Active Covid cases in India cross 6,000-mark
New Delhi (PTI): India's active Covid case tally crossed the 6,000 mark with 769 new infections being reported in the last 48 hours, according to the Union health ministry data released on Sunday.
Kerala continues to be the most affected state, followed by Gujarat, West Bengal and Delhi, according to the ministry.
Due to the rising Covid cases, the Centre is conducting mock drills to check facility-level preparedness and has instructed all states to ensure availability of oxygen, isolation beds, ventilators, and essential medicines, official sources had said.
There are 6,133 active Covid cases in India, and six more deaths have been reported in the last 24 hours, the ministry said. Official sources have maintained that most cases are mild and managed under home care.
Since January this year, 65 deaths have been reported in the country. There were a total of 257 active patients in the country on May 22.
A series of technical review meetings were held on June 2 and 3 under the chairpersonship of Dr Sunita Sharma, Director General of Health Services, to evaluate the Covid situation and preparedness measures.
Representatives from the Disaster Management Cell, Emergency Management Response Cell, National Centre for Disease Control, Indian Council of Medical Research, Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme, central government hospitals in Delhi, and all states and Union Territories were part of the meeting.
Official sources on June 4 said state and district surveillance units under the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme are closely monitoring Influenza-Like Illness (ILI) and Severe Acute Respiratory Illness (SARI).
"Testing is recommended for all admitted SARI cases and 5 per cent of ILI cases as per guidelines, and positive SARI samples are sent for Whole Genome Sequencing through the ICMR VRDL network, " an official source said.
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UAE-based Indian doctor Shamsheer Vayalil announces Rs 6 crore aid for Air India crash victims
Dubai, Jun 17 (PTI): UAE-based Indian doctor and philanthropist Dr Shamsheer Vayalil has announced Rs 6 crore in financial aid for the families of medical students and doctors affected by the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad last week.
The ill-fated aircraft struck the BJ Medical College's Atulyam hostel complex during lunch hour, reducing student residences and the dining hall to rubble.
All but one of the 242 passengers and crew on board the Boeing 787-8(AI 171) and another 29 persons, including five MBBS students, on the ground were killed when the London-bound aircraft crashed, moments after it took off from the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport.
Announcing the relief from the UAE capital of Abu Dhabi, Dr Shamsheer, founder and chairman of Burjeel Holdings and managing director of VPS Health, said he was deeply shaken when he saw the aftermath of the crash.
As someone who had lived in similar hostels during his medical education at Kasturba Medical College in Mangalore and Sri Ramachandra Medical College in Chennai, the images struck a chord, he said.
“I saw the footage from the mess and the hostel, and it truly shook me. It reminded me of the places I once called home, the corridors, the beds, the laughter, the pressure of exams, and the anticipation of a call from family,” he said.
“No one expects a commercial aircraft to come crashing into that world,” he added.
“Those students started the day thinking about lectures, assignments, and patients. Their lives ended in a way none of us could ever imagine. It hit close. Too close,” he said.
Dr Shamsheer’s relief package includes Rs 1 crore for each of the four deceased students’ families, Rs 20 lakh each for five seriously injured students, and Rs 20 lakh each for the families of doctors who lost loved ones.
The financial assistance will be delivered in coordination with the Junior Doctors’ Association at BJ Medical College, ensuring that those in need receive support swiftly.
This is not the first time Dr Shamsheer has responded to such a crisis. In 2010, following the Mangalore air crash, he provided financial assistance and employment opportunities to affected families at Burjeel Holdings, a leading healthcare provider in the Middle East.
