News / Author / Jyoti Shelar

Jyoti Shelar

Articles by Jyoti Shelar

WHO consolidated guidelines to allow shorter TB treatment course for children

The WHO guidelines are based on the University College London-led SHINE (Shorter Treatment for Minimal Tuberculosis in Children) trial that found a shortened regimen of 4 months was not inferior to the conventional 6-month course for children with tuberculosis.

While the findings of the SHINE trial on shorter TB treatment course for children have been approved by WHO, it will depend on India’s Central TB Division to adopt them for implementation in the country. (Representational Image)

india news

Updated on Mar 10, 2022 02:27 PM IST

ByJyoti Shelar

Mumbai civic body BMC starts dismantling 4 of Mumbai’s 9 jumbo Covid-19 centres

Mumbai municipal body BMC has started making inventories of medicines, equipment at four Covid-19 centres set up in the city. BMC plans to shift PSA plants from the jumbo Covid to Mumbai hospitals

Mumbai civic body BMC is dismantling four jumbo Covid-19 centres set up to tackle the rising cases of Covid-19 in Mumbai (Anshuman Poyrekar/HT File Photo)

cities

Published on Mar 09, 2022 05:32 PM IST

ByJyoti Shelar

Watch out for Covid in upcoming summer months, experts say

The best way to avoid a spike again in the summer would be to use masks outdoors as well as indoors in spaces such as offices, schools, colleges etc

The caution of the summer is triggered by the trends observed during the first and second waves of Covid in Mumbai (Pratik Chorge/HT PHOTO)

cities

Published on Mar 05, 2022 09:25 PM IST

ByJyoti Shelar

With Omicron replacing Delta, it’s a good time to open up city: Experts

Even as the virus remains in circulation in low numbers, experts believe that Mumbai will avoid fatalities if guidelines are followed stringently and those who are eligible, take both their jabs

he civic body on Thursday revealed that 100% of the 237 samples that were most recently sequenced by them had the Omicron’s BA.2 subvariant (Vijay Bate)

cities

Updated on Mar 05, 2022 07:24 PM IST

ByJyoti Shelar

30% of Maharashtra’s teens fully vaccinated

Mumbai: Maharashtra’s full vaccination coverage in the 15-18 age group is 30

As of March 3, the Mumbai’s first dose coverage is 54% and its full vaccination coverage touched 32%. (Praful Gangurde / HT Photo)

cities

Updated on Mar 03, 2022 11:22 PM IST

ByJyoti Shelar

Fourth wave unlikely, virus will circulate as endemic: Experts

Over 91.5% of adults in the state have received at least one dose and 70.4% of adults are fully vaccinated with both doses

A statistical forecasting study by researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kanpur, published on a pre-print server MedRxiv, has predicted that the fourth wave in India will set around June 22 (Praful Gangurde)

cities

Published on Mar 01, 2022 08:51 PM IST

ByJyoti Shelar

Civic body starts virtual TB clinic for difficult cases

While the panel of doctors will provide opinions within 48 hours, the case studies will be discussed every month in a virtual conference as a knowledge sharing and skill-building exercise

The civic body will be using the Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes (ECHO) platform for the virtual clinic. (StockPic)

cities

Published on Feb 27, 2022 06:40 PM IST

ByJyoti Shelar

Experts root for rollout of booster shots for 45+

Vellore-based virologist Dr T Jacob John said that booster doses should be rolled out for everyone, more so for people who are immunocompromised

Booster doses for senior citizens and frontline workers were opened on January 10. (Vijay Bate/HT Photo)

cities

Updated on Feb 26, 2022 07:16 PM IST

ByJyoti Shelar

BMC to decide on shutting jumbo Covid facilities by next week

Makeshift jumbo centres at Dahisar, Goregaon, Malad, Sion and Kanjurmarg are likely to be dismantled.

On Thursday, only 739 (3.28 percent) out of the 22,467 hospitals beds, which includes beds in jumbo facilities, were occupied (HVijay Bate/HT Photo)

cities

Published on Feb 25, 2022 12:53 PM IST

ByJyoti Shelar

Study links maternal smoking to delayed embryonic development

A new study published in the reproductive medicine journal Human Reproduction has revealed that by the 10th week of pregnancy, embryo development was delayed by nearly a day in women who smoked 10 or more cigarettes a day compared to non-smokers.

