Bhopal, June 12 (IANS) Amid concern over rising cases of COVID-19 in Madhya Pradesh, a 52-year-old woman died of the virus during treatment at a private hospital in Indore.The woman, a resident of Ratlam, around 150 km from Indore, was admitted to Manorma Raje T B (MRTB) hospital in Indore with complaints of respiratory distress on June 8.Meanwhile, a COVID test was also conducted. Two days later, on Wednesday, medical reports revealed that she was COVID-positive.Subsequently, she was shifted to the isolation ward.She died on June 11, a senior doctor at MRTB hospital said on Thursday.The hospital administration also confirmed that the patient was suffering from multiple diseases, including tuberculosis and hypertension, due to which her health condition continued to deteriorate.This marks the third death of COVID-affected patients in the past two weeks in Madhya Pradesh, and more importantly, all of them were women.Two of them died at Indore’s MRTB hospital, including the fresh fatality on Wednesday, while one passed away at Aurobindo Hospital in the city.Earlier, a 44-year-old woman from Khargone, who gave birth at MTH Hospital, tragically died at MRTB Hospital from intrapartum seizures after testing positive for COVID-19.She had delivered a healthy baby boy weighing 3.1 kg on May 28, but succumbed just eight days later.Previously, a 74-year-old woman from Indore, who was also Covid-19 positive, passed away while undergoing treatment for renal failure at Aurobindo Hospital.Indore reported 12 new COVID-19 patients on Wednesday, taking the total cases to 82 this year across Madhya Pradesh.Active cases stand at 51, according to official information.Notably, India has 7,154 active COVID-19 cases.Three people died while 33 fresh cases have been reported in the past 24 hours.Health advisories are being circulated, especially for the elderly and immunocompromised patients.Additionally, the centre has urged citizens to remain cautious and adhere to preventive measures while also ramping up testing.–IANSpd/svn

Chennai, June 12 (IANS) Amid rising concerns over a possible fresh wave of COVID-19 cases across the country, the Tamil Nadu government has announced that the state’s population continues to show a very high level of immunity against the virus, thanks to effective vaccination coverage. According to the Directorate of Public Health and Preventive Medicine (DPH&PM), the fifth phase of the statewide serological survey revealed that 97 per cent of blood samples collected had developed antibodies against SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19.The survey, which began in April this year, focussed on elderly individuals across the six districts of Chennai, Tiruvallur, Tiruvannamalai, Tiruchirappalli, Dharmapuri, and Kanniyakumari.A total of 3,643 blood samples were collected and tested for SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies.Officials stated that the presence of antibodies even after three years since the onset of the pandemic highlights the long-term effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccines administered across the state.These antibodies play a crucial role in the body’s defence mechanism by neutralising the virus and preventing severe illness.“The high prevalence of antibodies among the general public is the primary reason why recent COVID-19 cases in Tamil Nadu have shown only mild symptoms, and fatalities are almost nil,” the DPH&PM said in a statement.Dr. Rajani Varrier, Associate Professor of medicine at a private medical college in Salem, noted, “When any infection enters the body, it naturally develops antibodies to fight it. However, vulnerable groups — such as the elderly, pregnant women, and those with comorbidities — should continue to exercise caution despite the presence of antibodies.”While the Tamil Nadu government claims that no COVID-19-related deaths have been reported so far this year, data from the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare indicates otherwise.According to the Centre, six COVID-19 deaths have been recorded in the state since January, with over 200 active cases currently under observation.In response to the nationwide uptick in cases, the Union government recently convened a high-level meeting to assess preparedness.All states and Union Territories have been instructed to ensure adequate supplies of oxygen, isolation beds, ventilators, and essential medicines.As a precautionary measure, Tamil Nadu’s health authorities have begun reintroducing certain safety protocols.In the last week of May, the Directorate of Public Health issued an advisory recommending the use of face masks and physical distancing in public places.Following this, the Coimbatore Government Medical College Hospital made mask-wearing mandatory within its premises.Officials maintain that while the current situation is under control, continued vigilance and preventive measures are essential to avoid any resurgence of the virus.–IANSaal/rad

Ahmedabad, June 12 (IANS) As Covid-19 cases continue to rise across India, the number of active infections has now crossed 6,815 nationwide.

