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Scientists around the world and in India are concerned about ‘Delta plus’, an emerging form of the Delta variant of the novel coronavirus.  This variant allows the virus to “escape” antibodies in recently approved treatment regimes.  WHAT IS DELTA PLUS VARIANT? Formally known as AY.1 or B.1.617.2.1, it’s a variant of Delta (B.1.617.2), which was first identified in India. It has an additional mutation called K417N, which has previously been identified in the Beta variant (first found in South Africa) and the Gamma variant (first detected in Brazil). The K417N, along with another mutation called K417T, is a mutation in the spike protein of the novel coronavirus. These variants are characterized as being highly infectious and may reduce the potency of vaccines.  WHY THE CONCERN? The Delta variant is now regarded as the most prevalent one in India, comprising nearly 31% of the 21,000 community samples processed until late May.  This variant has significant differen...

The government declared that from June 21, vaccines for everyone above the age of 18 years would be procured by the Central government and distributed free to the States.  This ended the month-­old controversial system of States being asked to procure vaccines for the 18-­44 years age group at prices announced by domestic manufacturers and import vaccines through open tenders.  The Centre’s announcement came after the Supreme Court on May 31 held that the Union government’s policy of not providing free vaccines to those in the 18­-44 years age bracket was prima facie “arbitrary and irrational”. THE NEW POLICY Under the latest policy, the Centre said it will procure up to 75% of the doses of vaccines from manufacturers. Private institutions can procure the remaining 25% of doses. Fresh orders for 44 crore doses of Covishield and Covaxin had been placed by the Union government.  In addition, it also placed an order for 30 crore doses of a protein sub­unit vaccine produced b...

The government has booked 30 crore doses of Hyderabad-based Biological-E's Covid vaccine, which is still in clinical trials.  The Health Ministry will make an advance payment of ₹ 1,500 crore to the company for what will be the second made-in-India vaccine to be used in the country after Bharat Biotech's Covaxin.  CORBEVAX Corbevax is a “recombinant protein sub-unit” vaccine, which means it is made up of a specific part of SARS-CoV-2 — the spike protein on the virus’s surface.  The spike protein allows the virus to enter the cells in the body so that it can replicate and cause disease.  However, when this protein alone is given to the body, it is not expected to be harmful as the rest of the virus is absent.  The body is expected to develop an immune response against the injected spike protein.  Therefore, when the real virus attempts to infect the body, it will already have an immune response ready that will make it unlikely for the person to fall...

The World Health Organization (WHO) announced a new naming system that it devised for so-called variants of interest and variants of concern, the forms of the SARS-CoV-2 virus with important mutations.  HOW AND WHY? Each variant will be given a name from the Greek alphabet, in a bid to both simplify the public discussion and to strip some of the stigma from the emergence of new variants.  A country may be more willing to report it has found a new variant if it knows the new version of the virus will be identified as Rho or Sigma, rather than with the country’s name, Maria Van Kerkhove, the WHO’s coronavirus lead, said. A plan to simplify the nomenclature of the variants has been in the works for several months, led by the WHO’s Virus Evolution Working Group. THE NAMES Letters of the Greek alphabet to refer to the variants.  Under the new scheme, B.1.1.7, the variant first identified in Britain, will be known as Alpha. B.1.351 (South Africa): Beta.  P.1 (Brazil...

There are two theories on the origins of virus— the virus could have been accidentally released from a laboratory or it was the result of a spillover from some animal species to humans.  More and more people and countries after countries are refusing to believe in the theory of natural origin of Covid-19. The Director ­General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom  Ghebreyesus, has also acknowledged that more work needs to be done on the lab leak theory. However, a WHO team that visited Wuhan thought a leak to be the least likely hypothesis.   WHY THE DEBATE RISING AGAIN? WHO’s governing forum, the World Health Assembly, mandated the Director­ General in May 2020 to conduct an inquiry into the origin of SARS­CoV­2. A joint probe was carried out by WHO and China in January-February 2021.  Since ther...

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) approved India’s first self-use Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) for Covid-19 named as CoviSelf. It is developed by MyLab Discovery Solutions, a Pune-based molecular company.  It uses a RAT and gives results within 15 minutes.  This test is synced with a mobile app, CoviSelf, which will help directly feed the positive case’s report on the ICMR portal. ICMR has advised this test only for those who have symptoms or are high-risk contacts of positive patients and need to conduct a test at home. RAPID ANTIGEN TEST It is a point-of-care test, performed outside the conventional laboratory setting, and is used to quickly obtain a diagnostic result. Like RT-PCR (Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction), the RAT too seeks to detect the virus rather than the antibodies produced by the body.

