Category: Covid-19

Covid-19 JN.1 news highlights: India reported a total of 109 JN.1 COVID variant cases in the country as of December 26, Health Ministry sources have said. As many as 36 cases were reported from Gujarat, 34 from Karnataka, 14 from Goa, 9 from Maharashtra, 6 from Kerala, 4 from Rajasthan, 4 from Tamil Nadu and 2 from Telangana, the sources updated.

Covid-19 LIVE updates

On Wednesday, India recorded 529 fresh COVID-19 cases in a single day, while the country's active infection count stood at 4,093. Three new fatalities -- two from Karnataka and one from Gujarat -- were reported in 24 hours, according to the ministry's data updated at 8 am. The number of daily cases had dropped to double-digits till December 5, but infections have again gone up after the emergence of a new variant and cold weather conditions.

Meanwhile, The World Health Organization (WHO) has classified JN.1 as a variant of interest, distinct from its parent lineage BA.2.86. However, the global health body emphasised that the overall risk posed by JN.1 remains low based on current evidence.

Catch all the LIVE Updates on Covid, JN.1 variant here

Covid-19 JN.1 news LIVE: There has been a consistent increase in the number of coronavirus cases over the last few weeks and nine states and Union territories have so far detected the presence of JN.1 sub-variant of the virus.

Accoridng to Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG), Kerala has reported 78 cases of new variant, Gujarat has reported 34, Goa has reported 18, Karnataka has reported 8, Maharashtra (seven), Rajasthan (five), Tamil Nadu (four), Telangana (two) and Delhi (one).

Covid-19 JN.1 news LIVE: Amid rising cases of coronavirus across India, cases in Gujarat are not alarming as 22 of the 36 patients infected with sub-variant JN.1 so far have already recovered during home isolation, said the states health minister Rushikesh Patel on Thursday.

Addressing a press conference in Gandhinagar, Patel said Gujarat currently has 66 active cases of Covid-19, including 47 in Ahmedabad, 10 in Rajkot, 4 in Gandhinagar, and one each in Dahod, Gir Somnath, Kutch, Morbi and Sabarkantha districts.

Covid-19 JN.1 news LIVE: Amid rising Covid-19 cases, Delhi Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj on Thursday visited the Lok Nayak Jai Prakash (LNJP) hospital on Thursday to take stock of preparedness for Covid-19.

The arrangement for RT-PCR testing have been made outside the hospital and there are modern equipment at the health facility. Bharadwaj also said that no Covid patient is admitted in the hospital currently.

"Following the oxygen shortage that was seen during the Covid wave in Delhi and across the country, the hospital now has piped oxygen supply through a centralised system," he said.

Covid-19 JN.1 news LIVE: Amid rising cases of Covid-19 virus, Delhi reported two fresh cases on Thursday. The reports of the two positive cases have been sent for genome sequencing to confirm, wether they are caused by the new subvariant or not, said the Medical Superintendent of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) hospital.

"We have increased the number of tests. Yesterday, we performed 636 tests in private and government hospitals combined. Three genome sequencing results were received yesterday, out of which two were old Omicron variants and one was JN.1," said Delhi Health Minister Saurabh Bhardwaj.

A total of 157 cases of COVID-19 sub-variant JN.1 have been detected in the country, with Kerala reporting the highest number of 78, followed by Gujarat at 34, according to the INSACOG's data updated on Thursday.

Several states have been reporting an uptick in the number of Covid cases over the last few weeks and nine states and Union territories have so far detected the presence of the JN.1 sub-variant of the virus.

These states are -- Kerala (78), Gujarat (34), Goa (18), Karnataka (eight), Maharashtra (seven), Rajasthan (five), Tamil Nadu (four), Telangana (two) and Delhi (one), according to the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG).

The total number of Covid-19 cases in Odisha has risen to eight after three fresh infections were detected, public health director Niranjan Mishra said on Thursday.

All the eight patients are currently in home isolation, he added.

Mishra reassured the public that there is no need to panic as no one has been hospitalized in the state thus far.

He said, "All districts have increased Covid-19 testing. On Wednesday, a total of 690 samples were tested, with three testing positive."

Citing national statistics, Mishra said 92 per cent of Covid patients are in home isolation, and only those with comorbidities are being admitted to hospitals.

Amid a surge in COVID-19 cases in the national capital, Lady Hardinge Hospital here has reserved 48 beds for the patients.

Apart from this, six ICU beds and a ward with 30 beds have also been reserved for Covid patients in the new building of Lady Hardinge Hospital.

Additionally, 12 beds have been reserved for paediatric patients in Kalawati Saran Children's Hospital, which comes under Lady Hardinge Medical College.

Recently, the Director of the hospital also held a meeting with all the stakeholders and information was taken regarding all the arrangements related to COVID-19.

Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) cadres took out a silent procession in Kancheepuram with candles in their hands and garlanded DMDK founder and actor Vijayakanth's portrait when it ended near the bus depot on Thursday.

Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) founder-leader and actor Vijayakanth passed away in Chennai, aged 71, after testing positive for COVID-19 on Thursday.

Actor Jr NTR took to X to pay tribute to the late actor Vijayakanth. He wrote,

"Saddened to learn about Vijayakanth Garu's passing. A true powerhouse in both cinema and politics. May his soul find eternal peace. My thoughts are with his family and friends."

