Covid 19 Cases

Two years after infection with Covid-19, half of patients who were admitted to hospital still have at least one symptom, according to the study published in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine. The study followed 1,192 participants in China infected with SARS-CoV-2 during the first phase of the pandemic in 2020. While physical and mental health generally improved over time, the analysis suggests that Covid-19 patients still tend to have poorer health and quality of life than the general population. This is especially the case for participants with long Covid, who typically still have at least one symptom including fatigue, shortness of breath, and sleep difficulties two years after initially falling ill. "Our findings indicate that for a certain proportion of hospitalised Covid-19 survivors, while they may have cleared the initial infection, more than two years is needed to recover fully from it," said lead author Professor Bin Cao, of the China-Japan Friendship Hospital, China. Six months after initially falling ill, 68 per cent of participants reported at least one long Covid symptom. By two years after infection, reports of symptoms had fallen to 55 per cent. Fatigue or muscle weakness were the symptoms most often reported and fell from 52 per cent at six months to 30 per cent at two years. Covid-19 patients were also more likely to report a number of other symptoms including joint pain, palpitations, dizziness, and headaches, pain or discomfort and anxiety or depression than non-Covid-19 participants. Long Covid participants also more often reported problems with their mobility or activity levels than those without long Covid. The authors also acknowledge limitations such as lack of control group of hospital survivors unrelated to Covid-19 infection. The team emphasised the need for follow-up of Covid survivors, particularly those with symptoms of long Covid. "There is a clear need to provide continued support to a significant proportion of people who've had Covid-19, and to understand how vaccines, emerging treatments, and variants affect long-term health outcomes," Cao said. Read More► Asthma in Children Likely to Worsen After Covid Infection: Study

दिल्ली में होम-आइसोलेशन में रहे 92.3 प्रतिशत कोरोना रोगियों ने माना है कि योग ने कोरोना से उबरने में उनकी मदद की है। दिल्ली में कोरोना संक्रमितों के लिए 'दिल्ली की योगशाला' नाम से ऑनलाइन योग क्लासेस शुरू की गई थीं। लगभग 4600 से ज्यादा संक्रमितों को इसका लाभ हुआ है। इस फ्री योग कक्षाओं से संक्रमितों को हुए वास्तविक फायदे की जांच करने के लिए दिल्ली फर्मास्यूटिकल साइंसेज एंड रिसर्च यूनिवर्सिटी द्वारा आईसीएमआर के सीटीआरआई के तहत पंजीकृत एक रिसर्च किया गया। इस रिसर्च में शामिल 92.3 प्रतिशत लोगों ने माना कि संक्रमण के दौरान योग करने से उन्हें कोरोना के सभी लक्षणों में सुधार देखने को मिला और उन्हें सांस फूलने जैसी समस्या नहीं हुई। इस बाबत उपमुख्यमंत्री मनीष सिसोदिया ने कहा कि दिल्ली की योगशाला कार्यक्रम, दिल्ली की जनता को योग के माध्यम से स्वस्थ रखने की एक अनूठी पहल है। उन्होंने कहा कि ये बेहद खुशी की बात है कि जिस उद्देश्य के तहत दिल्ली की योगशाला कार्यक्रम की शुरूआत की गई थी वो पूरा हो रहा है और लोगों को इसका फायदा हो रहा है। उन्होंने कहा कि इस कार्यक्रम के तहत कोरोना के दौरान संक्रमितों को फ्री ऑनलाइन योग कक्षाएं उपलब्ध करवाई गई, जिससे न केवल उन्हें कोरोना से उबरने में मदद मिली बल्कि उनके खांसी, सर्दी, शरीर में दर्द, सांस फूलना आदि जैसे लक्षणों से भी राहत मिली। रिसर्च में शामिल ज्यादातर मरीज 30 से 70 साल के बीच 92.3 प्रतिशत रोगियों ने माना योग करने से कोरोना के लक्षणों में सुधार दिखा। ज्यादातर मरीजों ने माना कि उन्हें संक्रमण के दौरान योग करने से सांस फूलने जैसी समस्या का सामना नहीं करना पड़ा। योग करने से अधिकांश मरीज 5 से 7 दिनों के भीतर कोरोना से उबरे। योग करने वाले केवल 21 संक्रमित ही कोई दवाई ले रहे थे, केवल 26.2 प्रतिशत का ही टीकाकरण हुआ था। ज्यादातर संक्रमितों ने माना योग करने से उन्हें खांसी, सर्दी, शरीर में दर्द, नींद सांस फूलना आदि से जैसे लक्षण से राहत मिली। संक्रमितों ने माना ऑनलाइन योग क्लासेस ने उनके अकेलेपन को खत्म करने के साथ मेंटल हेल्थ को भी बेहतर करने का काम किया। (एजेंसी) यह भी पढ़े► कोविड महामारी अभी खत्म नहीं हुई है: डब्ल्यूएचओ

