#Dr Soumya Swaminathan

[werindialive]

India Assures Public: HMPV Virus Poses No Serious Threat 

India has recently reported seven cases of Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV), a respiratory virus that has gained attention due to an outbreak in China. However, the Indian government has assured the public that there is no need to panic, stating that the virus is already circulating globally and the situation is under control.

Here are the key updates regarding HMPV in India:

1. Recent Cases in Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu

Two new cases of HMPV have been reported in Nagpur, Maharashtra, where the patients have recovered and been discharged from the hospital. The samples were sent to AIIMS for further testing. In Tamil Nadu, two cases were confirmed in Chennai and Salem, but there have been no deaths associated with the virus in India.

2. Earlier Cases in Bengaluru and Ahmedabad

The first two cases in India were reported on Monday from Bengaluru, Karnataka. A three-month-old baby and an eight-month-old infant were both diagnosed with HMPV. While the baby has recovered and been discharged, the older child is still in recovery. In Ahmedabad, a two-month-old infant was confirmed to have HMPV but is also doing well and ready for discharge.

3. No Link to Travel

The affected children in Bengaluru and Ahmedabad have no recent travel history, meaning the virus was contracted locally and not from other countries, ruling out exposure from abroad.

4. Global Circulation of HMPV

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) clarified that HMPV is already in circulation worldwide, including in India, and emphasized that there has been no unusual surge in cases of Influenza-Like Illness (ILI) or Severe Acute Respiratory Illness (SARI). The situation remains under control, and the country is prepared to manage any increase in respiratory illnesses.

5. HMPV: Not a New Virus

Union Health Minister JP Nadda reassured the public, stating that HMPV is not a new virus. First identified in 2001, it spreads mainly during the winter and early spring months. It can affect people of all ages, but health experts agree that it generally causes mild respiratory symptoms, particularly in young children and older adults.

6. No Cause for Alarm

Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, former Chief Scientist of the World Health Organization, also stated that HMPV is a known virus and does not require panic. She recommended following basic health precautions such as wearing masks, washing hands frequently, and avoiding crowded places.

7. Symptoms and Spread

HMPV can cause symptoms like cough, fever, nasal congestion, and shortness of breath. In some cases, it can lead to bronchitis or pneumonia. The virus spreads through the air and can also be transmitted by touching surfaces contaminated with the virus.

8. China’s Response

The HMPV outbreak in China has raised global concerns. However, China's foreign ministry has clarified that this type of respiratory infection is common during the winter months, and they are treating it as an annual occurrence.

While the emergence of HMPV in India has attracted attention, health authorities have emphasized that there is no reason for panic. With ongoing monitoring and preventive measures in place, India is well-equipped to manage the situation and protect public health. For latest news in India, subscribe to our newsletter!

[nedsecondline]

Dr Soumya Swaminathan, JN.1, Covid Variant: 30% Of Those With Flu-Like Illnesses In Kochi Hospitals Are Covid Positive: Top Expert

Source: Dr Soumya Swaminathan, JN.1, Covid Variant: 30% Of Those With Flu-Like Illnesses In Kochi Hospitals Are Covid Positive: Top Expert

[blogynews]

"Discover the Remarkable Legacy of MS Swaminathan, the Pioneer Behind India's Green Revolution, as his Life Comes to an End in Chennai"

Renowned Indian agricultural scientist and father of the Green Revolution, MS Swaminathan, passed away at his residence in Chennai at the age of 98. He founded the MS Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF). Swaminathan leaves behind three daughters, Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, Dr. Madhura Swaminathan, and Nitya Swaminathan. Swaminathan began his career in 1949, focusing on the genetics of potato,…

[blogynewz]

"Discover the Remarkable Legacy of MS Swaminathan, the Pioneer Behind India's Green Revolution, as his Life Comes to an End in Chennai"

Renowned Indian agricultural scientist and father of the Green Revolution, MS Swaminathan, passed away at his residence in Chennai at the age of 98. He founded the MS Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF). Swaminathan leaves behind three daughters, Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, Dr. Madhura Swaminathan, and Nitya Swaminathan. Swaminathan began his career in 1949, focusing on the genetics of potato,…

