NEET PG Exam 2021 postponed due to Covid-19

NEET PG Exam 2021 postponed due to Covid-19

TOI-Online | Apr 15, 2021, 07.13 PM IST

NEW DELHI: Union health minister Dr Harsh Vardhan on Thursday announced that the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test-Postgraduate exam has been postponed amid surge in Covid-19 cases in the country.

The exam was scheduled to be held on April 18. However, a new date will be decided now. This decision has been taken keeping wellbeing of our young medical students in mind, he said.

"In light of the surge in Covid-19 cases, GoI has decided to postpone NEET PG 2021 exam which was earlier scheduled to be held on Apr 18. Next date to be decided later. Decision has been taken keeping wellbeing of our young medical students in mind," Harsh Vardhan tweeted on Thursday.

In light of the surge in #COVID19 cases,GoI has decided to postpone #NEETPG2021 exam which was earlier scheduled to… https://t.co/sHJk18HUde— Dr Harsh Vardhan (@drharshvardhan) 1618492985000

The National Board of Examinations had issued the admit cards for NEET PG 2021 on Tuesday on its official portal.

Issuing a notice on Thursday, Amit Biswas, undersecretary to the Government of India, said, “Looking at the present situation of the pandemic and taking into account the safety and well being of the students, it is decided that the NEET-PG 2021 exam scheduled to be held on 18th April 2021 be postponed.”

The notice further reads “The next date of examination would be announced after reviewing the situation later. A notice will be issued well in advance before the conduct of examination.”

Stay on action against Anna varsity V-C Surappa extended

Stay on action against Anna varsity V-C Surappa extended

HC extends interim order restraining govt action against the Anna University ex-VC

Published: 17th April 2021 06:04 AM 

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Friday extended, until further orders, an interim order restraining the Tamil Nadu government from taking any decision on an inquiry report against former vice chancellor of Anna University MK Surappa.

Justice M Govindaraj passed the orders on the plea moved by Surappa that the State government had passed a notification dated November 11,2020 constituting a commission of inquiry headed by a retired judge of the High Court, Justice P Kalaiyarasan, to probe the allegations of bribery and corruption during his tenure. This was so as the ruling dispensation was not happy with the fact that he was not toeing the line of the political masters, Surappa pleaded.

According to him, “The notification is an abuse of process of law as the very complainants do not exist, and the commission of inquiry was not appointed to inquire into the complaints received but to find out if any complaint can be made against the petitioner to harass the petitioner.”

“Certain actions I took as a vice-chancellor and as an academician did not find favour with the Higher education secretary as these actions hurt the political agenda of the ruling dispensation,” he added. Surappa’s three-year term as Vice Chancellor came to an end a few days ago.

The State government during the hearing on Friday sought time to file an additional counter on the plea. The judge noting the earlier interim orders of a single judge extended the plea until further orders and adjourned it to June.

Brothers aged six and fifteen complain of threat to their lives from parents

Brothers aged six and fifteen complain of threat to their lives from parents

Both the father and mother were involved in extramarital relationships but continued to live together with their partners in the same house, according to the complaint letter.

Published: 13th April 2021 09:28 PM 

By Express News Service

ERODE: Two brothers, aged six and fifteen, on Monday, filed a complaint with the Superintendent of Police seeking action against their parents for allegedly torturing and threatening to kill them.

In their complaint, the children said that they were forced to do household chores, failing which they were tortured by their parents and two of their paramours. "The punishments included rubbing chilly powder in our private parts, forcing us to eat food cooked with rotten vegetables, making us drink toilet cleaners, and sleep in the bathroom or on the terrace without shirts," they said in the complaint.

The children's maternal grandparents accompanied them to the district police office.

Both the father and mother were involved in extramarital relationships but continued to live together with their partners in the same house, according to the complaint letter.

The children were also asked to call the man in a relationship with their mother as 'father' and their own father as 'uncle', according to the complaint.

On February 23, the siblings escaped to their grandparents' house after their parents threatened to carry out a 'narabali', a superstitious sacrifice.