In Gujarat, the situation remains under close observation as the state recorded 203 new Covid-19 cases in the last 24 hours till Wednesday.This brings the total number of active cases in Gujarat to 1,281.Of these, 23 patients are currently receiving treatment in hospitals, while the remaining 1,258 are being managed through outpatient-based care (OPD).As many as 149 patients recovered and were discharged during the same period.The state Health Department has noted a slight decline in daily new Covid-19 cases over the past three days, which officials consider an encouraging sign amid the broader national increase.The trend in Gujarat over the past 10 days shows fluctuating but gradually declining number of daily Covid-19 cases.On June 10, 223 new cases were reported, a slight decrease from 235 cases on June 9.The daily case count dropped further on June 8 with 185 cases, followed by 183 on June 7 and 170 on June 6.Earlier this month, on June 1, the state had reported only 55 Covid-19 cases.The active Covid caseload rose steadily through the first week of June, from 320 on June 1 to 1,281 as of June 11, indicating the virus is still circulating actively in the community.With the annual Rath Yatra approaching, state health authorities have issued advisories urging vulnerable population — including senior citizens and people with pre-existing conditions — to avoid crowded areas and watch the event from home.State Health Minister Rushikesh Patel has appealed to the people to take sensible precautions as a preventive measure.The Gujarat government is actively preparing for the rising Covid-19 cases by closely monitoring trends, ensuring hospital readiness, and coordinating with health departments across districts.With more than 1,200 active Covid-19 cases in the state, officials have emphasised outpatient-based care to manage the majority of infections, as only a small fraction require hospitalisation.Regular updates are being issued, and health advisories have been circulated, especially for the elderly and immunocompromised patients.Additionally, the state Health department has urged citizens to remain cautious and adhere to preventive measures while also ramping up testing and recovery monitoring across urban and rural areas.–IANSjanvi/khz

Bhubaneswar, June 11 (IANS) With the sudden outbreak of diarrhoea in different areas of Odisha’s Jajpur district, the state Health and Family Welfare department, on Wednesday, launched an intensive field operations in the district on a war footing to contain the outbreak that has so far claimed three lives.

“Upon receipt of reports from the Jajpur district regarding people affected with diarrhoea getting admitted to hospitals, we have constituted a state-level multi-sectoral team comprising doctors, microbiologists, food safety inspectors and sent them to Jajpur. They have already reached there and started an investigation to find out the cause of the outbreak,” said health department secretary, Aswathy S.She also added that additional teams of doctors have been sent to the district for treatment of patients admitted to the Jajpur District Headquarters Hospital and other peripheral hospitals.The Director of Public Health Services, Nilaknatha Mishra, has also rushed to the district to ensure coordinated efforts by all the stakeholders to rein in the sudden outbreak of diarrhoea in different parts of Jajpur district.As per an official statement of the health department, different teams are in action in the affected and surrounding areas of Dharmashala, Vyasanagar municipality, Danagadi, Rasulpur and Korei blocks of Jajpur district.The state and district teams in convergence are monitoring the ground situation closely.The director of Public Health services said that all patients and sporadic cases in adjoining places are being quickly attended to by rapid action teams constituted at district level.He along with two Rapid Action Teams consisting of medical officers, microbiologists, epidemiologists, Joint Director integrated disease surveillance programme from state level have reached the area; and have started field operation in coordination with the Jajpur Chief District Medical and Public Health Officer.”Specialists from Maharaja Jajati Keshari Medical College and hospital in Jajpur are looking into treatment of the critical cases. Six medicine specialists from SCB, Medical college and hospital in Cuttack have also been deputed to the district. The infected people have been admitted in Dharmashala, Jajpur Road, and Danagadi Community Health Centres and Jajpur District Headquarters Hospital. The critical patients are also being treated at SCB Medical College and hospital, Cuttack,” said the state Health department.It also added that hospitals in the districts have been equipped with additional manpower, sufficient medicines, saline fluids, injections, etc, to combat the disease.The Superintendent of SCB Medical College has been asked to remain alert about proper treatment of the referral cases.”The Rural Water Supply and Sanitation teams are working for disinfection of the drinking water sources. Food inspecting teams and disease surveillance teams are working at the ground level to combat water-borne disease. The grassroot level service providers like health sub-centres, ASHA Karmies, AWC karmies and multi-purpose health workers have been supplied with halogen tablets, medicines, ORS packets and awareness materials for distribution among the people,” the department noted.The state government has advised the people to take all precautionary measures, such as avoid outside foods, drink safe water, and adhere to hygienic practices.As per the Jajpur district administration, more than 200 patients have been admitted to different hospitals of the district during the past two days while two persons from Jajpur district and one from Anandpur in Keonjhar district have died till now.–IANSgyan/khz