The researchers followed 689 women with singleton (birth of one child during a delivery) pregnancies between 2010 and 2018. (Representational Image/Shutterstock)

cities

Published on Feb 23, 2022 04:10 PM IST

ByJyoti Shelar

Immune-boosting supplements do not reduce the risk of death due to Covid-19: study

The paper showed that treatment with vitamin D may be associated with lower rates of intubation and shorter hospital stays, but the researchers noted that more rigorous study is needed to validate that finding

Immune-boosting supplements such as vitamin C, vitamin D and zinc do not lessen the chances of dying from Covid-19, a new review by the researchers at the University of Toledo, Ohio has found (Stock Pic)

cities

Updated on Feb 18, 2022 11:06 PM IST

ByJyoti Shelar

Only half of Mumbai’s teens vaccinated for first dose

The nationwide vaccination drive for youngsters in the age group of 15 to 18 years began on January 3

Mumbai’s target population in the 15 to 18 age group is 612,000 (Praful Gangurde / HT Photo))

cities

Published on Feb 18, 2022 12:17 AM IST

ByJyoti Shelar

So long, nightingale

Lata Mangeshkar, who left behind thousands of memorable songs in a singing career that spanned the arc of Indian cinema, was cremated with full state honours on Sunday evening.

Mortal remains of legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar being brought to Shivaji Park for her last rites, in Mumbai, India, on Sunday. (Photo by Bhushan Koyande/ HT Photo)

india news

Updated on Feb 07, 2022 12:15 AM IST

ByNaresh Kamath, Jyoti Shelar, Mumbai

Can Covid positive fatalities become organ donors?

Two years into the pandemic and the medical fraternity is fiercely debating if COvid victims can become organ donors

The guidelines of India’s National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO) do not allow organ donations from Covid infected donors (HT File)

cities

Published on Feb 05, 2022 11:03 PM IST

ByJyoti Shelar

Stop use of Kanamycin injection: TB activists

TB survivors, activists and organisations have jointly written to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare demanding the complete phase-out of Kanamycin, an injectable anti-TB drug

The World Health Organization (WHO) has long removed Kanamycin injection for its treatment guidelines and instead recommends the two new oral anti-TB drugs bedaquiline and delamanid (Hindustan Times)

cities

Published on Feb 04, 2022 10:32 PM IST

ByJyoti Shelar

₹400 crore for 100 polyclinics offering free treatment

The centres will be equipped with waiting rooms, doctors, medical stores, nursing staff rooms and consultation rooms for patients.

BMC has allocated 15% of its total budget to healthcare while recording a nearly 47% jump in allocation (HT PHOTO)

cities

Updated on Feb 04, 2022 12:45 AM IST

ByPratip Acharya and Jyoti Shelar

Random, large-scale Covid testing unnecessary, say experts

Amidst the Omicron driven third wave, several medical experts are now saying that large-scale Covid-19 tests are unnecessary

Experts believe that testing should now be limited to hospitalised patients only. (Pratik Chorge/HT Photo)

cities

Published on Feb 02, 2022 10:10 PM IST

ByJyoti Shelar

Covid-19 third wave peak has lowest case fatality rate

Experts believe that January may have been the peak of the third wave at least for the bigger districts of the state, including Mumbai.

The third wave saw a less severe variant in Omicron and it was up against a largely vaccinated population,” said Dr Shashank Joshi, member of the state’s Covid-19 task force. (Bhushan Koyande/ HT Photo)

cities

Updated on Feb 02, 2022 12:06 AM IST

ByJyoti Shelar

NeoCoV scare: Should we be worried about this new variant?

We know very little about NeoCoV at the moment, except that the researchers from China have found it in bats, says experts adding that now is not the time to panic and spread misinformation

“We should definitely monitor new variants, be guarded, but we should not panic unnecessarily,” Vellore-based virologist Dr T Jacob John . (Stock Picture)

cities

Updated on Jan 31, 2022 07:32 PM IST

ByJyoti Shelar

Experts insist on finding right fit, taking safe mask breaks to asthma patients

Mumbai: For 65-year-old Khar resident Madhuri Kanga, who is asthmatic for nearly seven years, wearing N95 mask in the deadly second wave of Covid-19 was a necessity to protect herself from the virus

