Hospitalisation still high among elderly: Delhi medical experts

People shift a patient to a COVID-19 ward of Swaroop Rani Nehru hospital in Prayagraj, UP, on Friday. PIC/PTI

Some doctors attributed the massive surge in cases to mutated virus strains. Delhi recorded 7,437 cases on Thursday, the highest single-day spike this year, and 24 more people died.

"Many people are still not wearing masks or maintaining social distancing," said Suranjit Chatterjee, a senior consultant at Apollo Hospitals. He said doctors in their 40s and 50s and other healthcare workers, much younger, say in 30s are getting infected, despite most having received both the shots.

Richa Sareen, consultant, Pulmonology and Critical Care Medicine, Fortis hospital, said said more younger people were getting infected as they are going out, socialising, partying or travelling, while the elderly are preferring to stay indoors and most of them have been vaccinated. A senior doctor at the Delhi government-run Rajiv Gandhi Super Speciality Hospital said about 200 COVID-19 patients are currently admitted, and most are elderly. India recorded 1,31,968 cases and 780 deaths on Friday, the Union health ministry data updated at 8 am showed.

Delhi shuts all schools

The Delhi government on Friday announced closure of all schools until further orders. Schools have been shut since March 2020, but classes for Std IX-Std XII were resumed.

‘Shots only for 2 days'

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, asking for 30 lakh vaccine doses as the state will run out of stock in next two days.

3 get anti-rabies shot in UP

According to an NDTV report, three elderly women who went to a government hospital in Shamli for vaccination were given anti-rabies shots instead of anti-COVID-19 vaccine, which was confirmed following a probe. The UP government has admitted the mistake. That man, who did not enquire before giving the injection, will be suspended, NDTV reported.

J&J in talks with govt for clinical trial

Global healthcare major Johnson & Johnson is in discussions with the Indian government to begin a clinical trial of its single-dose COVID-19 vaccine in the country, the company said on Friday. The US Food and Drug Administration approved J&K's vaccine for emergency use in February. "We are in discussions with the Government of India with the objective of starting a bridging clinical study of our Janssen COVID-19 vaccine candidate in India, subject to local regulatory approvals," J&K India spokesperson said in an email reply. Its vaccine can be stored at refrigerator temperatures.

Tweet talk

Priyanka Gandhi, General secretary, Congress

‘It is downright irresponsible of boards like the CBSE to force students to sit for exams under the prevailing circumstances. Board exams should either be cancelled, rescheduled or arranged in a manner that does not require children's physical presence at crowded centres'

1,30,60,542
Total number of cases in the country as of Sunday

1,67,642
Total no. of deaths due to the virus in India

1,19,13,292
Patients Recovered and discharged in India as of sunday

9,43,34,262
(Total no. of people vaccinated so far)

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