Jakarta, June 11 (IANS) Indonesia has reported 75 cases of Covid-19 across the archipelago since early this year, local media reported Wednesday, citing the Ministry of Health.The ministry’s spokesperson Aji Muhawarman said that most of those infected have recovered, adding that two people were found infected last week.The ministry has urged the public to remain vigilant and continue practicing Covid-19 prevention measures, including wearing face masks in public spaces and avoiding large gatherings.It came amid a slight uptick in domestic infections and growing global concern over the spread of new subvariants.”The Nimbus variant has not been found in Indonesia,” said Muhawarman, referring to the variant that is reportedly derived from the highly virulent Omicron variant.According to him, the Covid-19 variant, which was mostly found in Indonesia in April, is the LF.7 variant, which is currently driving surges in some countries.No deaths due to Covid-19 have been reported in Indonesia since early this year, Xinhua news agency reported.Vietnamese capital Hanoi also confirmed 150 new Covid-19 cases in the city from May 30 to June 6, slightly down from the previous week, Vietnam News Agency reported.Since the beginning of 2025, the capital city has recorded 558 infections, a decrease of 109 cases compared to the same period last year, the report said.The Hanoi Center for Disease Control has requested local units to strengthen public communication on Covid-19 and other seasonal diseases.On Monday, amid a fresh rise in Covid-19 infections in several neighbouring countries, the Bangladeshi interim government asked people to refrain from travelling to those destinations unless absolutely necessary.The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) under the Ministry of Health also instructed the relevant authorities to enhance health screening and surveillance measures at all ports to contain the spread of the infection.The directives stated that new subvariants of the coronavirus are spreading in several neighbouring countries.To prevent potential transmission of these variants into Bangladesh, it said surveillance must be strengthened at International Health Regulations desks at all land, sea, and airports for both inbound travellers from affected countries, and outbound travellers from Bangladesh to those destinations.In line with the directives, people must wear masks at all gatherings, shopping malls and restaurants.Bangladesh last week recorded its first Covid-19 fatality this year when a man died from the infectious disease in capital Dhaka.

New Delhi, June 11 (IANS) A team of US scientists has discovered a specific group of brain cells that could explain why people with memory problems often overeat.The team showed that people who also keep forgetting about recent meals can trigger excessive hunger and can lead to disordered eating.Researchers from the University of Southern California showed that the group of brain cells can create memories of meals, encoding not just what food was eaten but when it was eaten.During eating, neurons in the ventral hippocampus region of the brain become active and form what the team of researchers call “meal engrams” — specialised memory traces that store information about the experience of food consumption.While scientists have long studied engrams for their role in storing memories and other experiences in the brain, the new study, published in the journal Nature Communications, identified engrams dedicated to meal experiences.“Meal engrams function like sophisticated biological databases that store multiple types of information such as where you were eating, as well as the time that you ate,” said Scott Kanoski, Professor of biological sciences at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences.Kanoski added that the findings could eventually inform new clinical approaches for treating obesity and weight management.Current weight management strategies often focus on restricting food intake or increasing exercise, but the new research suggests that enhancing meal memory formation could be equally important.The research team used advanced neuroscience techniques to observe the brain activity of laboratory rats as they ate, providing the first real-time view of how meal memories form.The meal memory neurons are distinct from brain cells involved in other types of memory formation.When researchers selectively destroyed these neurons, lab rats showed impaired memory for food locations but retained normal spatial memory for non-food-related tasks, indicating a specialized system dedicated to meal-related information processing.The study revealed that meal memory neurons communicate with the lateral hypothalamus, a brain region long known to control hunger and eating behaviour. When this hippocampus-hypothalamus connection was blocked, the lab rats overate and could not remember where meals were consumed.–IANSrvt/