Researchers at the University of Illinois Chicago conducted an online survey of 501 adults with asthma and found that 84% experienced discomfort, and 75% reported trouble breathing or shortness of breath at least a little of the time while wearing a mask (HT)

cities

Published on Jan 30, 2022 11:30 PM IST

ByJyoti Shelar

Docs bank on clinical signs to differentiate between Omicron and Delta

Doctors said that a clinical differentiation between Omicron and Delta is crucial in terms of planning the treatment

In absence of quicker genome sequencing or the wide-scale unavailability of S-gene target failure tests used to indirectly detect Omicron, doctors have been using clinical signs to differentiate between the Omicron and Delta in order to decide the course of treatment (HT)

cities

Updated on Jan 28, 2022 07:21 PM IST

ByJyoti Shelar

‘Promote grassroots research’: Padma awardee Bawaskar to government

Dr Himmatrao Bawaskar, who runs a hospital in Maharashtra’s Mahad, is also known for his research on the management of scorpion stings and snake bites

Padma awardee Dr Himmatrao Bawaskar. (HT Photo)

cities

Updated on Jan 28, 2022 01:38 PM IST

ByJyoti Shelar

As Covid-19 cases decline, demand for self-test drops

As Mumbai reports a steady decline in daily Covid-19 cases, chemists have also recorded a drop in the sales of home self-testing kits over the past week

Mumbai’s test positivity rate (TPR) on January 7 was 29% and dropped to 21% on January 14. (AFP)

cities

Updated on Jan 27, 2022 09:12 PM IST

ByJyoti Shelar

Tracking Mumbai’s three waves: How treatment for Covid-19 has evolved

Tracking Mumbai’s three Covid-19 waves: SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes Covid-19 disease, can be detected in upper respiratory tract for up to three months of the onset of illness.

A BMC health worker collects swab samples for Covid-19 test of passengers arriving on outstation trains at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus in Mumbai on Tuesday (HT Photo/Bhushan Koyande)

cities

Published on Jan 26, 2022 03:25 PM IST

ByJyoti Shelar

Mumbai high-rise fire: Woman suffers 50% burns, 7 others in critical condition

Doctors from the Kasturba Hospital said that they had one female patient Madhuri Chopdekar admitted with burn injuries and remained in a critical condition

The condition of at least eight patients was in a critical state. (ANI)

cities

Published on Jan 22, 2022 11:32 PM IST

ByJyoti Shelar

ICU, ventilator occupancy rise, hospitalisations fall in 10-day period

Mumbai’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and ventilator bed occupancy has gone up in the past 10 days, even as the city’s overall Covid-19 hospitalisations have recorded a dip

On January 11, the city had 876 Covid patients in Intensive Care Units and 526 on ventilator support in city hospitals, according to the data collated by the Brihanmumbai Corporation (BMC) (REUTERS)

cities

Published on Jan 20, 2022 11:16 PM IST

ByJyoti Shelar

Omicron variant can turn serious, experts say

Experts pointed out that Omicron, which is known to largely affect the upper respiratory tract and thus produce milder symptoms compared to the Delta or Delta plus variant can still cause severe disease, and in some instances, death

The Omicron variant can trigger complications depending on the co-morbid condition of the patient (Stock pic)

cities

Updated on Jan 20, 2022 11:09 PM IST

ByJyoti Shelar

Use Molnupiravir with “abundant caution”: State

A letter issued by the additional chief secretary Pradeep Vyas stated that the drug must not be prescribed to Covid patients below 18 years and pregnant women

The state government asked all districts and corporations to use the new antiviral drug Molnupiravir with “abundant caution” on Monday (Praful Gangurde)

cities

Published on Jan 17, 2022 10:35 PM IST

ByJyoti Shelar

Mumbai vaccinated just 24% teens, half of state’s average

A fortnight after the vaccination drive to inoculate the age group of 15 to 17 years started, Mumbai has managed to cover just about 24% of its target

Maharashtra’s target population is over six million and the state had administered over two million doses (Praful Gangurde)

cities

Published on Jan 17, 2022 09:30 PM IST

ByJyoti Shelar

Mumbai’s memory clinic hopes to slow the progression of dementia in patients

The first such clinic in a public hospital in the city offers comprehensive management including cognitive rehabilitation and caregiver support for persons with dementia

First Memory Clinic for patients with Dementia at KEM Hospital, Parel (Pratik Chorge/HT Photo)

cities

Published on Jan 16, 2022 01:15 AM IST

ByJyoti Shelar

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Jyoti Shelar

The WHO guidelines are based on the University College London-led SHINE (Shorter Treatment for Minimal Tuberculosis in Children) trial that found a shortened regimen of 4 months was not inferior to the conventional 6-month course for children with tuberculosis.