[blogynewsz]

"Discover the Remarkable Legacy of MS Swaminathan, the Pioneer Behind India's Green Revolution, as his Life Comes to an End in Chennai"

Renowned Indian agricultural scientist and father of the Green Revolution, MS Swaminathan, passed away at his residence in Chennai at the age of 98. He founded the MS Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF). Swaminathan leaves behind three daughters, Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, Dr. Madhura Swaminathan, and Nitya Swaminathan. Swaminathan began his career in 1949, focusing on the genetics of potato,…

[doonitedin]

The situation is very worrying in India WHO Chief Scientist Soumya Swaminathan

The situation is very worrying in India WHO Chief Scientist Soumya Swaminathan

Geneva: As India is in the grasp of a devastating second wave of COVID-19, World Health Organisation (WHO) Chief Scientist Soumya Swaminathan on Monday termed the rate of infections and deaths in the country as “worrying” and called on governments to boost exercises on reporting actual numbers. In an exclusive interview with ANI, Swaminathan said that the projections of one million deaths by…

[praveenpradhan254121]

WHO ने COVID-19 उपचार के लिए Ivermectin के उपयोग के खिलाफ चेतावनी दी है

WHO ने COVID-19 उपचार के लिए Ivermectin के उपयोग के खिलाफ चेतावनी दी है

‘Ivermectin’ एक मौखिक रूप से दी जाने वाली दवा है – विशिष्ट खुराक में – परजीवी संक्रमण के इलाज के लिए (फाइल) नई दिल्ली: विश्व स्वास्थ्य संगठन ने मंगलवार को ‘आइवरमेक्टिन’ के सामान्य उपयोग के खिलाफ सिफारिश की – परजीवी संक्रमण का इलाज करने के लिए एक मौखिक रूप से प्रशासित दवा – सीओवीआईडी ​​-19 रोगियों के उपचार के लिए। वैश्विक स्वास्थ्य निकाय के प्रमुख वैज्ञानिक डॉ। सौम्या स्वामीनाथन ने ट्वीट किया,…

[wowhealthfitness20]

Coronavirus new variant: WHO का बड़ा बयान, कहा-वायरस के बदले रूप की कई देशों में पहले से मौजूदगी संभव

Coronavirus new variant: WHO का बड़ा बयान, कहा-वायरस के बदले रूप की कई देशों में पहले से मौजूदगी संभव

<p style=”text-align: justify;”>विश्व स्वास्थ्य संगठन की मुख्य वैज्ञानिक डॉक्टर सौम्या विश्वनाथन का कहना है कि कोरोना वायरस का म्यूटेंट स्ट्रेन कई देशों में पहले से ही मौजूद हो सकता है. ब्रिटेन में सितंबर में पहली बार इसका पता चला था और ये वायरस के अन्य रूपों की जगह तेजी Source link

[sabkuchgyan]

भारत में कोरोना वायरस की स्थिति पर WHO की डॉ सौम्या स्वामीनाथन ने दी महत्वपूर्ण जानकारी

भारत में कोरोना वायरस की स्थिति पर WHO की डॉ सौम्या स्वामीनाथन ने दी महत्वपूर्ण जानकारी #WHO #CoronaUpdate

नई दिल्ली, 25 अगस्त: देश में कोरोना वायरस की दूसरी लहर आ गई है। एक संभावित तीसरी लहर की चेतावनी दी गई है। इस बीच भारत में कोरोना के हालात पर डब्ल्यूएचओ (विश्व स्वास्थ्य संगठन) ने टिप्पणी की है। विश्व स्वास्थ्य संगठन की मुख्य वैज्ञानिक डॉ सौम्या स्वामीनाथन (Dr. Soumya Swaminathan) ने कहा कि भारत में कोविड-19 महामारी के किसी चरण में प्रवेश कर रहा है। स्वामीनाथन ने आगे कहा कि जहां वायरस का प्रसार कम…

[thenewsfactsnow]

Dr. Soumya Swaminathan warning on Covid19 vaccines mix up trend

Dr. Soumya Swaminathan warning on Covid19 vaccines mix up trend #WHOScientist #WHO #COVID19 #COVIDVaccines #Covidvaccination

