Covid 19

Drug overdoses have soared during the Covid-19 pandemic, with US overdose deaths topping 100,000 during the 12-month period ending in April 2021. Researchers noted that the pandemic and strategies for preventing the spread of the virus, such as stay-at-home orders, may have contributed to this increase in deaths, from interruptions to harm reduction programs to isolation and worsening mental health.

The study, being presented at this year's European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ECCMID) in Portugal, found that Covid-19 symptoms that don't clear up after 15 weeks are likely to last at least a year. An estimated 25-40 per cent of people with Covid-19 develop long Covid, persisting symptoms that can affect multiple organs and include mental health problems.

The study, which is available only as a preprint and not peer-reviewed yet, found that higher antibody levels due to longer gaps between doses had more effect in younger participants. Post-dose 1, those with previous infection had up to ten times higher antibody levels than naive individuals. After dose 2, those with previous infection had antibody levels more than twice as high as those who hadn't had previous infection.

During the acute phase of Covid, women were found to have a lower mortality rate than men. But this study indicates that women have a greater likelihood of experiencing long Covid syndrome. Females were statistically significantly more likely to experience difficulty swallowing, fatigue, chest pain, and palpitations at long-term follow-up, according to the study published in the peer-reviewed Journal of Women's Health.

The study, published in JAMA Network Open, showed associations between infection risk and exposure to particles with a diameter less than 10 micrometres (PM10) and 2.5 micrometres (PM2.5), two days before a positive test and exposure to black carbon one day before.

The study, published in npj Digital Medicine, analysed sensor data on sleep, activity and heart rate from over 5,600 individuals. The findings showed that the average resting heart rate of participants significantly increased the day following vaccination, peaking two days post-vaccination, and returning to normal four days after the first dose and six days after the second. The effect appeared to be stronger after the second dose of the Moderna vaccine, compared to the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, and more pronounced in younger individuals.

Croup is a type of respiratory illness, known medically as laryngotracheitis, in babies and young children. It is characterised by barking cough, and noisy breathing. In severe cases, it can dangerously constrict breathing. A team of researchers from Universities of Colorado and Northwestern in the US, examined 18,849 children hospitalised with SARS-CoV-2.

The finding was consistent even with people who are vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2, said researchers at the University of California-San Francisco. The team found that patients over 65, with substance abuse, psychotic disorders, bipolar disorder, adjustment disorder, and anxiety, faced increased risks of up to 24 per cent for breakthrough Covid.

According to the study in journal 'Chemosphere' published by SAFAR, experts say that the biomass emissions of carbon rich tiny particles and rapid flow of distant dust were found to be primary reasons for the pollution. The study also made some shocking revelations that an "unaccounted emission source" was playing a leading role after balancing of the impact of curtailed lockdown emissions.

With pandemic restrictions having been considerably eased, temples will remain open till late night without any curbs, though devotees will be requested to wear masks. The Navratri will be marked with traditional 'bhajans', 'hawan', 'aarti' and 'bhandara' (community feast). Temples will, however, continue to live stream 'aarti' for devotees who cannot make it to the temples. In Ayodhya, temples are being decorated and illuminated for Navratri and special pujas are being organised in several temples