Current Affairs 08 October 2024

Contents:

1. Marburg virus strains Rwanda’s healthcare system
2. Red Panda Conservation Program
3. Antimicrobial resistance
4. ‘Free to Think 2024’ report
5. Maldives signs currency swap agreement with India
6. Rise in Population of wild asses

Marburg virus strains Rwanda’s healthcare system

Context:

At least 46 individuals have been infected and 12 Marburg deaths reported have been reported due to the deadly Marburg virus in Rwanda.

The deadly Marburg virus could overwhelm Rwanda’s fragile healthcare system as about 80% of infections are among medical workers.

Relevance:

GS II: Health

Dimensions of the Article:

1. Marburg virus disease: History
2. Marburg virus and the disease
3. Symptoms of Marburg virus disease
4. What are the hosts for the Marburg virus?
5. What are the challenges with Marburg virus disease?

Marburg virus disease: History

• Marburg was discovered in 1967, when outbreaks of hemorrhagic fever occurred simultaneously in laboratories in Marburg and Frankfurt, Germany, as well as Belgrade, Serbia — cases that were linked to African green monkeys imported from Uganda.
• According to the World Health Organization, additional cases have since been discovered in Angola, Congo, Kenya, South Africa, and Uganda.
• The cases reported in Ghana last month were the country’s first.

Marburg virus and the disease

• The pathogen that causes Marburg virus disease in humans is the Marburg virus.
• According to medical experts, there are no vaccines or antiviral treatments for the disease, but hydrating patients and treating their specific symptoms can improve their chances of survival.
• According to WHO, the disease is clinically similar to Ebola in its spread, symptoms, and progression, despite being caused by a different virus.
• In the case of Marburg, fruit bats are thought to be the virus’s hosts, though researchers claim the virus does not cause illness in them.

Symptoms of Marburg virus disease

• Marburg can cause severe viral hemorrhagic fever, which impairs the ability of the blood to clot.
• According to WHO, the incubation period ranges from two to 21 days, and symptoms begin abruptly with high fever, severe headache, and severe malaise.
• Other symptoms may include muscle aches, diarrhoea, nausea, lethargy, and bleeding from the mouth, faeces, or other parts of the body.
• According to the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control, Marburg is not contagious during the incubation period. According to WHO, severely ill patients frequently die eight or nine days after the onset of symptoms.
• “Mortality is extremely high.” And there is no such thing as asymptomatic Marburg
• According to health organisations, a patient’s condition can be confirmed as Marburg by using antibody, antigen, and polymerase chain reaction tests.

What are the hosts for the Marburg virus?

• Rousettus fruit bats are thought to be the virus’s natural host.
• According to WHO, the first human infection was caused by African green monkeys imported from Uganda.
• It was discovered in 1967, following simultaneous outbreaks in Marburg, Germany, and Belgrade, Serbia.
• The disease has a 50 percent fatality rate on average.
• According to the WHO, it can be as low as 24 percent or as high as 88 percent, depending on the virus strain and case management.

What are the challenges with Marburg virus disease?

• Clinically, MVD is difficult to distinguish from diseases such as malaria, typhoid fever, and other viral hemorrhagic fevers.
• However, lab testing of samples confirms it, which, like Coronavirus and Ebola, are extreme biohazard risks.
• There is currently no approved antiviral treatment or vaccine for MVD.
• It is treatable with supportive care.
• Rehydration with oral or intravenous fluids, as well as treatment of specific symptoms, can help prevent death, according to the WHO.

-Source: The Hindu, The Indian Express       

Red Panda Conservation Program

Context:

The Red Panda Program of Darjeeling’s Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park has been selected as a finalist for the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) Conservation Award 2024.

