Mumbai: Two individuals attempted self-immolation in separate incidents in Maharashtra's Beed and Dhule districts on Sunday during Republic Day celebrations. The incidents, aimed at protesting against different grievances, occurred in the presence of state ministers but were averted by the timely intervention of authorities.
In Beed, Nitin Mujmule attempted to set himself ablaze in front of Minister Dattatray Bharne’s convoy near the government rest house. Mujmule was protesting against alleged irregularities in Beed Municipality and demanded the removal of Chief Executive Officer Nita Andhare. The police foiled his attempt as the convoy neared Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Bhavan.
Meanwhile, in Dhule, Vavdya Patil tried to immolate himself during a flag-hoisting ceremony attended by Guardian Minister Jayakumar Rawal. Patil was protesting alleged police inaction against illegal cattle transportation from Shirpur’s cowsheds. The authorities acted swiftly to prevent any harm.
The police confirmed that both individuals were detained following their actions and later released after counselling.
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London (PTI): At least two Indian nationals are part of the crew of the Dutch vessel MV Hondius which reported a hantavirus outbreak with five confirmed cases and three deaths so far, according to the BBC.
The luxury cruise ship, operated by Oceanwide Expeditions, began its journey on April 1 from Argentina’s Ushuaia and is expected to arrive in Spain’s Canary Islands on May 10.
About 150 passengers and crew from 28 countries were initially aboard the luxury cruise, but dozens disembarked on the island of St Helena on April 24, according to the report.
Of the 28 nationalities onboard, 38 are from the Philippines, 31 from the UK, 23 from the US, 16 from the Netherlands, 14 from Spain, nine from Germany, six from Canada, and two crew members from India, among others, the BBC reported.
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The World Health Organization said on Thursday that five of the eight suspected hantavirus cases had been confirmed.
A 69-year-old Dutch woman, confirmed to have the virus, has died; her Dutch husband and a German woman were also among the fatalities. Their cases are being investigated.
The UN health agency has said the outbreak is not the start of a pandemic.
Maria van Kerkhove, an infectious disease epidemiologist at WHO, told a news briefing that the situation is not the same as six years ago with Covid-19 because hantavirus spreads through “close, intimate contact”.
Van Kerkhove said “this is not Covid, this is not influenza, it spreads very, very differently”. She said authorities had asked “everyone to wear a mask” on board the MV Hondius.
Those in contact with or caring for suspected cases, she added, should “wear a higher level of personal protective equipment”.
Hantavirus typically spreads from rodents - but in the latest outbreak the transmission between people was documented for the first time, the WHO said.
Meanwhile, health authorities are racing to trace dozens of people who have recently disembarked from the Dutch vessel MV Hondius.
Oceanwide Expedition said 29 passengers, of at least 12 different nationalities, had left the MV Hondius in St Helena, the British Overseas Territory.
It also said the body of one deceased person—now known to be a Dutch man - was taken off the vessel.
Seven of those who left the cruise liner were British nationals.
