before COVID-19, domestic workers were poorly paid. Now that they are at risk of getting infected, it would only be right if employees paid them fair wages.

“How long can these families survive with the ration rice and ₹1,000 that the State Government has provided?” she asks.

She adds that the State Government has promised to disburse an additional ₹1,000 to workers from the unorganised sector if they have registered with the Tamil Nadu Domestic Workers Welfare Board. “However, several young and old women are yet to register with the board. They will not be able to tide through this economic crisis without help,” she says.

A senior official from the Labour department says that the State government has provided instructions to collect names and bank account details of those who are part of the board. The department has joined hands with social workers like Ms. Clarammal to get the account details. “We will try to accommodate as many workers as possible. We realise that it is a difficult time,” the officer says.

Ms. Clarammal says that timely aid will be beneficial to these women as otherwise they would borrow heavily and fall into a debt trap.

VC conducts review meeting

18/04/2020, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT,KARAIKUDI

Vice-Chancellor of Alagappa University N. Rajendran conducted a review meeting with Deans of Faculties, Heads of Departments, Directors and Principals of constituent colleges here on Friday through video conferencing.

They discussed on research, completion of syllabus, project proposals and conduct of internal assessment tests.

Online classes

The head of departments told the VC that classes were taking place online regularly. They were also supervising research through various tools.

The V-C informed that a new website - Alagappa University Online Platform (ALUOP - had been launched and online study materials could be uploaded on it.

20 Iranian students from Telangana, A.P. evacuated

18/04/2020 , Hyderabad 

Unable to put up with the loneliness due to coronavirus outbreak and the subsequent lockdown, over 20 Iranian students staying in Hyderabad and neighbouring Andhra Pradesh left for their homeland on Friday. While none of them had any symptoms of COVID-19, they never stepped out of their houses or hostels during the lockdown period. As many as 191 Iranian nationals stuck in different cities in India were evacuated on a special flight from the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai.

Convalescent plasma therapy for COVID-19

18/04/2020



Convalescent plasma treatment involves injecting the COVID-19 patient with convalescent sera of people who recovered from the infection recently. The patient cured of the disease will have antibodies that drive coronavirus away, says the report of the WHO-China Joint Mission on COVID-19.

What is the meaning of convalescent sera for COVID-19 and how does it act?

The serum of COVID-19 cured individuals will have virus-neutralising antibodies which will act as a passive antibody therapy. It is called convalescent sera of COVID-19.

How can we collect convalescent sera?

We can collect it in two ways:

(i) Using routine blood withdrawal followed by centrifuge technique. Here we can collect 180 ml to 220 ml of convalescent sera and we can store it in -60 degree C up to one year.

(ii) Using aphresis machine/cell separator machine, we can collect even 600 ml of convalescent sera at one time and safely store for a year.

Who will be a suitable candidate to receive convalescent sera of COVID-19?

Those who are suffering from SARS-CoV-2 infection with moderate/severe sepsis with or without ventilator support.

What is the dose, frequency and duration of convalescent sera?

At present, there is no available literature in the World. Based on our previous experience (more than 5 years in hepatitis B virus), I would recommend 180 ml to 220 ml of convalescent sera of COVID 19, once a day for a minimum three to five consecutive days.

Which is the meaning of therapeutic plasma exchange?

The process of removal of abnormal substances from circulation which are either present in plasma or are tightly bound to plasma proteins is known as therapeutic plasma exchange. In COVID-19 patients, their plasma will contain enormous inflammatory mediators which cause severe lung injury.

What will be the better proposed model for COVID-19 sick patients?

Based on previous experiences with other diseases, in COVID-19 severe cases, a combination of therapeutic plasma exchange technique using convalescent sera will reduce the “cytokine storm” which will help recovery.

Metro may resume work next week

18/04/2020 , Sunitha Sekar

CHENNAI

Chennai Metro Rail is likely to resume the construction of phase I extension work in north Chennai early next week.

Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) officials said they were awaiting clearance.

“But we have to begin with very basic work and gradually with time, full-fledged work will follow. There will be a delay in completing this project but it is inevitable in such a situation when the whole country itself is under lockdown,” an official said.

Different kinds of machinery have been lying in north Chennai for weeks now after the lockdown was imposed.

Officials said they planned to put them to use only after fumigation of the sites and cleaning the machines.