Relevance:

GS III- Environment and Ecology

Dimensions of the Article:

1. Details
2. About WAZA Awards
3. About Red Panda

Details:

• Darjeeling’s Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park has undertaken several habitat restoration initiatives in collaboration with various institutions and the government of India.
• Between 2022 and 2024, nine captive-bred red pandas (seven females and two males) were released into Singalila National Park in West Bengal.
• The zoo’s conservation efforts are strengthened by its Biobanking and Genetic Resource Facility, wherein gametes, tissues, and DNA of Red Pandas and other endangered species will be preserved for future use.
• This effort of the Zoo has led to its entry into the final list for the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) Conservation Award 2024.

About WAZA Awards:

• The World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) is the global alliance of regional associations, national federations, zoos and aquariums, dedicated to the care and conservation of animals and their habitats around the world.
• In 2016, WAZA established its highest award for institutional commitment towards conservation, named the WAZA Conservation Award.
• This award is granted to an institution for an outstanding, comprehensive specific conservation programme that has clear objectives and excellent conservation outcomes.

About Red Panda

• The Giant Panda and the Red Panda are the only two distinct panda species found in the world.
• It serves as Sikkim’s official animal as well.
• Red pandas are timid, lonely, arboreal creatures that are used as indicators of ecological change.
• Both (sub)species are found in India.
  • Himalayan red panda (Ailurus fulgens)
  • Chinese red panda (Ailurus styani)
• The two phylogenetic species are split by the Siang River in Arunachal Pradesh.
• It can be discovered in the jungles of India, Nepal, Bhutan, as well as the northern mountains of Myanmar and the southern provinces of China.

Protection Status:

Red Pandas:

• IUCN Red List: Endangered
• CITES: Appendix I
• Wildlife Protection Act 1972: Schedule I

Giant Pandas:

• IUCN Red List: Vulnerable
• CITES: Appendix I

-Source: The Hindu, The Indian Express       

Antimicrobial resistance

Contect:

Telangana has become the Seventh state in India to launch action plan on antimicrobial resistance.

Relevance:

GS-3 Science and Technology

Dimensions of the Article:

1. What is Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)?
2. Concerns regarding Antimicrobial resistance (AMR)
3. Way forward

What is Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)?

• Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is the ability of microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, viruses, and parasites to remain unaffected or survive antimicrobial drugs such as antibiotics, antivirals and antimalarials.
• AMR occurs when microorganisms exposed to antimicrobial drugs develop antimicrobial resistance resulting in standard treatments becoming ineffective leading to persistence of infections and spreading of infections.
• Microorganisms that develop antimicrobial resistance are sometimes referred to as “superbugs”.
• The misuse of antimicrobials in medicine and inappropriate use in agriculture is one of the major causes of spread of Antimicrobial Resistance.
• Contamination around pharmaceutical manufacturing sites where untreated waste releases large amounts of active antimicrobials into the environment also leads to spread of AMR.

Basis of Antimicrobial Resistance

• Some bacteria due to the presence of resistance genes are intrinsically resistant and therefore survive on being exposed to antibiotics.
• Bacteria can also acquire resistance by sharing and transferring resistance genes present in the rest of the population, or by genetic mutations that help the bacteria survive antibiotic exposure.

Multi drug resistance

• Multiple drug resistance (MDR), multidrug resistance or multi-resistance is antimicrobial resistance shown by a species of microorganism to multiple antimicrobial drugs.
• The types most threatening to public health are MDR bacteria that resist multiple antibiotics; other types include MDR viruses, parasites (resistant to multiple antifungals, antiviral, and antiparasitic drugs of a wide chemical variety).
• Recognizing different degrees of MDR, the terms extensively drug resistant (XDR) and pandrug-resistant (PDR) have been introduced.