Delhi Health Minister Saurabh Bhardwaj asserted that there are no new cases of JN.1 subvariant of COVID in Delhi at present after one patient infected with the virus was discharged on Thursday.

"We have increased the number of tests. Yesterday, we performed 636 tests in private and government hospitals combined. Three genome sequencing results were received yesterday, out of which two were old Omicron variants and one was JN.1," Minister Bhardwaj said.

Covid-19 JN.1 news LIVE: On JN.1 Covid-19 sub-variant, MoS Health Dr.Bharati Pravin Pawar said, "Minister Mansukh Mandaviya has held a meeting with all States on this. Testing and genome sequencing increased in states. Senior citizens should take precautions. There is no need to worry but precautions should be taken. We are monitoring the situation in Kerala where cases are high."

While speaking to ANI, Director, Public Health, Dr. Niranjan Mishra said, "We have increased surveillance on testing, yesterday 690 samples were tested out of them 378 were RT-PCR. Out of them, we detected 3 positive cases. This month for December, we have 8 active cases in our observation, all are in home isolation, not requiring hospitalisation."

Covid-19 JN.1 news LIVE: As per Karnataka Medical Education Minister Sharan Prakash Patil, " The cases are going up but the situation is not alarming. People need not worry. All medical colleges and district hospitals are directed to keep beds ready for any eventuality."

Covid-19 JN.1 news LIVE:Covid tests ramped up, 636 conducted on Wednesday: Delhi Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj to PTI

Covid-19 JN.1 news LIVE: India recorded 692 fresh cases of COVID-19 in the last 24 hours. The total active caseload increased by four, reaching 4,097, according to Union Health Ministry data.

As per official data, six deaths have been reported in the country in the last 24 hours - two in Maharashtra, and one each in Delhi, Karnataka, Kerala, and West Bengal.

With this, the total count of coronavirus cases in India since its outbreak in January 2020 has reached 4,50,10,944, with an increase of 702 cases in the last 24 hours. The total death toll due to COVID-19 cases in India has risen to 5,33,346, reflecting an increase of six deaths in the last 24 hours.

The total number of active Covid cases in Tamil Nadu was reported at 135, the Union Ministry of Health Affairs informed on Wednesday.

DMDK founder-leader Vijayakanth passed away in Chennai on Thursday. He was 71. Vijayakanths death was confirmed by officials of Miot Hospital

Yesteryear Tamil actor and DMDK founder Vijayakanth has been unwell for quite some time and his wife Premalatha took over the reins of the party days ago.

Covid-19 JN.1 news LIVE: The recent spike in active covid-19 cases in India could be due to other variants such as BA.2.86 and not just JN.1 variant, experts have said. "Based on whatever information we have, it appears that JN.1 can infect many at a time, more than other mutants. In India, the virus is present and with time it might pre-dominate. But having said that, other strains also tend to exist and can continue causing the infection," said Dr Raman R Gangakhedkar, epidemiologist, former ICMR scientist and member of the governments covid-19 task force.

Covid-19 JN.1 news LIVE: The Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has reportedly shut the Covid-19 withdrawal facility that allowed its subscribers to take out a part of their retirement savings as Covid advances, the Economic Times reported. While there is no official notification in this regard yet. Mint could not independently verify this development.

Covid-19 JN.1 news LIVE: Several life-saving drugs supplied to various government hospitals in Delhi have reportedly failed to pass quality tests. The list of medicines that have failed to match the mandatory quality standards includes steroids, anti-epilepsy medications, antibiotics, anti-hypertensive drugs, and even antacids.

Covid-19 JN.1 news LIVE: Wearing masks, not sending children with symptoms to schools, adhering to COVID appropriate behaviour like social distancing, seven days home isolation and leave for infected patients, are among the measures that have been decided by the Karnataka government's cabinet sub-committee on coronavirus, amid a spike in cases and detection of JN.1 infections in the state.

It has also decided to administer "precautionary vaccine" for the aged and those with comorbidities and to get 30,000 doses of Corbevax vaccine from the Centre for this purpose.

Covid-19 JN.1 news LIVE: Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge on Wednesday appealed to the disgruntled BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal to make the documents public related to the alleged 40,000 crore scam in Covid-19 management during the previous BJP government in the state.

The minister said Yatnal should at least hand over the details to the Justice John Michael Cunha Commission of Inquiry to probe into the coronavirus related irregularities.

Kharge, who is the son of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, suspected the involvement of the Central government in the Covid scam.

"Yatnal has said that if he is expelled from the BJP then he will release all the documents (related to Covid mismanagement). I appeal to him through the media to please make the documents public, keeping in mind the people of Karnataka and to safeguard their interest. Or at least share them with Justice John Michael Cunha Committee Commission of Inquiry," Kharge, who holds IT/BT and Rural Development and Panchayat Raj portfolios, told reporters.

Covid-19 JN.1 news LIVE: Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) Leader Vijayakanth tested positive for COVID. The party informed that Vijayakanth has been put on a ventilator due to breathing issue.

Covid-19 JN.1 news LIVE: A fifty-eight-year-old daily wager died of Covid-19 on Wednesday in a government hospital for chest diseases here.