Don’t click on suspicious links, warn police

18/04/2020 , Vivek Narayanan, CHENNAI

“You have been booked for curfew violation. To report misuse call police department" – this was the message received by a 66-year-old Kumaresan, a resident of Madipakkam, on Thursday along with the link - TVM20200041739124. The cyber cell of the Central Crime Branch (CCB) has warned the public not to believe in such messages and click on such links as it may be a phishing attempt. They said that cyber criminals are using even CM relief fund mails to cheat people during the lockdown period.

“My father had gone to the grocery shop a few days back on his bike during the permitted hours. When he got the message, we thought that the police were tracking through CCTV cameras. Then it struck me that the vehicle was registered in my mother’s name. So there is no way he could get the message and I warned him not to click the link,” said K. Harish, Kumaresan's son. A senior police officer said they were not sending any such message. “We fine violators on the spot and we don’t send messages. As of now we are not using CCTV cameras to fine motorists who step out during lockdown period.” An officer from the cyber cell said fraudsters would exploit the present situation and send phishing SMS messages and mails. “It may be a mail or message asking you to click on a link and contribute to CM relief fund. Though we did not get formal complaints about such scams, we got information that this is happening,” said an officer.

People throw caution to the wind, throng market

18/04/2020 , R. Sivaraman , K. LakshmiChennai 

 

Vehicles parked haphazardly near the market on Friday. M. VedhanM. Vedhan

Despite the appeal to people not to visit markets and to avoid crowding, thousands flocked to the Koyambedu Wholesale Market Complex (KWMC) on Friday to buy vegetables, fruits and flowers. Roads leading to the market were choked with vehicles.

Two days ago, individuals and retail sellers gathered in large numbers with little regard to physical distancing norms and other restrictions put in place in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.

On seeing the uncontrollable surge in the crowd, the Market Management Committee, which maintains the market, appealed to the public not to throng the market and advised them to buy vegetables over mobile apps.

On Friday, there was a huge rush again. Roads were choked with two-wheelers, goods carriers and auto rickshaws as police refused to allow many vehicles to enter on grounds of restrictions. They allowed vehicles of bulk buyers and retailers who had the required passes. All entry points were sealed and notifications were affixed on walls of the market.

Tough time for police

Police personnel had a tough time regulating the crowd, as many individuals who came to market entered into arguments with the personnel.

A police officer said, “A large number of people gathered here to buy vegetables and fruits and did not bother to maintain personal distancing. Some of them said they came all the way from Manali to buying coriander or a couple of brinjals. The market committee has appealed repeatedly to the public not to visit the market and to utilise mobile apps and the door delivery system created by the CMDA. Notifications were affixed at all entrances of the market and only pass-holders are allowed.”

Sales in Koyambedu wholesale market were heavily hit on Thursday as many retailers were turned away too. Vehicles were stopped even a few km away on Kaliamman Koil Street, Koyambedu, as the police discouraged entry into the market without a pass.

Anna varsity cancels semester exams

18/04/2020 , CHENNAI

Anna University has cancelled all end-semester exams scheduled in April/May for all undergraduate and postgraduate programmes of the University departments and affiliated institutions. In a release, the registrar said the revised date of reopening and revised schedule for classes would be announced later.

Donations pour in for CM’s Public Relief Fund

18/04/2020 , Staff Reporter, COIMBATORE/CHENNAI

G. Kuppuswamy Naidu Memorial Hospital donated ₹1 crore to the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister’s Public Relief Fund (CMPRF) for the fight against COVID-19, on April 15.

Its president S. Pathy presented the cheque to Minister for Municipal Administration S.P. Velumani at the Coimbatore District Collectorate. Hand sanitisers worth ₹10 lakh were also donated. The hospital’s CEO, Ragupathy Veluswamy, and District Collector K. Rajamani were present.

Kovai Medical Center and Hospital donated ₹1 crore to CMPRF. The hospital has also donated protective equipment and 1,200 litres of hand sanitiser to the Coimbatore Corporation.

Hyundai Motor India on Friday handed over 500 sets of dry rations to Chennai Corporation Commissioner G. Prakash and 500 sets of dry rations to director of industrial safety and health M.V. Senthil Kumar and joint director of industrial safety and health S. Ananth.