Concerns regarding Antimicrobial resistance (AMR)

• Medical procedures such as organ transplantation, cancer chemotherapy, diabetes management and major surgery (for example, caesarean sections or hip replacements) become very risky due to AMR.
• AMR increases the cost of healthcare with lengthier stays in hospitals, additional tests and use of more expensive drugs.
• No new classes of antibiotics have made it to the market in the last three decades, largely on account of inadequate incentives for their development and production.
• Without urgent action, we are heading towards a future without antibiotics and with bacteria becoming completely resistant to treatment and when common infections and minor injuries could once again kill (referred to as antibiotic apocalypse).
• It is putting the gains of the Millennium Development Goals at risk and endangers achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Concerns regarding AMR in India

• India, with its combination of large population, rising incomes that facilitate purchase of antibiotics, high burden of infectious diseases and easy over-the-counter access to antibiotics, is an important locus for the generation of resistance genes.
• The multi-drug resistance determinant, New Delhi Metallo-beta-lactamase-1 (NDM-1), emerged from this region to spread globally – Africa, Europe and other parts of Asia have also been affected by multi-drug resistant typhoid originating from South Asia.
• In India, over 56,000 newborn deaths each year due to sepsis are caused by organisms that are resistant to first line antibiotics.

Way forward

•  The use of antibiotics unrelated to treating human disease, such as in food and animal production, must be “optimised”.
• Greater action need to be taken to monitor and control infections, globally, nationally and within individual hospitals.
• Access to vaccines, clean water and sanitation ought to be expanded.
• And finally should be “more thoughtful” about our use of antimicrobial treatments —expanding access to lifesaving antibiotics where needed, minimising use where they are not necessary to improve human health and acting according to WHO’s recommendations on the same.
• Increasing funding for developing new antimicrobials and targeting priority pathogens such as K. pneumoniae and E. Coli and ensuring that they are affordable and accessible to most of the world.

-Source: The Hindu

‘Free to Think 2024’ report

Context:

As per the “Free to Think 2024” annual report, India has slipped on academic freedom index.

Relevance:

GS2- Education

Dimensions of the Article:

1. Details
2. Universities and Free Thought
3. Academic Institutions and Democracy
4. Diminishing Academic Freedom
5. Way forward

Details:

• According to the “Free to Think 2024” annual report published by the Scholars at Risk (SAR) Academic Freedom Monitoring Project, the decline in academic freedom is evident in India’s position.
• The report has looked extensively at India, Afghanistan, China, Colombia, Germany, Hong Kong, Iran, Israel, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Occupied Palestinian Territory, Russia, Turkiye, Sudan, Ukraine, the U.K. and the U.S.
• It has documented around 391 attacks on higher education communities in 51 countries between July 1, 2023 and June 30, 2024.
• The report notes that India’s academic freedom slipped from 0.6 points to 0.2 points from 2013 to 2023.
• The report states that the most pressing threats to the academic freedom of students and scholars included the efforts to exert political control and impose a Hindu nationalist agenda on universities and university policies limiting student protest.
• According to the Academic Freedom Index, India now ranks as “completely restricted”, its lowest score since the mid-1940s.

Universities and Free Thought:

• As the government’s insistence on educational institutions serving as platforms for its political agenda becomes more pronounced, the idea of universities as advocates for free thought is gradually being undermined.
• In the past year, there were numerous instances that sought to constrain academic freedom. The Indian Institute of Science (IISc), the nation’s top-ranking institute, had to cancel a discussion on the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).
• In March, the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) administration initially imposed fines amounting to ₹20,000 for campus protests, a decision later rescinded.
• Recently, two prominent scholars resigned from Ashoka University following the publication of a paper analyzing the disproportionate share of seats won by the ruling party in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

Academic Institutions and Democracy:

• Academic institutions serve as crucial platforms for such discussions, which are vital for a functioning democracy, irrespective of ideological differences.
• Imposing restrictions on expressing opinions or ideas can have detrimental effects on academic work and harm the overall research environment.
• The decline in academic freedom is evident in India’s position on the indices by the V-Dem Institute of the University of Gothenburg in Sweden. India’s academic freedom index is in the bottom 30% among 179 countries, with a score of 0.38 on a scale of 0 (low) to 1 (high).

Diminishing Academic Freedom:

• The diminishing academic freedom is also evident in the gradual erosion of institutional autonomy, including the selection of Vice-Chancellors and heads of academic institutes.
• The UGC Act of 1956 explicitly states that its core function is to monitor standards in universities “in consultation with universities.”
• However, it has been noted that the UGC has accumulated power and tends to function as an instrument of the ministry.
• University appointments are now often made based on political considerations rather than merit at both the central and state government levels.