The central government asked states to notify black fungus or mucormycosis an epidemic.  An infection called white fungus or Candidiasis has also been found to affect some people. Covid-19 patients are more prone to white fungus as it affects the lungs and similar symptoms are created like that of coronavirus.  WHITE FUNGUS White Fungus or Candidiasis is a fungal infection caused by a yeast (a type of fungus) called Candida. Candida normally lives on the skin and inside the body, in places such as the mouth, throat, gut, and vagina, without causing any problems. Candida can cause infections if it grows out of control or if it enters deep into the body (for example, the bloodstream or internal organs like the kidney, heart, or brain). The most common species that causes infection is Candida albicans. Medical experts consider White Fungus infection deadlier than Black Fungus (this is debatable, though. Some sources say the converse) because the former impacts the lungs, along wi...

TRIPS (Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights) was negotiated in 1995 at the WTO.  TRIPS Agreement requires all its signatory countries to enact domestic law, which guarantees minimum standards of IP protection.  India and South Africa’s has sought waiver of IPR regulations suggesting that vaccine manufacturing process is complex and exercising all exsiting flexibilities in TRIPS will still be insufficient to enhance production.  US has now supported IP waiver proposal by India and South Africa. IPR waiver proposal has received strong support from other developing countries, such as Bolivia, Kenya, Mongolia, Pakistan and Venezuela.  However, developed nations, especially the EU, Switzerland, Australia, the UK and Japan have been opposing the waiver, saying it impedes innovation.  All 164 WTO members must agree on the draft of IPR waiver, and any one member can veto it.  THE PROBLEMS A waiver will do nothing to fillthe urgent shortfall...

Moscow has plans to introduce the single-dose Sputnik Light vaccine in India soon. Sputnik Light vaccine against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) developed by the Gamaleya Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology. SPUTNIK LIGHT V. SPUTNIK V Sputnik Light is the first component of Sputnik V – this means it is the first dose of the Sputnik V vaccine.  The vaccine is based on recombinant human adenovirus serotype number 26 (rAd26).  The single-dose Sputnik Light vaccine demonstrated 79.4 percent efficacy, according to analysed data taken from 28 days after the injection was administered as part of Russia’s mass vaccination programme between 5 December 2020 and 15 April 2021. SPUTNIK V Sputnik V made waves for being the world’s first registered vaccine against coronavirus on 11 August 2020.  Russia's COVID-19 Vaccine Sputnik V is developed by the Gamaleya National Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology.  The vaccine is based on the e...

Mucormycosis, commonly called black fungus, is a serious and rare fungal infection affecting those suffering from coronavirus in India.  The black fungus that invades the brain is being increasingly seen in vulnerable patients in India. The disease is a deadly fungal infection found in some Covid-19 patients with uncontrolled diabetes and prolonged intensive care unit (ICU) stay.  It is caused by a group of moulds known as mucormycetes present naturally in the environment.  It mainly affects people who are on medication for health problems that reduces their ability to fight environmental pathogens. Sinuses or lungs of such individuals get affected after they inhale fungal spores from the air.

The World Health Organisation on Monday classified a coronavirus variant first identified in India as a “global variant of concern”.  This variant called B.1.617 was classified as a variant under investigation (VUI) by authorities in the UK earlier in May.  It has already spread to more than 17 countries and several countries have put travel restrictions for passengers coming from India as a result of the surge in cases here.  HOW DOES THE WHO DEFINE A VARIANT OF CONCERN?   The WHO says that a variant of interest (VOI) becomes a variant of concern (VOC) if, through a comparative assessment, it has been demonstrated to be associated with increase in transmissibility or detrimental change in COVID-19 epidemiology, increase in virulence or change in clinical disease presentation or a decrease in effectiveness of public health and social measures or available diagnostics, vaccines, therapeutics. Alternatively, a variant may be classified as a VOC by the WHO in co...

DRDO has developed an Artificial Intelligence algorithm that can detect the presence of COVID-19 disease in Chest X-rays. Named ATMAN AI, the tool was developed by DRDO's Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (CAIR), with the support of 5C Network & HCG Academics.  The ATMAN AI is an artificial intelligence tool for chest X-ray screening as triaging tool in COVID-19 diagnosis. It is a method for rapid identification and assessment of lung involvement. This would be utilised by 5C Network, the country's largest digital network of radiologists, with support of HCG Academics.  The method has shown an accuracy of 96.73 per cent.

The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) has approved the emergency use of Drug 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG) as an adjunct therapy in moderate to severe Covid-19 patients.  DEVELOPMENT The Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Sciences (INMAS), a lab of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), has developed the drug, in collaboration with Dr Reddy’s Laboratories, Hyderabad. In April 2020, during the first wave of the pandemic, INMAS-DRDO scientists conducted had laboratory experiments with the help of Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), Hyderabad. It found that this molecule works effectively against SARS-CoV-2 virus and inhibits the viral growth.  WORKING 2-DG, works by preventing the supply of glucose molecules to the cancerous cells, which need glucose for survival.  With the drug stopping the glucose supply, the cells start dying.  The drug comes in powder form in sachet, which is taken orally by dissolving it in water....