Director of Health G Sriramulu told PTI that the worker had co-morbidities, including a cardiac problem. He was first admitted to the Government General Hospital here. As he was diagnosed with Covid pneumonia, he was later shifted to the hospital for chest diseases, where he died today.

Covid-19 JN.1 news LIVE: After the national capital reported its first case of JN.1 variant infection, Delhi Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj said that there is no need to panic and that it only causes mild sickness.

"JN.1 is a sub-variant of Omicron and is a mild infection. This is the one spreading in south India. There is no need to panic. It causes mild sickness," Bharadwaj said while speaking to ANI.

Earlier today, Delhi reported the first case of JN.1 variant infection.

"Delhi has reported the first case of JN.1, a Sub-Variant of Omicron. Out of the 3 samples sent for Genome Sequencing, one is JN.1 and the other two are Omicron," Saurabh Bharadwaj told ANI.

With new Covid sub-variant JN.1 fueling a sudden infection surge, former AIIMS director and senior pulmonologist, Dr Randeep Guleria noted though the new variant is spreading rapidly, it is not causing severe infections and hospitalisation. On the vaccine situation, he said that since the virus is changing, we need a new jab that covers a broader type of the virus. Read more here

Covid-19 JN.1 news LIVE: Two more Covid cases were detected in Gurugram on Wednesday, taking the total number of active cases to 10 while the authorities directed all hospitals to be on alert.

The directions come amid a scare over the new Covid sub-variant JN.1 which spreads rapidly but poses low risk. However, it has not been determined if the new cases in Gurugram belong to this sub-variant.

District Collector Nishant Kumar Yadav has asked all hospitals in Gurugram to expeditiously establish separate isolation wards exclusively for patients exhibiting Covid symptoms.

These wards should be equipped with necessary medical infrastructure, including isolation beds and oxygen facilities, to provide optimal care, according to the orders.

The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) of Delhi has issued guidelines for Covid-19 suspected or positive cases that will be reported at hospitals following the sudden surge in the cases of Coronavirus in the country.

- As per the policy on COVID-19 testing, directed by the management, testing will be done for patients with SARI (severe acute respiratory infection) like symptoms that include according to the WHO, acute respiratory infection, persistent fever or fever of >= 38 C with cough and onset within last 10 days.

-It further asked all the departments at the institution to make provisions in their respective designated wards to manage in-patients who have tested positive for COVID-19.

-"12 beds in the C6 ward will be earmarked for hospitalization of seriously ill COVID-19 patients," the memorandum said.

-It also said that a screening OPD in the Emergency Department will screen patients for COVID-like symptoms and triage them same based on the medical requirements.

-"Rooms no 1 to 12 in the new private ward are to be earmarked for hospitalization of COVID-19 positive EHS beneficiaries," it added.

Amid a surge in COVID-19 cases in the national capital, Lady Hardinge Hospital here has reserved 48 beds for the patients.

Apart from this, six ICU beds and a ward with 30 beds have also been reserved for Covid patients in the new building of Lady Hardinge Hospital.

Additionally, 12 beds have been reserved for paediatric patients in Kalawati Saran Children's Hospital, which comes under Lady Hardinge Medical College.

Recently, the Director of the hospital also held a meeting with all the stakeholders and information was taken regarding all the arrangements related to COVID-19.

Download the App to get 14 days of unlimited access to Mint Premium absolutely free!

Read more from the original source:

Covid-19 JN.1 highlights: 157 cases recorded in India, highest from Kerala - Mint

If youre feeling sick or just got over an illness, youre not alone. And if you have yet to come down with something this season take care.

The severity level of influenza, more commonly known as the flu, was upgraded to high this week by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, which reports disease indicators weekly on its website.

In addition to the flu, COVID-19 cases have been on a steady increase in the state, rising from just over 5,600 cases in the week ending on Dec. 16 to more than 6,000 cases in the week ending on Dec. 23 the most recent data available. That number has been steadily rising since the end of October, according to state data.

Wastewater surveillance, which was determined to be a good indicator of the level of COVID-19 infection in an area, also increased last week, rising to a statewide average concentration of more than 2 million copies of the virus for the first time in the second half of the year.

The most recent data covers a time before the Christmas holiday, when many families had indoor gatherings.

The data comes amid a lag in vaccination this season. Whereas more than 41% of people had received a flu shot by this point last year, less than 37% have gotten a flu shot this year, state data said.

For COVID-19, the number of people with a new vaccination is about 18%.

Hospitals have been responding to the increase in infectious disease by reinstating mask mandates. Signs on the walls of Baystate Medical Center in Springfield say masks are required at all times. This is a change from the guidelines in the fall when visitors were required to wear a mask in patients rooms and patient care areas. Masks were optional in common spaces such as cafeterias and corridors.

Masking policies at other Massachusetts hospitals are being updated, as well.

Influenza-like illnesses are at a high level across the state and are at a very high level in north shore, south shore, and Cape and Island communities, according to state data.

Acute respiratory diseases were the cause of 16.7% of emergency department visits in the state during the week of Dec. 17-23, including COVID-19, influenza and respiratory syncytial virus, known as RSV. That number decreased slightly from the previous week, where it was 17.3%.

While the overall number went down, the number of emergency department visits for influenza went up, from 2% to 2.7% of all visits.

