- 1.436 cases of XBB1.16.1 mutated
subvariant found in India: INSACOXBB1.16.1 is a mutation of Omicron’s infectious XBB1.16 variant. The XBB 1.16 variant was
first found in January when two samples tested positive for the variant
Amid rising COVID cases in India, 436 cases of XBB1.16.1 mutated sub-variant have been
detected in the country till now, revealed Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium
(INSACOG) data on Monday.
XBB1.16.1 is a mutation of Omicron’s infectious XBB1.16 variant. The XBB 1.16 variant was
first found in January when two samples tested positive for the variant.
Till now, 436 cases of the subvariant have been found across 18 states and Union
Territories, including Maharashtra, Delhi, Gujarat, and Haryana, according to INSACOG data
accessed by a news agency.
The INSACOG data has shown that 2,735 cases of the XBB1.16 variant have been found in a
total of 24 states and Union Territories.
India has recorded 9,111 new coronavirus infections, while active cases have increased to
60,313, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Monday.
The INSACOG bulletin of March 27 said an increase in infection rate has been observed,
especially in western, southern, and northern parts of India.
- People need to remain vigilant against new
COVID strain: Official
India recorded a single-day jump of 3,641 fresh COVID-19 cases as the active
caseload rose to 20,219, according to Union Health Ministry data updated on
Monday
The new COVID variant poses less risk and is unlikely to result in increase in
hospitalisations but people need to remain vigilant, according to a top Union Health
Ministry official.
“New strains keep coming after mutation..this is a new variant which has come..this
would not lead to increase in hospitalisations so there is low risk associated with it,”
the top official said on Monday.
The strain has been isolated in the laboratory and a study has also been done on it,
he added.
“But even then there is a need to remain vigilant,” the official said. Further, he noted
that the current surge in the COVID cases could be attributed to the spread of the
XBB 1.16 variant in the country.
India recorded a single-day jump of 3,641 fresh COVID-19 cases as the active
caseload rose to 20,219, according to Union Health Ministry data updated on
Monday.
The toll has risen to 5,30,892 with 11 deaths — three from Maharashtra and one
each in Delhi, Kerala, Karnataka and Rajasthan — recorded in a 24-hour span. The toll
also includes four deaths reconciled by Kerala, the data stated. The daily positivity
rate was recorded at 6.12 while the weekly positivity was pegged at 2.45 per cent.
The total tally of COVID cases stood at 4.47 crore (4,47,26,246)
- Improving rural healthcare facilities
with energy efficient sustainable cold
chain solutions:
Prashant Kanaujia, Senior Research Associate, Alliance for an Energy Efficient
Economy (AEEE) talks about the role of energy efficient sustainable cold chain
solutions in improving rural healthcare facilities
A vital medical procedure that annually saves millions of lives is blood transfusion.
Nonetheless, proper treatment and storage are necessary to keep donated blood
useful and safe for transfusion. In this situation, cold chain management is essential.
The term “cold chain” in healthcare refers to the process of maintaining a consistent
optimal temperature for blood and other medical supplies during transportation
from the donor to the recipient and storage in between.
Red blood cells, plasma, and platelets are among the blood components sensitive to
temperature variations. They might deteriorate, lose their effectiveness, or become
contaminated when exposed to heat or cold. As a result, there may be a danger of
infection, problems, or negative reactions for the recipient and a reduction in the
quality of the blood product. Hence the regulation of temperature is a crucial
component of blood storage and transfer.
In addition, blood storage is subject to strict regulations and accreditation standards
that require blood banks to maintain a reliable cold chain. These requirements are in
place to safeguard the blood products’ integrity and quality and the recipient
patients’ health. If these requirements are unmet, sanctions, accreditation loss, or
even legal action may ensue. Blood banks can demonstrate their commitment to
quality and compliance and meet regulatory and certification standards by ensuring
proper maintenance of the cold chain. As per a press release from the Ministry of
Health and Family Welfare (MoH&FW) on 29th March 2022[i], there are 3,840
licensed blood banks. India needs about 1.5 crore units of blood every year[ii]. While
as per National Blood Transfusion Council (NBTC) the blood units collected in India in
year 2022 is 1.2 crore units[iii]. There is a severe lack of blood supplies over much of
the nation, particularly in rural areas. A weak cold chain infrastructure is one of the
leading causes of the discrepancy between the supply and demand of blood. I
recently paid a visit to the Doctors for You Charity Hospital in Masarhi, Patna District,
Bihar, where I learned about the fundamental difficulties that hospitals, Sub-Centres
(SCs), and PHCs (Primary Health Centres) experience in managing blood banks in
rural areas of India. The main difficulty is maintaining a constant power (grid) supply
to run the temperature-controlled refrigerators for blood unit storage. Poweroutages lasting weeks are not unusual in India’s rural areas. Moreover, even when
grid supply is available, the refrigerator’s ability to cool either suffers from voltage
fluctuation or sustains damage.
Energy-efficient sustainable cooling techniques must be used to address these grid
connectivity-related issues in rural India. To ensure a constant power supply to the
device and maintain refrigerator temperature, cold chain solutions that use thermal
or solar energy should be encouraged. Energy-efficient, sustainable cold chain
solutions are advantageous for the environment, society at large, and the blood
bank. Blood banks may lessen their carbon footprint, support environmental
sustainability, and encourage energy conservation using less electricity. The AEEE is
deploying these energy-efficient cold chain solutions at Doctors for You Charitable
Hospital in Masahri to highlight their advantages and improve the outlying medical
facility in rural parts of the country.
In conclusion, growing blood banks must maintain a trustworthy cold chain. It
prevents waste, complies with accreditation and regulatory requirements, and
enhances health outcomes by guaranteeing the safety and effectiveness of blood
products. Blood banks can make a significant contribution to the betterment of the
health of their communities and the preservation of lives by investing in energy-
efficient infrastructure, tools, and training to support an appropriate cold chain.