The World Health Organization’s (WHO’s) chief scientist Dr Soumya Swaminathan on Monday warned against mixing and matching of Covid-19 vaccines by different manufacturers for the first and second doses, calling it a “dangerous trend” and saying that there was a lack of data about the impact of the process. https://twitter.com/doctorsoumya/status/1414657053180809224 Covid vaccines cocktail is a…

[adminnewstrust24]

Good news: Bharat Biotech's indigenous covaxin will get WHO approval in 4-6 weeks, Chief Scientist announced

Good news: Bharat Biotech’s indigenous covaxin will get WHO approval in 4-6 weeks, Chief Scientist announced

There is good news about India’s only indigenous corona vaccine, Covaxin, because Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin is going to get WHO approval soon. WHO Chief Scientist Dr. Soumya Swaminathan said that Covaxin, the only indigenous vaccine so far in use in India by the World Health Organization, is likely to be approved for emergency use listing in the next four to six weeks. During a webinar regarding…

[allthebrazilianpolitics]

PAHO selects centers in Argentina, Brazil to develop COVID-19 mRNA vaccines

[Image description: monochromatically blue illustration of a covid-19 vaccine vial against a background of coronaviruses and a DNA helix.]

The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has announced the selection of two centers in Argentina and Brazil as regional hubs for the development and production of mRNA-based vaccines in Latin America in a bid to tackle COVID-19 and future infectious-disease challenges.

The Bio-Manguinhos Institute of Technology on Immunobiologicals at the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ) was selected as the center in Brazil. The institute has a long tradition in vaccine manufacturing and has made promising advances in the development of an innovative mRNA vaccine against COVID-19.

Sinergium Biotech, a private sector biopharmaceutical company, was selected as the center in Argentina. Sinergium will partner with pharmaceutical mAbxience, which belongs to the same group, to develop and manufacture active vaccine ingredients. The two companies have extensive experience in the production and development of vaccines and biotechnological medicines.

The announcement was made by Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, World Health Organization (WHO) Chief Scientist, and PAHO Assistant Director Dr Jarbas Barbosa during a side event on the margins of PAHO’s 59th Directing Council. The “Technology Transfer for the Production of mRNA Vaccines in the Americas” event brought together health ministers and authorities from countries in the region to discuss vaccine production.

“We congratulate the two selected centers,” Dr. Jarbas Barbosa said. “There is hard work ahead, but we are driven by the conviction that this endeavor will result in timely and equitable access to vaccines in our region, which continues to be the hardest hit by this pandemic.”

Continue reading.

[underthewingsofthblackeagle]

Omicron (V) - various reports

             The International Monetary Fund is warning that the new Omicron coronavirus variant is likely to delay the global economic recovery from the pandemic. The fund is expecting to downgrade its forecasts for world growth this year and next. That's even though the World Health Organization says it has no evidence yet of any deaths connected to Omicron. The new variant is spreading rapidly in many countries. South Africa in particular is seeing an alarming wave of infections. More young children are being hospitalized, and authorities are concerned that people who've already had COVID-19 are being reinfected. Healthcare workers in South Africa have their hands full since scientists there first detected the Omicron variant last week. And it's been found across South Africa. Just a quarter of the population has been fully vaccinated. But it is not clear yet how far the current vaccines protect against an infection with Omicron. South Africa's public health authorities warn that more children and young adults are being hospitalized with the coronavirus. Many countries have placed new restrictions on travelers from South Africa, and even shut borders. And the Scientists who alerted the world to the Omicron variant are facing a backlash at home. Face masks are mandatory, and there are limits on the number of people who can attend indoor and outdoor gatherings. But Omicron continues its invisible race across South Africa.

             The new Covid variant Omicron was present in the Netherlands earlier than previously thought, officials have said. It was identified in two test samples taken in the country between 19 and 23 November, which is before the variant was first reported by South Africa. It is not clear whether those who took the tests had visited southern Africa. Oxford University has said there is no evidence vaccines would not prevent severe disease, but earlier Moderna jolted markets when it said Covid jabs were unlikely to be as effective against Omicron.