New Delhi, June 11 (IANS) Suffering from metabolic syndrome? A handful of almonds daily may help improve your health, according to a study.People with metabolic syndrome have at least three of the conditions like abdominal obesity, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, low levels of “good” cholesterol, and high levels of triglycerides.Scientists at Oregon State University (OSU), US, showed that eating 2 ounces of almonds — about 45 nuts — daily led to signs of better cardiometabolic and gut health.The research, published in the journal Nutrition Research, is important because almost 40 per cent of the US adult population is estimated to have metabolic syndrome, a cluster of conditions that significantly increase the risk of developing cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.Metabolic syndrome has also recently been linked with cognitive dysfunction and dementia.”Evidence suggests that people with metabolic syndrome are three times as likely to suffer a heart attack or stroke and twice as likely to die from coronary heart disease compared to people without this condition,” said Emily Ho, director of OSU’s Linus Pauling Institute.”Poor diet and inactivity contribute to the development of metabolic syndrome, and gut health and chronic inflammation may also play roles,” Ho said.For the study, the team devised a 12-week clinical trial involving two groups of people aged 35-60 with metabolic syndrome.One group ate 320 calories worth of almonds every day. The other ate crackers with the same caloric value but without many of the healthy fats, protein, and micronutrients found in almonds.At four weeks and again at 12 weeks, blood samples from the almond snackers showed, as expected, a marked increase in vitamin E — an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compound found in almonds.In addition to vitamin E, almonds have polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, fibre, polyphenols, biotin, copper, potassium, and magnesium.The researchers also saw changes in other important health biomarkers among people in the almond group, including declines in total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol (often referred to as “bad” cholesterol), and waist circumference.Almond snacking also appeared to help limit gut inflammation, an indicator of gut health.–IANSrvt/

New Delhi, June 11 (IANS) Patients with womb or uterine cancer are not being tested for a genetic condition that increases their chance of developing further cancers, according to a study.Lynch syndrome is an inherited condition that leaves individuals more susceptible to womb and bowel cancer. While it affects one in 300 people, only five per cent are aware they have it.Researchers from the University of Edinburgh said that diagnosis of Lynch syndrome is important as it enables patients to take action to reduce their cancer risk. It not only improves outcomes but also reduces healthcare costs.The study, published in the journal BMJ Oncology, looked at more than 2,500 womb cancer cases across the UK and Ireland between 2022 and 2023.While 91 per cent of tumours were tested for markers of Lynch syndrome, test results were not routinely communicated to the wider clinical team, meaning follow-up genetic counselling and blood tests were not arranged.Two-thirds of the patients eligible for genetic counselling were referred for appointments.Those who were referred faced long waiting lists, resulting in high drop-out rates. Only 48 per cent of womb cancer patients who should have had further testing ultimately received a blood test, the study found.Gaps in testing mean that many womb cancer patients with Lynch syndrome go undetected, leaving them at risk of developing bowel cancer. Family members are also left vulnerable to cancer risk; unaware they may have the condition.“Despite clear guidance and excellent rates of tumour testing, too many women with Lynch syndrome are still being missed because they’re not referred for definitive blood testing in a timely way. This not only denies them the chance to reduce their future cancer risk but also prevents their relatives from being tested and protected,” said Dr Neil Ryan, clinical lecturer at the University of Edinburgh’s Centre for Reproductive Health.“Tumour testing is only cost-effective if it leads to diagnosis — we urgently need to make mainstream testing truly mainstream,” he added.Early detection would allow the use of preventative measures to reduce the risk of future cancers, such as taking aspirin and having regular colonoscopies to prevent bowel cancer, or hysterectomies to prevent womb cancer, the researchers said.–IANSrvt/