Read more from the original source:

Feeling sick? Its not just you. COVID and flu on the rise in Mass. - MassLive.com

[AP]

The week before Christmas saw a sharp increase in cases of Covid-19, flu or flu-like symptoms and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) infections, the National Organization for Public Health (EODY) has said.

Between December 18 and 24, there was an increased spread of the SARS-CoV2 virus in the community, with hospital admissions increasing by 37%, a rise that was higher than the number of admissions in the same week of 2022.

There were also 62 deaths (with a median age of 83) from Covid-19 and 54 people were intubated in hospital.

There was an increase in flu infections, with three serious cases recorded, and RSV.

Due to the increased presence of coronavirus, EODY recommends that the public take extra precautions. It says all people over 60 and everyone with underlying health issues should be vaccinated with the latest, updated vaccines; face masks should be used in all hospitals, clinics, health centers, as well as any indoor spaces hosting-accommodating elderly people; and that everyone should be more careful with personal hygiene measures, including regularly washing ones hands and airing indoor spaces. [AMNA]

See the original post here:

Sharp increase in Covid-19 and flu in week before Christmas - Kathimerini English Edition

Six to 12 months after COVID-19 infection, very few children developed post-COVID-19 conditions (PCCs) as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO), a prospective Canadian study found.

At 6 months after being tested for SARS-CoV-2 in pediatric emergency departments (EDs), just 0.52% of children who tested positive had symptoms and changes in quality of life consistent with PCCs, as compared with 0.10% of those testing negative (P=0.02). At 12 months, these rates rose to 0.67% and 0.16%, respectively (P=0.02).

Overall, quality of life did not differ between the two groups, Stephen Freedman, MDCM, MSc, from Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute in Calgary, and colleagues reported in JAMA Network Open.

"Our team was surprised by the near identical findings regarding the frequency of the PCCs between study groups," Freedman told MedPage Today. "Although [PCCs] were slightly more common among children who were infected by SARS-CoV-2, the fact that quality of life did not differ speaks to the overall minimal impact that SARS-CoV-2 infection plays in leading to chronic symptoms in children."

"There's been a lot of speculation on how many kids have symptoms after COVID," Elizabeth Schlaudecker, MD, MPH, medical director of the division of infectious diseases at Cincinnati Children's Hospital, told MedPage Today. "I have to say that this [study] goes along with my clinical experience. In general, we do see a lot of kids who have symptoms after any virus, for example, influenza or the Epstein-Barr virus." She cautioned that clinicians shouldn't automatically think that chronic conditions arising after SARS-CoV-2 infection are long COVID.

The most commonly reported symptom at 12 months in children who had tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 were recurrent respiratory infections and congestion (88%). Systemic (38%) and neurologic (13%) symptoms were also observed.

Previous studies of PCCs in children have produced inconsistent results, the authors pointed out. For example, one study found an absolute increased risk of 1.6% for PCC at 90 days for children with SARS-CoV-2 seeking ED care when compared with matched SARS-CoV-2-negative controls, but a systematic review concluded that the risk for pediatric PCC could be as high as 25%.

One of the reasons could be that many studies have used broad, nonspecific definitions for PCC, the authors conjectured. In the current study, researchers used a strict definition of PCCs based on WHO criteria that included all of the following:

"In this particular article ... they're using this new World Health Organization definition, that is defining a pretty severe detriment and function, so I am not surprised that they found a low number in both groups of children," Schlaudecker commented.

Freedman said that "at a population level, we probably do not need to worry about chronic symptoms associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection in children."

"Our study highlights the need to focus more on strategies to prevent infection due to the acute impacts that infection can have on children and at-risk individuals that they come in contact with, such as the elderly or immunocompromised," he added.

The study included 1,152 children with SARS-CoV-2 positive tests and 3,995 with negative tests and 6-month follow-up data, and 1,192 with positive tests and 4,371 with negative tests and 12-month follow-up data.

Median age of children in the study was 2 years, and 53% were male. Approximately 6% had received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose. Among those testing positive, Omicron infections were most common (35%) during the study period (August 2020 to February 2022), followed by the wild-type strain (27%), Delta (22%), Alpha (16%), and a few cases of the Gamma variant.

Researchers pointed out study limitations, including that 30% of eligible study participants were lost to follow-up and that those who completed the study were more likely to be infected with the Omicron variant, which is less likely to be associated with PCCs. The study also relied on caregiver reporting of PCC symptomatology, which may not always be reliable.

Katherine Kahn is a staff writer at MedPage Today, covering the infectious diseases beat. She has been a medical writer for over 15 years.

Disclosures

The study was funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the Public Health Agency of Canada's Immunization Partnership Fund and their Emerging Issues Fund.

Freedman reported no ties to industry. A co-author disclosed support from Meridian Bioscience.

Schlaudecker reports no financial relationships relevant to the study.

Primary Source

JAMA Network Open

Source Reference: Dun-Dery F, et al "Post-COVID-19 condition in children 6 and 12 months after infection" JAMA Netw Open 2023; DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.49613.

Here is the original post:

Here's How Common Long COVID Is in Children - Medpage Today

India has reported a total of 145 cases of Covid-19 subvariant JN.1 till December 28, official sources said on Friday.

COMMERCIAL BREAK

SCROLL TO CONTINUE READING

"A total of 145 cases of JN.1 variant have been reported till December 28. These samples were collected between November 21 and December 18, 2023," official sources told ANI.