Way forward:

• It is suggested that global institutions can contribute by incorporating “Academic Freedom” as an indicator in university rankings. It is essential for universities to establish system-wide protections against impinging on academic autonomy and freedom of expression.
• Taking inspiration from the Education Act of New Zealand, where academic freedom is defined as the freedom of academic staff and students to question received wisdom, propose new ideas, and express controversial or unpopular opinions within the bounds of the law.

-Source: The Hindu

Maldives signs currency swap agreement with India

Context:

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI), has entered into a Currency Swap Agreement with the Maldives under the SAARC Currency Swap Framework 2024-27.

India is extending financial support to Maldives amounting to $400 million under the US Dollar/ Euro Swap Window and ₹30 billion or $357 million under the INR Swap Window

Relevance:

GS-II: International Relations (India’s Neighbors, Foreign Policies and Developments affecting India’s Interests), GS-III: Indian Economy

Dimensions of the Article:

1. What is a Currency Swap?
2. How is this going to help?
3. An Overview of the Relation Between India and Maldives

What is a Currency Swap?

• A currency swap is an agreement in which two parties exchange the principal amount of a loan and the interest in one currency for the principal and interest in another currency.
• At the inception of the swap, the equivalent principal amounts are exchanged at the spot rate.
• Unlike an interest rate swap, the principal is not a notional amount, but it is exchanged along with interest obligations.
• In a currency swap, the parties exchange interest and principal payments on debt denominated in different currencies.
• Currency swaps can take place between countries.
• The purpose of a currency swap is to hedge exposure to exchange rate risk or reduce the cost of borrowing a foreign currency.

How is this going to help?

It will help RBI in its efforts to fight market volatility.

The currency swap will provide liquidity to the foreign exchange market.

An Overview of the Relation Between India and Maldives:

Security Partnership:

• Collaboration in defense encompasses Joint Exercises such as “Ekuverin,” “Dosti,” “Ekatha,” and “Operation Shield” (commenced in 2021).
• India plays a crucial role in meeting approximately 70% of the Maldivian National Defence Force’s (MNDF) defense training needs.
• Additionally, India and the Maldives have signed a contract for the Addu reclamation and shore protection project, including the construction of a drug detoxification and rehabilitation center in Addu, supported by India.
• This center is part of India’s 20 high-impact community development projects covering healthcare, education, fisheries, tourism, sports, and culture.

Economic Cooperation:

• India supports the Maldivian economy, primarily driven by tourism. Afcons, an Indian company, signed a contract for the Greater Male Connectivity Project (GMCP) in August 2021, the largest infrastructure project in the Maldives. In 2021, India became the third-largest trade partner for the Maldives.
• The RBI and Maldives Monetary Authority signed a Bilateral USD Currency Swap Agreement in July 2019. However, the India-Maldives relationship faced challenges with the Maldives’ Free-Trade Agreement (FTA) with China in 2017.

Infrastructure Projects:

• Under an Indian credit line, the Hanimaadhoo International Airport Development project is adding a new terminal to accommodate 1.3 million passengers annually.
• The National College for Policing and Law Enforcement (NCPLE), inaugurated in 2022, is India’s largest grant project in the Maldives.

Greater Male Connectivity Project:

This project involves a 6.74 km-long bridge and causeway link between Male and nearby islands, funded by a USD 100 million grant and a USD 400 million Line of Credit (LOC) from India. It represents the most significant infrastructure undertaking in the Maldives.

Different Operations in Maldives:

Historically, India has engaged in operations to assist Maldives, including Operation Cactus in 1988, Operation Neer in 2014 addressing a drinking water crisis, and Operation Sanjeevani in response to COVID-19.