New Delhi, June 11 (IANS) With the India Meteorological Department (IMD) warning that daytime temperatures in Delhi may soar to 45 degrees Celsius, the Health Ministry on Wednesday urged people to stay indoors during peak hours, and to drink safe fluids.The IMD has issued an orange alert for the national capital on Wednesday.The IMD has warned that daytime temperatures in Delhi could reach as high as 45 degrees Celsius, with night-time lows hovering around 29 degrees Celsius. The ongoing weather conditions are part of a prolonged heatwave affecting large parts of northwestern India.”Extreme heat can be risky. Stay indoors during peak hours, eat lower-calorie food, drink safe fluids, and never leave kids or pets in parked cars,” the Health Ministry, said in a post on social media platform X.“Call 108/102 if someone shows signs of heatstroke,” it added.In an infographic shared along with the post, the Ministry urged people to avoid getting out in the sun, especially between 12:00 noon and 03:00 pm. It also urged citizens to avoid strenuous activities when outside in the afternoon, cooking during peak summer hours, and to open doors and windows to ventilate the cooking area adequately.The Health Ministry advised citizens to avoid alcohol, tea, coffee, and carbonated soft drinks or drinks with large amounts of sugar and importantly not to leave children or pets in parked vehicles.Call 108/102 immediately if you find someone with a high body temperature and is either unconscious or confused, the advisory said.“The heat is rising, but awareness can save lives! A heatwave isn’t just about soaring temperatures. It’s about knowing the risks, recognising the signs, and protecting each other. Let’s beat the heat together!” said the IMD on X.To protect from the heat, the IMD urged citizens to wear lightweight, loose-fitting, and light-coloured clothing. Cover your head using a hat, umbrella, towel, and drink water frequently, it said.Earlier on Tuesday, Delhi recorded its highest maximum temperature of the season at 43.8 degrees Celsius, which is 3.6 degrees above the seasonal average, as per IMD data. According to the IMD, very hot weather and heat waves in Delhi will persist until at least June 12.Dr. Atul Kakar from the Department of Internal Medicine, at a leading city-based hospital, told IANS that several patients are presenting with heat exhaustion, heat stroke, severe dehydration, gastroenteritis, and jaundice.“Exposure to the sun should be the bare minimum. Wear full sleeve clothes, or take an umbrella or cover your head during that period when you are getting exposed to the sun,” Kakar said.Take more liquids which may include lassi, lemonade, orange juice, or fruits that contain more water like watermelon and melon,” the doctor told IANS. He also urged people to avoid eating outside.–IANSrvt/

New Delhi, June 11 (IANS) Amid a fresh wave of Covid-19, Israeli researchers have discovered that a protein from the SARS-CoV-2 virus can cause the immune system to attack healthy cells mistakenly.The study, published in the journal Cell Reports, sheds light on how severe Covid complications may occur and suggests new ways to prevent immune-driven damage from the virus, Xinhua news agency reported.Researchers from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem found that the virus’s nucleocapsid protein (NP), which normally helps package the virus’s genetic material inside infected cells, can spread to nearby uninfected epithelial cells.Once on the surface of these healthy cells, NP would be mistakenly identified by the immune system as a threat. The immune system then deploys anti-NP antibodies, which mark these uninfected cells for destruction.The process triggers the classical complement pathway, a part of the immune response that leads to inflammation and tissue damage, contributing to severe Covid symptoms and possibly long Covid.Using lab-grown cells, advanced imaging, and samples from Covid-19 patients, the researchers found that NP binds to a type of molecule on cell surfaces. The binding causes the protein to cluster on healthy cells, further confusing the immune system.The study also found that the drug enoxaparin — a common blood thinner and heparin analog — blocks NP from sticking to healthy cells.In both lab tests and patient samples, enoxaparin helped prevent immune attacks by occupying the binding sites that NP uses.According to the researchers, the discovery may offer new hope for reducing immune-related complications in Covid and potentially other viral infections.Meanwhile, a newly identified Covid variant known as NB.1.8.1 has been recently spreading rapidly across multiple parts of the world, raising fresh concerns.The variant, which belongs to the Omicron family, was first detected in January 2025 and has since reached countries including India, the US, the UK, Australia, China, Maldives, and Egypt.The World Health Organization (WHO) has officially labelled it a “Variant Under Monitoring,” meaning it is spreading fast enough to warrant attention, but not enough to be classified as a major threat.–IANSrvt/