Later, the grandparents later lodged a complaint with a local police station. On receiving information, the Child Welfare Committee issued a 'temporary placement order', allowing the children to stay with their grandparents till the case is fully investigated.

However, the grandparents and other relatives constantly received threats from their parents to send the children back to their house, the complaint added.

Sources in the Child Welfare Committee said that a call would be taken on sending the children to a government home if the problem persisted. Police officials said that they were investigating the case and would take action as required.

College teachers fear getting Covid at work

College teachers fear getting Covid at work

‘Fresh protocols should be issued holding college managements responsible for reporting cases & contact tracing’

Published: 14th April 2021 05:01 AM |

A woman personnel dressed as virus, creates awareness, at Egmore Railway Station, on Tuesday | Sri Loganathan V

By Sushmitha Ramakrishnan

Express News Service

CHENNAI: Amid the spike in Covid cases, faculty members at city colleges fear their health is at risk since they have to be on campus on all working days. They want the government to issue fresh protocols holding college managements responsible for reporting Covid cases and contact tracing on campus.

The faculty of a popular government-aided arts and science college in central Chennai told Express there has been a rise in the number of Covid cases on campus, causing anxiety among teachers. “When a teacher tests positive, we are not informed formally, but hear only after a few days through word-of-mouth from other teachers,” said Maria (name changed).

She said many teachers were exposed to infected colleagues while on election duty. “Some of us were even presiding officers, coming in contact with thousands of voters. A faculty on the administrative team, who came in contact with almost all teachers in the past week, tested positive, but we were not informed about it officially,” she alleged.

Another faculty member from the college said all teachers have been mandated to come to work in view of the upcoming NAAC inspections. “We interact with each other a lot and have to come to work,” she said. The principal of the college argued that all teachers in government-aided colleges have been showing up for work. “We ask them to take leave as soon as they have symptoms. So no other teacher would have been exposed,” she asserted.

A faculty member from another arts and science college in central Chennai told Express there is still a lot of stigma regarding reporting Covid. “Many teachers silently take leave, putting the rest of us at risk. We would like to work from home and take online classes from there. We would at least like a transparent system in which we are informed when our colleagues test positive,” she said.

She added that teachers with comorbidities or suppressed immunity should be allowed to work from home. “Across colleges in Chennai, the number of Covid cases is rising, and very few people seem aware about it. The government should act quickly before we have clusters everywhere,” she exclaimed.

Covid 2.0: Dry eyes, fatigue, diarrhoea common symptoms

Covid 2.0: Dry eyes, fatigue, diarrhoea common symptoms

As the State gears up to tackle the second wave of Covid, the symptoms and infection manifestation have changed quite a bit, say doctors.

Published: 14th April 2021 05:02 AM 

A health worker takes swab sample of a worker in GSN Coaching Depot, in Chennai. (Photo | R Satish Babu, EPS)

By Sowmya Mani

Express News Service

TIRUCHY: As the State gears up to tackle the second wave of Covid, the symptoms and infection manifestation have changed quite a bit, say doctors. While asymptomatic patients were high in number earlier, more patients are showing symptoms at present. Severe muscle pain, diarrhoea, stomach pain, eye irritation and fatigue are the most prevalent symptoms now, doctors in Tiruchy said.

“We are witnessing mixed presentation amongst our patients. Many have several symptoms but no fever. Also, more patients now are in the age group 25 to 45 years. Earlier, the younger ones were asymptomatic,” says Dr K Vanitha, Dean of MGMGH.

Recent symptoms also include, eye irritation and dryness in eyes. Doctors say that it is important for people to be aware of these symptoms, as normally people attribute eye irritation to the summer heat. “We are also seeing some older patients have confusion and slight memory loss. They are unable to remember things like if they ate medicines, etc.

Loose stools is also a common symptom now,” said Emergency Physician Dr A Mohamed Hakkim. “People with slight fever, fatigue and eye irritation think it’s because of the heat. They need to be aware that it could be symptoms of Covid,” he added.