The highest number of JN.1 variant cases have been reported from Kerala. The state reported 41 cases of the JN.1 subvariant, the majority of which were home isolated, official sources said.

Ahead of the New Year, both the central and state governments are keeping a close watch on the new Omicron Subvariant JN.1.

As per the latest updates, India reported 797 new Covid-19 cases and the active cases tally stand at 4,000 in the last 24 hours.

JN.1 is a Variant of Interest (VOI) which is under intense scientific scrutiny. As of December 16, the World Health Organisation (WHO) reported 7,344 cases of Covid-19 JN.1 subvariant from 41 countries.

Meanwhile, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) of Delhi on Wednesday issued guidelines for Covid-19 suspected or positive cases that will be reported at hospitals following the sudden surge in the cases of Coronavirus in the country.

The AIIMS Delhi director held a meeting with all heads of departments of the hospital on COVID-19 contingency measures on Wednesday. In the meeting, policy on COVID-19 testing, the areas to be designated for positive patients and their hospitalisation was discussed.

As per the policy on COVID-19 testing, directed by the management, testing will be done for patients with SARI (severe acute respiratory infection) like symptoms that include according to the WHO, acute respiratory infection, persistent fever or fever of >= 38 C with cough and onset within last 10 days.

See the rest here:

Covid-19 Update: India reported 145 cases of Covid-19 JN.1 subvariant till December 28 - Zee Business

BALTIMORE, Maryland (WBAL) -- The Department of Justice seized more than $1 million from a COVID-19 test company, alleging the company defrauded Medicare of at least $43 million, including some victims from Maryland, court documents obtained by 11 News Investigates show.

In May, the first two Maryland residents reached out to 11 News Investigates, saying their Medicare account numbers were charged for unwanted COVID-19 tests. More than 280 residents have contacted 11 News Investigates as of this week, saying the same thing happened to them.

The DOJ and FBI are now getting involved, pursuing one of the companies that charged Maryland residents without their permission.

Marilyn Manger and her husband said they requested the first shipment of COVID-19 tests, but as the months passed, the shipments of tests kept coming.

"Then, I saw your piece on WBAL news about the test fraud, and that made me suspicious as to maybe this is what had happened," Manger said.

Her invoice confirmed it. Her Medicare account number was charged for COVID-19 tests she never requested. When she reported the issue in early August, Medicare allowed her to change her account number. One of the companies that had charged her was SK Diagnostics Inc.

"I know the WBAL investigative team, and I know that you guys keep digging, but you just still don't think anything's going to happen," Manger said.

Earlier this month, a complaint filed in Illinois court revealed the DOJ and FBI seized a bank account belonging to SK Diagnostics containing more than $1.5 million. The complaint details much more, including allegations that the company committed health care fraud amounting to at least $43 million and submitted 471 claims to Medicare for people who died.

Manger was one of the 25,000 people who reported SK Diagnostics to Medicare in early August. She said it was tempting to sit back and do nothing.

"But I didn't, and I was just excited that I was that citizen that said, 'Oh, no, we're not going to do that," Manger said.

According to the federal complaint, law enforcement interviewed SK Diagnostics' president on June 27, and then later that day, the man bought a ticket to India and left the same day.

"It doesn't necessarily surprise me. I think that that's how these scams work. 'We'll stay as long as we can. Somebody gets close, we bail out," Manger said. "Because it's easy money, and it's all about let's make money without having to do the work and do it on the backs of those of us who worked our whole lives."

"I saw your piece on WBAL news about the test fraud, and that made me suspicious."

On Tuesday, 11 News Investigates reported about a different Illinois company that federal authorities charged on accusations the company defrauded Medicare for $31 million. Now, federal officials are trying to recoup at least $43 million with $1.5 million already seized.

In the long run, Manger told 11 News Investigates that these examples of large-scale fraud will impact Social Security and Medicare coverage for future generations.

"We all lose somewhere along the line, probably not in my lifetime, but maybe my grandchildren's lifetime," Manger said.

Roughly two weeks after Manger reported SK Diagnostics for fraud, Medicare revoked the company's ability to participate in the COVID-19 test program and suspended the company for three years.

Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

Originally posted here:

DOJ seizes $1M from COVID-19 test company on Medicare fraud allegations tied to Maryland - KAKE

New Delhi: A total of 162 cases of COVID-19 sub-variant JN.1 have been detected in the country, with Kerala reporting the highest number of 83, followed by Gujarat 34, according to the INSACOGs data updated on Friday (December 29).The INSACOGs data showed 145 Covid cases recorded in the country in December had the presence of JN.1, while 17 such cases were detected in November.

India has logged 797 new cases of COVID-19 on Friday (December 29), the highest since May. The country had recorded 865 new cases on May 19. The number of active cases of the infections have been recorded at 4,091, the health ministry said. Five new fatalities due to Covid have been reported the past 24 hours: two from Kerala and one each from Maharashtra, Puducherry and Tamil Nadu, according to the ministrys data updated at 8 am.

Several states have been reporting an uptick in the number of Covid cases over the last few weeks and nine states and Union territories have so far detected the presence of the JN.1 sub-variant of the virus. These states are Kerala (83), Gujarat (34), Goa (18), Karnataka (eight), Maharashtra (seven), Rajasthan (five), Tamil Nadu (four), Telangana (two) and Delhi (one), according to the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG). Heres a look at the cases reported from several states.