India’s armed forces have launched Operation "CO-JEET" to aid anti-COVID-19 efforts.  Under this, they will undertake efforts like strengthening medical infrastructure and oxygen supply chains, and take measures to ensure mental wellbeing of people. Department of Defence has created a COVID-19 Crisis Management Committee.  The Committee is working together with the armed forces on COVID-19 Crisis Management.  CO-JEET stands for co-workers of all the three services who will finally achieve 'Jeet' [victory] over COVID. MADHURI KANITKAR Lt. Gen. Madhuri Kanitkar, Deputy Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (Medical), is working round the clock to strategise and monitor steps to provide relief to COVID-19 patients. She is the third woman to become a three-star general in the armed forces.  The post comes under the Chief of Defence Staff. 

Eight Asiatic lions at Hyderabad’s Nehru Zoological Park have tested positive for the deadly coronavirus. It is the first known case of the human infecting the felines and making them sick in India. Earlier in 2020, Tiger being infected with Covid-19 was reported in New York (Bronx Zoo).  ASIATIC LIONS The Asiatic Lion (also known as the Persian Lion or Indian Lion) is a member of the Panthera Leo Leo subspecies that is restricted to India. Its previous habitats consisted of West Asia and the Middle East before it became extinct in these regions. Asiatic lions are slightly smaller than African lions. These are listed as endangered in the IUCN Red List.

A team of researchers from Hyderabad and Ghaziabad has found that, the mutant N440K of the novel coronavirus is 10 to 1,000 times more infectious than certain strains now in circulation. The mutant N440K was first found in Andhra Pradesh’s Kurnool city. It was first discovered by Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB). The N440K was detected in December 2020, by genome sequencing by INSACOG. The new variant has shorter incubation period (the number of days between when you're infected with something and when you might see symptoms) and the progress of the disease is much rapid.  According to the researchers, the N440K variant belongs to the lineage of A2a strain. 

Indian Navy has launched Operation Samudra Setu-II for shipment of Oxygen-filled containers to India. Seven Indian Naval ships viz. Kolkata, Kochi, Talwar, Tabar, Trikand, Jalashwa and Airavat have been deployed for shipment of liquid medical oxygen-filled cryogenic containers and associated medical equipment from various countries. Two ships, the INS Kolkata and INS Talwar, have entered the Port of Manama, Bahrain, to carry back 40 tonnes of liquid oxygen to Mumbai. The INS Jalashwa is enroute to Bangkok while the INS Airavat is on its way to Singapore on similar missions Operation Samudra Setu was launched in May 2020 as part of the national effort to repatriate Indian citizens from overseas during the Covid-19 pandemic. 

SAUDI ARABIA Saudi Arabia shipped 80 metric tons of liquid oxygen to India.  The urgent supply shipment is being undertaken in coordination with India’s Adani group and Linde company. The group is also securing 5,000 medical-grade oxygen cylinders from Linde Saudi Arabia. OTHER COUNTRIES The United Kingdom has announced that it will ship over “600 pieces of vital medical equipment” to help India fight COVID-19. Singapore has donated four cryogenic oxygen tanks to India. Australia has announced that it will send oxygen, ventilators and personal protective equipment (PPE) kits to India. The Germany Army will ship a large oxygen production plant and other authorities are working to provide respirators, ventilators and huge quantities of Remdesivir and other medicines from German emergency stocks. France is sending to India oxygen generators, liquid oxygen containers, ventilators and other medical supplies by air and sea to support the country in its fight against surging coro...

There have been announcements made to set up oxygen plants to deal with the shortage of oxygen across the country.  551 PSA PLANTS The Centre announced 551 dedicated Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) medical oxygen generation plants. These will be set up in identified government hospitals in district headquarters across the country using PM-CARES funds. The procurement will be done through Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. 500 PLANTS BY DRDO The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) will set up 500 medical oxygen generating plants across the country within three months.  This will be done under the PM-CARES fund to ramp up oxygen production to fight the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) crisis ripping through the country. The technology transferred to the industry is based on the onboard oxygen generation technology developed for Tejas light combat aircraft.  The oxygen generation plants can produce 1,000 litres of oxygen per minute.

 There are three methods which being currently used to get oxygen or nitrogen from air mixture. CRYOGENIC DISTILLATION Cryogenic air separation units are commonly used method to get oxygen and nitrogen often argon also.  In this method the air is compressed, feed it into distillation columns and liquid oxygen is obtained.  The oxygen is is then filled into special cryogenic transport tankers that maintain -180 degree centigrade temperature to travel to smaller plants.  There, the liquid oxygen is converted into gaseous form, fed into cylinders and transported to hospitals. VACUUM SWING ADSORPTION Vacuum swing adsorption (VSA) is a non-cryogenic gas separation technology.  Using special solids, or adsorbents, VSA segregates certain gases from a gaseous mixture under minimal pressure according to the species molecular characteristics and affinity for the adsorbents.  These adsorbents (e.g., zeolites) form a molecular sieve and preferentially adsorb the t...