Mumbai municipal body BMC has started making inventories of medicines, equipment at four Covid-19 centres set up in the city. BMC plans to shift PSA plants from the jumbo Covid to Mumbai hospitals

The best way to avoid a spike again in the summer would be to use masks outdoors as well as indoors in spaces such as offices, schools, colleges etc

Even as the virus remains in circulation in low numbers, experts believe that Mumbai will avoid fatalities if guidelines are followed stringently and those who are eligible, take both their jabs

Mumbai: Maharashtra’s full vaccination coverage in the 15-18 age group is 30

Over 91.5% of adults in the state have received at least one dose and 70.4% of adults are fully vaccinated with both doses

While the panel of doctors will provide opinions within 48 hours, the case studies will be discussed every month in a virtual conference as a knowledge sharing and skill-building exercise

Vellore-based virologist Dr T Jacob John said that booster doses should be rolled out for everyone, more so for people who are immunocompromised

Makeshift jumbo centres at Dahisar, Goregaon, Malad, Sion and Kanjurmarg are likely to be dismantled.

A new study published in the reproductive medicine journal Human Reproduction has revealed that by the 10th week of pregnancy, embryo development was delayed by nearly a day in women who smoked 10 or more cigarettes a day compared to non-smokers.

The paper showed that treatment with vitamin D may be associated with lower rates of intubation and shorter hospital stays, but the researchers noted that more rigorous study is needed to validate that finding

The nationwide vaccination drive for youngsters in the age group of 15 to 18 years began on January 3

Lata Mangeshkar, who left behind thousands of memorable songs in a singing career that spanned the arc of Indian cinema, was cremated with full state honours on Sunday evening.

Two years into the pandemic and the medical fraternity is fiercely debating if COvid victims can become organ donors

TB survivors, activists and organisations have jointly written to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare demanding the complete phase-out of Kanamycin, an injectable anti-TB drug

The centres will be equipped with waiting rooms, doctors, medical stores, nursing staff rooms and consultation rooms for patients.

Amidst the Omicron driven third wave, several medical experts are now saying that large-scale Covid-19 tests are unnecessary

Experts believe that January may have been the peak of the third wave at least for the bigger districts of the state, including Mumbai.

We know very little about NeoCoV at the moment, except that the researchers from China have found it in bats, says experts adding that now is not the time to panic and spread misinformation

Mumbai: For 65-year-old Khar resident Madhuri Kanga, who is asthmatic for nearly seven years, wearing N95 mask in the deadly second wave of Covid-19 was a necessity to protect herself from the virus

Doctors said that a clinical differentiation between Omicron and Delta is crucial in terms of planning the treatment

Dr Himmatrao Bawaskar, who runs a hospital in Maharashtra’s Mahad, is also known for his research on the management of scorpion stings and snake bites

As Mumbai reports a steady decline in daily Covid-19 cases, chemists have also recorded a drop in the sales of home self-testing kits over the past week

Tracking Mumbai’s three Covid-19 waves: SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes Covid-19 disease, can be detected in upper respiratory tract for up to three months of the onset of illness.

Doctors from the Kasturba Hospital said that they had one female patient Madhuri Chopdekar admitted with burn injuries and remained in a critical condition

Mumbai’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and ventilator bed occupancy has gone up in the past 10 days, even as the city’s overall Covid-19 hospitalisations have recorded a dip

Experts pointed out that Omicron, which is known to largely affect the upper respiratory tract and thus produce milder symptoms compared to the Delta or Delta plus variant can still cause severe disease, and in some instances, death

A letter issued by the additional chief secretary Pradeep Vyas stated that the drug must not be prescribed to Covid patients below 18 years and pregnant women

A fortnight after the vaccination drive to inoculate the age group of 15 to 17 years started, Mumbai has managed to cover just about 24% of its target

The first such clinic in a public hospital in the city offers comprehensive management including cognitive rehabilitation and caregiver support for persons with dementia

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