Karnataka

Karnataka on Friday (December 29) reported 173 fresh cases of Covid-19 and two coronavirus related deaths in the last 24 hours. This takes the total number of active cases in the state to 702, the health bulletin said. With this, the total number of Covid-19 related deaths in the state after the recent spike in cases is more than 10, they said.

According to the bulletin issued by the health department, in the last 24 hours, 37 patients have been discharged, total 8,349 tests have been conducted including 6,400 RTPCR and 1,949 Rapid Antigen tests. Positivity rate stands at 2.07 per cent while case fatality rate was 1.15 per cent.

Maximum number of tests were conducted in Bengaluru. Out of the 2,616 tests conducted, 82 have been found positive for the virus, which is the highest as compared to other districts of the state.

As on Friday (December 29), the total active cases reported in the state stands at 702. Out of these, 649 people are in home isolation while the remaining 53 are hospitalised, it added.

Amid a spike in cases and detection of JN.1 infections in the state, the Karnataka governments cabinet sub-committee on coronavirus advised people to wear masks, not send children with symptoms to schools, adhere to COVID appropriate behaviour like social distancing, seven days home isolation and leave for infected patients.

It has also decided to administer precautionary vaccine for the aged and those with comorbidities and to get 30,000 doses of Corbevax vaccine from the Centre for this purpose.

Kerala

The highest number of JN.1 variant cases have been reported from Kerala. The state reported 41 cases of the JN.1 subvariant, the majority of which were home isolated, official sources said. Official sources told ANI,

A total of 145 cases of JN.1 variant have been reported till December 28. These samples were collected between November 21 and December 18, 2023.

Delhi

As Delhi gears up to ring in the New Year amid fear of the new Covid sub-variant JN.1, experts advised people with comorbidities and the elderly to avoid crowded places and wear masks while asserting there was no need to put in place public health measures right now. According to the Union Health Ministry data, there are 45 active Covid cases in Delhi. So far, the national capital has reported one case of the JN.1 variant. Amid the rise in cases, experts advised people not to panic and stressed that viral respiratory illnesses usually see a spike during winter months and the pollution season. Dr Sumit Ray, medical director and critical care head at Holy Family Hospital, said,

We are seeing more influenza cases and H1N1 patients where there is serious lung involvement. The Covid cases that we have seen at our hospital are those where the finding of the infection has been incidental.Those who were admitted with Covid infection were primarily those who had chronic lung or kidney disease.

The hospital has had 11 Covid patients in December but no fatalities have been reported at the facility.

Dr Jugal Kishore, Director, Professor and Head of the Department of Community Medicine, Safdarjung Hospital, said that JN.1 is a sub-variant of Omicron.

In comorbid people, any infection is an igniting factor for existing problems. Those people who have comorbidities should wear masks when they step out of the house. But for healthy people, I would not advise it. Forceful respiration if you do not have any underlying health issues can lead to severe problems. Those who have respiratory infection should wear masks to avoid spreading it.

LNJP Hospitals Medical Director Dr Suresh Kumar also said there was no reason to panic. He said,

This (JN.1) is a sub-variant of Omicron. The symptoms are mild and rarely do people get a severe infection. However, those who have diabetes, a liver-related disease or are on dialysis should get themselves tested if they show symptoms. If you are immunocompromised, you should wear a mask while visiting crowded places or hospitals. Opt for a balanced diet, including fruits.

The national capital reported two new cases of coronavirus on Thursday (December 28) and reports of both the infected patients were sent for genome sequencing to confirm whether they were instances of sub-variant, JN.1.

Dr Sanjeev Lalwani, Medical Superintendent of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) told ANI that adequate arrangements have been made in case any kind of emergency arises. Dr Lalwani said,

Yesterday, we had two Covid-19 patients. We have made adequate arrangements in case of an emergency. We have all testing facilities. Under my department of Microbiology, we have started a screening facility and emergency simultaneously and we have arranged for 12 beds in a new private ward.

Dr Lalwani said,

As the number of positive cases is increasing, we will scale up the facilities including the number of beds. We have asked all the departments, particularly the clinical departments, that in case someone with Covid-related symptoms is coming to their wards, they will be treated in isolation within the same ward itself.

He said,

We have also made adequate arrangements for medications, PPE Kits and other items which are required to manage the COVID patients. We are keeping a watch on the situation daily. As of now, we have a very limited number of cases. We will be strengthening our system as soon as more cases are reported. But as of now, the situation is not alarming. We will instruct our employees to follow the guidelines properly.

Also Read: COVID-19 Updates:157 Cases Of Sub-variant JN.1 Detected In India; Highest From Kerala, Gujarat: INSACOG

Amid the rise in COVID-19 cases due to the JN.1 sub-variant in various states, after AIIMS, Safdarjung Hospital, Delhi, has also reserved beds for patients and made other arrangements including oxygen and testing.

The hospital administration has reserved 50 beds for isolations, and 9 ICU beds. Apart from this, complete arrangements have also been made in the hospital regarding oxygen, PPE kits, and COVID testing.