Smell, taste not reduced too much

Doctors say that loss of smell and taste were not commonly reported recently. “We are seeing people feel extremely tired. This is because of muscle pain and loss of appetite. Some people also have trouble breathing,” said Dr Sathish of the Medicine Department, MGMGH.

Beware! Now, Covid-19 can clutch you in ways you don’t even know

Beware! Now, Covid-19 can clutch you in ways you don’t even know

In fresh concerns for health department, people down with headache, vomiting and diarrhoea also are testing positive for Covid-19.

Published: 14th April 2021 05:02 AM 

A health workers takes swab sample for Covid testing. (Photo | Shekhar Yadav)

By Express News Service

COIMBATORE: In fresh concerns for health department, people down with headache, vomiting and diarrhoea also are testing positive for Covid-19. With positivity rate of 7.9 per cent, officials advised people to take a test if they exhibit any of the above symptoms in addition to fever, cold, and cough.

Dean of Coimbatore Medical College Hospital (CMCH) A Nirmala said the hospital of late has been recording several instances of patients with complaints of headache, vomiting, and diarrhoea testing positive.

CMCH sources said at least 10 out of 100 Covid patients exhibited symptoms of diarrhoea, headache or vomiting. On March 29, a 23-year-old Covid positive patient died at the CMCH reportedly after she complained of vomiting and fever. Nirmala reasoned that the woman might have ignored symptoms and sought medical help late.

Director of Public Health and Preventive Medicine T S Selvavinayagam told TNIE that a person would be declared Covid positive only on the basis of RT-PCR test result. “Vomiting and diarrhea could also be the symptoms. A person must undergo a test when in doubt,” he added.

Late hospitalisation a cause for worry

Despite the high positivity rate, the mortality rate is relatively less in the district. Six Covid deaths were reported in Coimbatore in the last seven days, sources said. “Patients invariably wait till their condition deteriorate. This could be one reason for the deaths,” Nirmala said.

A senior official in the city corporation said some persons who tested negative died due to lung damage. “The second wave is now seeing a rise in the graph. People must not take this condition lightly but get tested as soon as they develop symptoms,” he added. Public health expert, P Rathan, reasoned that mutant variant of Coronavirus could be the reason for persons without lung issues testing positive.

COVID death: Mix-up at hospital sees Muslim family bury Hindu man in Tamil Nadu

COVID death: Mix-up at hospital sees Muslim family bury Hindu man in Tamil Nadu

On Wednesday morning, relatives of Zaheer Hussain and Arumugam collected the bodies and left for their respective villages.

Published: 14th April 2021 10:08 PM 

Representational image. 

By Bagalavan Perier B

Express News Service

CUDDALORE: In a grave mix-up, staff of the Cuddalore government hospital handed over bodies of two COVID-19 victims, who died on the same night, to the wrong families. One of the families unknowingly buried the body of the Hindu victim as per its Islamic rituals.

According to sources, Zaheer Hussain (59) of Perumathur village near Bhuvanagiri in Cuddalore was undergoing treatment for Covid at the government hospital. He died on Tuesday night and his body was kept at the mortuary. Meanwhile, Arumugam (51) of Puthupettai near Panruti, who was being treated in the same ward also died that night.

On Wednesday morning, relatives of Zaheer Hussain and Arumugam collected the bodies and left for their respective villages. While Hussain's family buried the body they received at the Muslim cemetery at Perumathur with safety measures and as per their religious customs, relatives of Arumugam found that the body they had received were not his. Immediately, they took the body back to the hospital. Only then did the staff realise that there had been a mix-up.

Hussain's relatives were informed that they had buried the mortal remains of Arumugam. However, villagers there were opposed to exhuming Arumugam's body. Finally after talks with revenue officials, the villagers agreed to the exhumation and on Wednesday evening, the mortal remains of Arumugam were dug out with the help of a pockline machine and handed over to his relatives. Hussain's body was handed over to his family, who once again performed the burial rituals as per their religious beliefs.

However, a health department official in Cuddalore added that an inquiry is on.