Double-masking might not protect against Covid-19, but rather raises the risk of infection as well as transmission, US researchers have claimed, in a study. The study published in Physics of Fluids, suggests double masking with improperly fitted masks may "not significantly improve mask efficiency and produces a false sense of security". "More layers mean a less porous face covering, leading to more flow forced out of the perimeter gaps (sides, top, and bottom) in masks with a less secure fit," argued researchers at Florida State University and Johns Hopkins University. Double layers increase filtering efficiency only with good mask fit but could also lead to breathing difficulties. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, loosely woven cloth masks offer the least protection against Covid, and N95 and KN95 masks offer the most. Still, after more than two years since the pandemic began, there is not a full understanding of mask characteristics for the most optimal protection. In the study, the team used principal component analysis (PCA) along with fluid dynamics simulation models to show the crucial importance of proper fit for all types of masks and how face shape influences the most ideal fit. The researchers modelled a moderate cough jet from the mouth of an adult male wearing a cloth mask over the nose and mouth with elastic bands wrapped around the ears. They calculated the maximum volume flow rates through the front of the mask and peripheral gaps at different material porosity levels. For a more realistic 3D face shape and size, the researchers used PCA that integrated 100 adult male and 100 adult female heads retrieved from head scan data at Basel University in Switzerland. PCA condenses large sets of variables while retaining most of the information. Their model showed how the slight asymmetry typical in all facial structures can affect proper mask fitting. For example, a mask can have a tighter fit on the left side of the face than on the right side. "Facial asymmetry is almost imperceivable to the eye but is made obvious by the cough flow through the mask," said co-author Tomas Solano, from Florida State University. "For this particular case, the only unfiltered leakage observed is through the top. However, for different face shapes, leakage through the bottom and sides of the mask is also possible," he added. Creating "designer masks" customised to each person's face is not practical at scale. Still, PCA-based simulations can be used to design better masks for different populations by revealing general differences between male and female or child versus elderly facial structures and the associated air flow through masks, the researchers said. (Agency) Read More► Covid-19 Pandemic Raised Antibiotic-Resistant Infections: Study

Nearly 300 probable cases of children with severe hepatitis have been detected in 20 countries worldwide, with some in Southeast Asia, the World Health Organization (WHO) has said, BBC reported. Health officials around the world are investigating a mysterious increase in cases of the liver condition which was first spotted in the UK. A common virus called adenovirus, which has rebounded after the pandemic, could be causing the surge, BBC reported. One death has been reported by the WHO. As of 1 May, it said most cases of young children with hepatitis had been detected in Europe with small numbers also reported in the Americas, western Pacific and Southeast Asia. The first cases of this unusual hepatitis were spotted in Scotland in children under the age of 10. More than 110 cases have now been recorded in the UK so far. Most children had a mild form of liver inflammation, although 10 children have needed a liver transplant, the report said. They had initial symptoms of vomiting and diarrhoea followed by yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes, called jaundice. The hepatitis viruses that normally cause the condition (viruses A, B, C, D and E) were not detected in any of the children. Countries worldwide started looking for the same unexplained condition 'of unknown origin' in children after it was highlighted by UK health officials. There is no reason to believe the rare liver condition itself is spreading around the world, BBC reported. (Agency) Read More► How to Maintain A Healthy Liver