Senior pulmonologist and former Safdarjung Hospital HOD, Dr Neeraj Gupta, said,

JN.1 is a variant of Omicron. It is a very mild virus. The only advantage this virus has because of this mutation is that it crosses our immune barriers and is able to infect us with a normal infection. Like any viral infection, this is also mild; it is not of a very severe nature, and we are not expecting any admissions or higher admission rates.

He further said that normally, patients with comorbidities or any severe condition that decreases the immune system are going to have more morbidity, which may lead to mortality. Dr Gupta said,

We had one patient of Covid, which was rapid antigen positive when the patient got admitted, and now the patient is negative, so we dont really know whether its genuine or not, but we are testing all the patients who are suspected of Covid-like symptoms, and still now we have not detected any.

He said they have not detected any positive case till now, but are ready with all the kits, and have all the arrangements for treatment of any COVID patients, including isolation beds. He added,

We have about 50 beds for isolation and 9 ICU beds, which are ready for all the deployments. There are also adequate PPE kits or medicines available, including oxygen. And if any eventuality comes in, we are ready for it but I do not really anticipate any such rush because, in time, Omicron also did not get so many admissions.

He further said,

I will want people to beware. Take all the precautions, including avoiding any exposure to excessive cold. Try to remain healthy and exercise when the Sun comes out. Take a nutritious diet and exercise all Covid-appropriate behaviour, like wearing masks in public, and this will also prevent them from many pollution-related issues.

Also Read: COVID-19 Updates: States Report Rise In Cases; Delhi Reports First Case Of JN.1

Meanwhile, Delhis Health Minister, Saurabh Bharadwaj, visited Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital on Thursday (December 28) to assess the preparedness for COVID-19. The hospital has reserved 20 beds for COVID-19 patients, but there hasnt been a confirmed case in the hospital yet. Separate help desks have been set up for COVID-19 patients, along with a dedicated testing centre in the hospital. Immediate treatment will be given upon confirmation of Covid. Directives have been issued to maintain readiness in all Delhi government hospitals. The Delhi Health Minister is continuously monitoring the situation. Mr Saurabh Bharadwaj said,

Currently, the entire ward is empty as there have not been any confirmed case of a COVID patient in the hospital yet. However, continuous screening of patients with COVID-related symptoms is ongoing. As soon as any COVID-related patient is confirmed, they will be immediately admitted, and treatment will commence. Almost all preparations in the hospital have been completed, and further preparations will be made as per the evolving situation.

The Health Minister, during his briefing, mentioned that directives have been issued to all hospitals under the Delhi government to maintain all preparations for dealing with COVID-19. He added,

Although there isnt any situation causing panic in Delhi presently, it doesnt mean that hospital administrations should be lax. All hospitals must remain prepared to deal with COVID.

Jammu & Kashmir

Jammu has recorded its first COVID-19 case in a long time and the patient, who has mild symptoms, has been kept in home isolation, a senior doctor in Jammu and Kashmir said on Thursday (December 28). However, he asserted that there is no need to panic as measures are in place to meet any challenge.

Government Medical College Hospital (Jammu) Principal Ashutosh Gupta said this was the first case detected in the city after a long time and the patients sample has been sent for genome sequencing to determine if it was caused by the new JN.1 sub-variant. He said the patient has no history of travel but came in contact with someone who had returned from abroad a few days ago. Dr Gupta said,

He is being kept in home isolation and is doing fine. There is no need to panic as adequate measures are already in place to meet any challenge.

Officials said the Health Department has already begun a drive to trace the patients contacts.

West Bengal

West Bengal on Thursday (December 28) registered the death of a COVID-positive patient after over nine months, a health official said. The patient, who had tested positive for the coronavirus, had multiple comorbidities, he said. The official told PTI,

This person was admitted to a private hospital in Kolkata. He died after suffering a cardiac arrest.

The state had recorded the last COVID death on March 26.

Also Read: Tamil Nadus DMDK Partys Captain Vijayakanth Loses Battle With COVID-19

As per directions of the Union Health Ministry, representatives of the state health department collected the swab samples of the person and sent those for genome sequencing, he said.

The total number of active cases in the state stood at 11, while three people were discharged from hospitals after they recovered from the disease.

Odisha

Five persons tested positive for COVID-19 in Odisha in the past 24 hours taking the total number of cases in the state reported this month so far to 13, a health department official said on Friday (December 29). About 500 samples were tested out of which five were found to be positive since Thursday (December 28). All the patients have reported mild symptoms and are in home isolation, state public heath director Niranjan Mishra said, adding

We have not imposed any restrictions on the people. However, the people, especially the elderly and those having comorbidities should be cautious and take precautionary measures like wearing masks and use sanitisers while stepping out of their homes.

Mr Mishra also advised the people who have cold and cough to isolate themselves at their homes and wear masks.

Manipur

Manipur reported a fresh case of COVID-19 after a prolonged period without new infections. The infected individual, who hails from Paomata in Senapati district, had travelled from Delhi to Dimapur by air and subsequently from Dimapur to Senapati by road. The exact virus variant remains undetermined, as samples have been sent for genome sequencing to ascertain more details.

Authorities are closely monitoring the situation to prevent any potential spread of the virus.

