Centre releases Rs 6,195 crore to 14 states to fight coronavirus crisis

This would provide them additional resources during the coronavirus crisis, the finance ministry said

The government on Monday released Rs 6,195.08 crore to 14 states as the second equated monthly instalment of the Post Devolution Revenue Deficit Grant as recommended by the Finance Commission. “This would provide them additional resources during the coronavirus crisis,” the Finance Ministry said in a statement.

Giving a break up of the amount to be given as to cover deficit on post-devolution revenue account in 2020-21 as recommended by the 15th Finance Commission on a monthly proportionate basis to 14 state governments in May, the Ministry said, “Rs 49,141.66 for Andhra Pradesh, Rs 63,158.33 for Assam, Rs 95,258.33 for Himachal Pradesh, Rs 12,7691.66 for Kerala, Rs 23,533.33 for Manipur, Rs 4,091.66 for Meghalaya, Rs 11,850 for Mizoram, Rs 32,621.66 for Nagaland, Rs 63,825 for Punjab, Rs 33,541.66 for Tamil Nadu, Rs 26,966.66 for Tripura, Rs 42,300 for Uttarakhand, Rs 41,775 for West Bengal and Rs 3,733.33 for Sikkim…Read More

Covid-19 Factoid: US has more coronavirus cases than the next four combined

The Covid-19 crisis is taking a heavy toll on the US, with 40% of its closed cases being deaths; Russia is seeing a sharp spike in cases, and are the Indian states of Maharashtra, Delhi and Rajasthan

The global tally of coronavirus infections has now breached the two-million mark. Of the total confirmed cases, a little over half a million have recovered. The United States still has the highest number both for confirmed cases and deaths due to Covid-19. India’s tally of confirmed cases is about to reach 12,000, and fatalities stand at 394.

Here are a few data trends to help you understand the present coronavirus pandemic situation:

1. Cases in US exceed 600,000, more than those in the next four countries combined

Exponential growth in new cases since late March has pushed the US’ tally of infections to over 600,000. This is more than the combined total of confirmed cases in Italy, Spain, France, and Germany – the next four most affected countries. The number of cases in New York state alone is more than 200,000, which is higher than the individual total for any of the next four worst-affected countries.

2. No respite for Russia yet:  ussia is witnessing a worrying trend – more than 2,000 new cases each for three days straight.There has been a sharp spike in number of confirmed Covid-19 cases in that country since the beginning of this month. At present, it has 24,490 confirmed coronavirus cases, and fatalities stand at 198..Read More

International coronavirus dispatch: Trump warns of ‘toughest’ weeks ahead

From US President Donald Trump warning about the toughest weeks ahead, to Greece quarantining its second migrant camp, and the UAE is ramping up its stimulus, read these and more in today’s dispatch

US President Donald Trump started his briefing on Saturday by stating, “there will be a lot of death, unfortunately”. The number of people infected in the US has exceeded 300,000, with the death toll going past 8,400 — more than 3,500 of those in the state of New York alone. Meanwhile, there has been growing evidence that Italy’s official death toll vastly understates the real total figures, because of the number of people who are dying at home. Here is a round-up of important coronavirus pandemic reports from across the globe.

Let’s look at the global statistics:

Total confirmed cases: 1,216,422

Change over the previous day: 77,215

Total deaths: 65,711

Total recovered: 252,538

Nations hit with most cases: US (312,245), Spain (130,759), Italy (124,632), Germany (96,108), and France (90,853). (Source: Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Research Center)

Trump says ‘toughest’ weeks ahead as coronavirus spreads: US President Donald Trump warned that the country could be headed into its ‘toughest’ weeks yet as the coronavirus death toll mounted, but at the same time he expressed growing impatience with social distancing guidelines and said he was eager to get the country reopened and its stalled economy back on track. Read more here.

Coronavirus: Traditional Chinese medicines and the Ayurveda connection

With life-threatening side-effects of conventional drugs, doctors in China used traditional medicines on patients

Business Standard had earlier reported how the Chinese tackled the first wave of coronavirus pandemic in the country through hospital isolation techniques, patient management and regulating professional and personal behaviour of medical personnel. But little is known about the drugs the Chinese deployed on patients which led to recoveries in many cases and extensive organ damage in others.

A report prepared by the Jack Ma Foundation based on notes prepared by frontline Chinese medical personnel throws light on the medication used on coronavirus patients and their consequences. The report also has extensive details of traditional Chinese medicine prescribed for various stages of the disease in an infected person.

The Chinese found that more than half the coronavirus-infected patients who were given a dose of the HIV drug lopinavir/ritonavir combined with the flu drug arbidol displayed signs of “abnormal liver function”. The HIV drug was one of the first drugs touted for treatment in the initial phase of the pandemic in India by the country’s health ministry. Administering lopanivir/ritonavir was also tied to diarrhoea, jaundice and abnormal rise of cholesterol levels in the blood among other consequences in coronavirus patients.

Combined with lopanivir, arbidol was found to further enhance the chances of jaundice. Chinese doctors stopped the use of this drug combination whenever the heart rate dropped below normal levels of 60 beats per minute. They recommended that using lopanivir/ritonavir with heart attack prevention drugs like statins, organ transplant facilitating drugs like immunosuppressants, schizophrenia drugs and other medications could lead to sudden cardiac death, severe coma and the death of muscle fibres which release a chemical into the blood, causing kidney failure. Such combinations were prohibited.

India coronavirus dispatch: Why we must prepare for the long haul

From a proposal for future lockdowns, to mapping of coronavirus hotspots, and how the civil society can aid government response to Covid-19 – read these and more in today’s India dispatch

Here is a roundup of articles from news publications in India on how the country is dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic — from a proposal for future lockdowns, to mapping of coronavirus hotspots, and how the civil society could aid government response to Covid-19.

Expert Speak

How Covid-19 will hit India: Why is India at such a grave risk from the coronavirus? What are the different ways in which the rural and urban India are likely to be affected? And what has the disease laid bare about the long-term consequences of insufficient health systems? Read this interview with epidemiologist and economist Ramanan Laxminarayan, who directs the Center for Disease Dynamics, Economics, and Policy in Washington, DC.

Citizens Under Lockdown

Lockdown causing further shortage at blood banks: The situation at blood banks has worsened during the lockdown, with hospitals making do with fewer employees, and fewer donors coming forward due to restrictions on people’s movement and the fear of contracting Covid-19 at a hospital or clinic. Read more on how hospitals and patients are managing this crisis. Exodus shows essential role migrants play in functioning of Indian cities: Most migrant workers live in cramped rented rooms or must sleep on the footpath, lack documents to access benefits such as rations in the city, do not have family members in the city, and have little savings to draw upon. Read this interview with Tariq Thachil, associate professor at Vanderbilt University, on India’s migrant labourer during a lockdown…Keep Reading