The Strained Relationship Between India and Maldives:

Current Government’s Relation with India:

• Despite the immediate fallout, the underlying reasons for the strained relationship go beyond the tweets and could have a broader impact on India-Maldives relations and the regional dynamics, stemming from the change in government in Male.
• President Muizzu ascended to power through the PPM’s “India Out” campaign. Despite India’s disappointment with the victory of ‘anti-Indian forces,’ the Indian government sent a Minister to Muizzu’s swearing-in, and there was a Modi-Muizzu meeting at the COP28.
• However, Muizzu’s choice of Turkey as his first bilateral destination and his current visit to China mark a departure from the tradition of making India the first priority. Even President Yameen, who initiated the “India Out” movement and strengthened ties with Beijing, visited Delhi first in 2014.
• Muizzu continues to press India on the withdrawal of its military personnel, despite India’s clarifications regarding their role.

Chinese Infrastructure Investments:

Maldives has received substantial Chinese infrastructure investments as part of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), including ports, airports, bridges, and critical infrastructure under the “String of Pearls” initiative.

Shift in Alliances:

China’s influence in Maldives, marked by significant investments, has led to a departure from its traditional alignment with India, raising concerns in India about China’s expanding presence in the region.

India’s Concerns:

India is apprehensive about China’s growing influence in the Indian Ocean, considering the development of Chinese-controlled ports and military facilities in countries like Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and Maldives as potential challenges to regional security.

-Source: Livemint       

Rise in Population of wild asses

Context:

As per the latest report by the Gujarat government, there is a rise in the population of wild asses in Gujarat.

Relevance:

GS III: Environment and Ecology

Dimensions of the Article:

1. Details:
2. About Wild Ass Sanctuary in Gujarat, India
3. About Indian Wild Ass:

Details:

• As per the 10th Wild Ass Population Estimation (WAPE) conducted by the Gujarat government, the population of wild asses in Gujarat has been estimated at 7,672.
• This is a rise of 26.14% in its population.
  • In the last WAPE, done in 2020, the population was estimated at 6,082.

About Wild Ass Sanctuary in Gujarat, India

Location:

• The sanctuary is located in the Little Rann of Kutch in Gujarat, India.
• It is the only place where the Indian wild ass, known as Khacchar locally, can be found.
• The sanctuary is also home to a sizeable population of Rabari and Bharwad tribes.

Topology:

• The sanctuary can be considered a large ecotone, a transitional area between marine and terrestrial ecosystems.
• It is a continuum of a dry area of dark silt with salt encrustation.
• It is dotted with about 74 elevated plateaus or islands, locally called ‘bets’.
• During the monsoon, large parts are flooded to depths of up to 2 meters.

Flora:

• The sanctuary is full of dry thorny scrub, and there are no large trees except on the fringes and bets.
• Some of the plants and trees found in this sanctuary are Morad, Unt morad, Theg, Dolari, Khijdo, Kerdo, Mithi jar, Kheri pilu, Akado, etc.

Fauna:

• Besides Indian Wild Ass, the other mammals found here include Blackbuck, Nilgai, Bluebull, Hare, Wolf, Foxes, Desert Cat, Indian fox, Jackal, Hyena, Wild boar, etc.
• There is rich birdlife, including the Houbara bustard, Sandgrouse, Pale harrier, Black-shouldered kite, Pelican, etc.

About Indian Wild Ass:

Distribution and Habitat:

• The Indian Wild Ass, a sub-species of the Asian Wild Ass, is found only in the Rann of Kutch in Gujarat, India.
• Its habitat includes desert and grassland ecosystems.

Characteristics:

• The Indian Wild Ass is characterized by distinctive white markings on the anterior part of the rump and on the posterior part of the shoulder and a stripe down the back that is bordered by white.
• Scientific name: Equus hemionus khur.

Conservation Status:

• The Indian Wild Ass is listed as “Near Threatened” on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
• It is listed under Appendix II of CITES.
• In India, the Indian Wild Ass is protected under Schedule-I of the Wildlife Protection Act (1972).

Source: Indian Express