NDTV Dettol have been working towards a clean and healthy India since 2014 via the Banega Swachh India initiative, which in its Season 10 is helmed by Campaign Ambassador Ayushmann Khurrana. The campaign aims to highlight the inter-dependency of humans and the environment, and of humans on one another with the focus on One Health, One Planet, One Future Leaving No One Behind. It stresses on the need to take care of, and consider, everyones health in India especially vulnerable communities the LGBTQ population,indigenous people, Indias different tribes, ethnic and linguistic minorities, people with disabilities, migrants, geographically remote populations, gender and sexual minorities. In a world postCOVID-19 pandemic, the need for WASH (Water,SanitationandHygiene) is reaffirmed as handwashing is one of the ways to prevent Coronavirus infection and other diseases. The campaign will continue to raise awareness on the same along with focussing on the importance of nutrition and healthcare for women and children, fightmalnutrition, mental well-being, self-care, science and health,adolescent health & gender awareness. Along with the health of people, the campaign has realised the need to also take care of the health of the eco-system. Our environment is fragile due to human activity, which is not only over-exploiting available resources, but also generating immense pollution as a result of using and extracting those resources. The imbalance has also led to immense biodiversity loss that has caused one of the biggest threats to human survival climate change. It has now been described as a code red for humanity. The campaign will continue to cover issues likeair pollution,waste management,plastic ban,manual scavengingand sanitation workers andmenstrual hygiene. Banega Swasth India will also be taking forward the dream of Swasth Bharat, the campaign feels that only a Swachh or clean India wheretoiletsare used andopen defecation free (ODF)status achieved as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launched byPrime Minister Narendra Modiin 2014, can eradicate diseases like diahorrea and the country can become a Swasth or healthy India.

Excerpt from:

COVID-19 Updates: 162 Cases Of Sub-variant JN.1 Detected In India; Highest From Kerala, Gujarat: INSACOG - Swachh India NDTV

Specialty

Please choose I'm not a medical professional. Allergy and Immunology Anatomy Anesthesiology Cardiac/Thoracic/Vascular Surgery Cardiology Critical Care Dentistry Dermatology Diabetes and Endocrinology Emergency Medicine Epidemiology and Public Health Family Medicine Forensic Medicine Gastroenterology General Practice Genetics Geriatrics Health Policy Hematology HIV/AIDS Hospital-based Medicine I'm not a medical professional. Infectious Disease Integrative/Complementary Medicine Internal Medicine Internal Medicine-Pediatrics Medical Education and Simulation Medical Physics Medical Student Nephrology Neurological Surgery Neurology Nuclear Medicine Nutrition Obstetrics and Gynecology Occupational Health Oncology Ophthalmology Optometry Oral Medicine Orthopaedics Osteopathic Medicine Otolaryngology Pain Management Palliative Care Pathology Pediatrics Pediatric Surgery Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Plastic Surgery Podiatry Preventive Medicine Psychiatry Psychology Pulmonology Radiation Oncology Radiology Rheumatology Substance Use and Addiction Surgery Therapeutics Trauma Urology Miscellaneous

Link:

The Impact COVID-19 Infection on Cancer Patients: A Tertiary Cancer Center Experience in Jordan - Cureus

Watch CBS News

The City of Chicago spent more than it planned to care for asylum seekers and had to dip into federal COVID-19 funds. With just a few days left in the year, Mayor Brandon Johnson also said the city is running out of room to house people. CBS 2's Sabrina Franza had the latest on Chicago's response to the migrant crisis.

Be the first to know

Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.

See original here:

Chicago uses $95 million in COVID-19 pandemic aid to staff migrant shelters - CBS News

COVID-19 hospitalizations up in Western PA, 17% in Allegheny County, 60% in Mercer

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lists 30,000 new COVID-19 hospitalizations in the United States in a week's time, and 1,300 of those cases were from Pennsylvania.

Updated: 6:23 PM EST Dec 29, 2023

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lists 30,000 new COVID-19 hospitalizations in the United States in a week's time, and 1,300 of those cases were from Pennsylvania. In Allegheny County, the CDC reports that cases for the week ending Dec. 23 were up 17%, and in Mercer County, COVID-19 hospitalizations increased 60%."It is still making people very sick, especially, and this is anecdotal, but I found that people who have never have somehow so far missed getting COVID and they get this one, they may not be hospitalization level of illness, but they still feel pretty bad. And so it can still, you know, knock you out for a couple of for several days," Allegheny Health Network's Dr. Amy Crawford Faucher said.Faucher said she expects the numbers to rise after New Year's Eve gatherings.Track CDC COVID-19 cases by county

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lists 30,000 new COVID-19 hospitalizations in the United States in a week's time, and 1,300 of those cases were from Pennsylvania.

In Allegheny County, the CDC reports that cases for the week ending Dec. 23 were up 17%, and in Mercer County, COVID-19 hospitalizations increased 60%.

"It is still making people very sick, especially, and this is anecdotal, but I found that people who have never have somehow so far missed getting COVID and they get this one, they may not be hospitalization level of illness, but they still feel pretty bad. And so it can still, you know, knock you out for a couple of for several days," Allegheny Health Network's Dr. Amy Crawford Faucher said.

Faucher said she expects the numbers to rise after New Year's Eve gatherings.

Track CDC COVID-19 cases by county

Read the original here:

COVID-19 hospitalizations up in Western PA, 17% in Allegheny County, 60% in Mercer - WTAE Pittsburgh