Former MP P.H. Manoj Pandian has contributed ₹2 lakh to CMPRF.

(With inputs from Coimbatore bureau)

Tamil Nadu can now borrow ₹3,960 cr. under RBI’s loan facility 

State’s limit under WMA sees a 60% enhancement

18/04/2020 , Sanjay Vijayakumar, CHENNAI

Tamil Nadu can now borrow ₹3,960 crores under the Ways and Means Advances (WMA) facility for State governments after the Reserve Bank of India increased the limit by 60%.

WMA is a temporary loan facility provided by the RBI to States to enable them to tide over temporary mismatches in the cash flow of their revenue receipts and expenditure.

The tenure of the facility is three months, with a 21-day overdraft permitted.

Tamil Nadu’s WMA limit has now increased to ₹3,960 crore from the earlier limit of ₹2,475 crore. According to ICRA Ratings, the increased limit will mean that States can borrow about ₹51,600 crore under the WMA facility now. The increased limit will be available till September 2020.

According to data from the RBI, Tamil Nadu did not borrow under the WMA facility during 2019-2020. However, according to experts, given the current extraordinary situation when revenue collection has been hit due the lockdown and expenditure requirements have increased, Tamil Nadu might have to use the facility.

The doubling of ways and means limits of States from 30% announced by the RBI earlier, was one of the demands made by Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami.

“The higher WMA limit is expected to offer a short-term relief to States,” said Jayanta Roy, senior vice-president at ICRA.

Constable does his bit, donates a month’s salary to CMPRF 

Babu is a Grade-I constable with the District Armed Reserve

18/04/2020 , R. Akileish, Coimbatore 


 
Act of kindness: S. Babu, right, hands over a month’s salary to Superintendent of Police Sujit Kumar on Friday.

A Grade-I constable with the District Armed Reserve on Friday donated a month’s salary to the Chief Minister’s Public Relief Fund for the fight against COVID-19 here on Friday.

S. Babu handed over a demand draft worth ₹25,788 to District Superintendent of Police Sujit Kumar on Friday morning. “Ever since the lockdown was announced, I wanted to contribute something,” Mr. Babu told The Hindu over phone, referring to the plights of migrant workers and others affected by the lockdown.

A helping hand

The 35-year-old joined the Armed Reserve in 2008, and worked in Chennai and Palani, before ending up at the Coimbatore District Armed Reserve. He was recently promoted as a Grade-I constable. “I was on duty for 15 days in Mettupalayam,” he said. There, he was deployed in COVID-19 containment zones. He returned to the city on Wednesday.

“We do not know what is going to happen because of this [COVID-19]. So I decided to help the people and the government in whatever way I could,” he added.

Panel to list sectors cleared to operate on Monday: CM 

Centre had indicated relaxations for some firms after April 20

18/04/2020 , Staff Reporter, SALEM

Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami addressing the media after a review meeting in Salem. E. Lakshmi Narayanan

The S. Krishnan Committee, constituted to frame guidelines for opening of select industries after April 20 and for the way forward after the lockdown ends on May 3, will submit its report to the State government on Monday, Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami said in Salem on Friday.

Addressing journalists after a review meeting with officials on containment measures against the spread of COVID-19, he said, “The Centre has offered relaxations for operating certain industries [after April 20]. A committee headed by Finance Secretary S. Krishnan has been formed to study directions of the Centre, and it will review the industries that can be permitted to operate. It will be announced on Monday.”

However, industries falling within containment zones will not be allowed to function. “Sago unit operators have petitioned, requesting to allow them to operate units. Farmers’ associations have also petitioned to allow them to harvest the crops. These requests are under the government’s consideration. These will be reviewed on April 20,” he said.

“If the industry falls in the list permitted by the Centre to operate, the State government will take steps to give them permission for operations,” he added. Sugar factories have already received permission to operate, to protect sugarcane farmers.

Conditional sanction

The Puducherry government has given conditional sanction for industries to resume production after April 20, when partial relaxations announced by the Centre will take effect.

A formal notification in this regard is expected to be issued shortly.

Tamil Nadu receives 24,000 rapid test kits

18/04/2020 , Chennai

The State has received 24,000 rapid test kits as part of an order placed by the Tamil Nadu Medical Services Corporation. Officials of the Health Department said that the Centre may also give the State a share from its consignment of test kits.