             A top South African scientist says there has been a sharp rise in new cases in COVID-19 as the new variant omicron spreads across the country. But Dr Michelle Groome says more data is needed before any conclusions can be drawn about how infection and dangerous the variant is. So far omicron has been detected in over two dozen countries. It was first identified in Botswana and South Africa:  which has now been cut off from air travel by many nations. Here in Europe, the variant has been detected in at least thirteen countries, from Norway and Germany in the north, to Italy and Portugal in the south. Researchers say they will need 2 or 3 weeks to work out whether Omicron is more transmissible than the now-dominant Delta strain, resistant to vaccines, or causes more severe symptoms than previous coronavirus variants.

             THE World Health Organisation has said it expects to have more information on Omicron transmission 'within days', as the organisation calls for a 'balanced and proportionate approach' to tackling the variant. The WHO Director General, Doctor Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said blanket travel bans "will not prevent the international spread of Omicron", and also "place a heavy burden on lives and livelihoods", as he called on calm. Whether the variant is more transmissible or evades vaccines are some of the major questions that still need answering. Vaccine developers have said it will take about two weeks to assess whether their shots are effective against it. Van Kerkhove said one possible scenario was that the new variant, which was first reported in southern Africa, may be more transmissible than the dominant Delta variant. She said it was not yet known if Omicron makes people more ill. WHO chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan said the agency believes the existing COVID-19 vaccines will work against the variant.

             The new COVID-19 variant Omicron was first identified by researchers in South Africa. But they point out that doesn't necessarily mean it originated there. It is more an indication of the country's prowess when it comes to gene sequencing.

[toshootforthestars]

From the report by Beth Mole, posted 18 Aug 2021:

Just hours earlier on Wednesday, the World Health Organization held its own press briefing. Its experts minced no words on why they think the booster rollout is a bad idea.

"The reality is right now, today, if we think about this in terms of an analogy, we're planning to hand out extra life jackets to people who already have life jackets while we're leaving other people to drown without a single life jacket. That's the reality," Dr. Mike Ryan, executive director of the WHO's Health Emergencies Programme, said at the briefing. "The science is not certain on [boosters]," he added. "There are clearly more data to collect. But the fundamental, ethical reality is [that] we're handing out second life jackets while leaving millions and millions of people without anything to protect them."

The WHO's sharp criticism of the US plan is no surprise. Earlier this month, the United Nations agency called for a moratorium on booster shots until at least the end of September, which would provide more time to try to vaccinate at least 10 percent of every country worldwide. In making the announcement, WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus noted that high-income countries had administered 100 doses per 100 people, while low-income countries had only administered 1.5 doses per 100 people due to inequitable access to supplies.  But the argument for equal distribution of vaccines worldwide isn't merely a moral one; it's also in the best interest of public health globally. While the pandemic coronavirus is able to freely spread among unvaccinated people anywhere, it will have new opportunities in each infected person to mutate and generate more variants.

Currently, US officials are focused on the delta variant, which was first identified in India and is more than twice as contagious as the original strain of the pandemic coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2.

Delta can also escape some immune system defenses, knocking back the efficacy of vaccines. And there is also some data to suggest that it causes more severe disease in infected people.

Still, delta may not be the worst variant we encounter. There are plenty of opportunities for new SARS-CoV-2 variants to emerge. Health experts are particularly concerned about so-called "escape" variants that can evade all immune responses, rendering our current generation of vaccines ineffective. The CDC has a special designation for such a variant, called "variant of high consequence" or VOHC. So far, no SARS-CoV-2 VOHCs have been identified. (Delta is considered a VOC, or variant of concern.)

"We're talking about everyone in high-income countries getting a booster," WHO Chief Scientist Dr. Soumya Swaminathan said. "This is an impossible situation, and I'm afraid that this will only lead to more variants, more escape variants, and perhaps we are heading into more dire situations."

WHO Senior Advisor Dr. Bruce Aylward echoed the point. "What makes most sense is [to] get at least two doses into the unvaccinated before we get more doses into the well vaccinated."

Right now, vaccine supply is a "zero-sum game," he said.

(Dowdy) (Wells) (Amesh Adalja excerpt)