Declare mucormycosis an epidemic, Centre tells States
Context: The Union government has asked the States to declare mucormycosis, the fungal infection being reported in COVID-19 patients, an epidemic. An infection called white fungus or Candidiasis has also been found to affect some people and Covid-19 patients are more prone to white fungus as it affects the lungs and similar symptoms are created […]
Kyasanur forest disease: ICMR develops new test
Context: A new point-of-care test developed by ICMR-National Institute of Virology has been found to be highly sensitive in the rapid diagnosis of Kyasanur forest disease (KFD), also known as monkey fever, which is an emerging public health problem in the country. Relevance: Prelims, GS-III: Science and Technology, GS-II: Social Justice (Health related issues) Dimensions […]
China landed a spacecraft on Mars
Context: China landed a spacecraft on Mars carrying its first Mars rover in a big boost to its space ambitions. Relevance: GS-III: Science and technology (Space Technology, Important developments in Space technology) Dimensions of the Article: About China’s Tianwen-1 China’s advancements in space Previous Mars missions Why Mars exploration? Mangalyaan About China’s Tianwen-1 China launched […]
Israel’s Iron Dome rocket defence system
Context: Israeli Iron Dome aerial defence system just intercepted a Hamas Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) that crossed from Gaza into Israel. Within a three-day span in early May 2021, Hamas had fired more than 1,500 rockets from Gaza all the way into Israel. The night sky over Israel had been ablaze with interceptor missiles from […]
India variant of Covid Concerns and Classification
Context: The World Health Organisation 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 2021 and it has already spread to more than 17 countries. Relevance: GS-III: Science and Technology […]
U.S. to support IP waiver for COVID-19 vaccines
Context: The United States will support an initiative at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) to waive Trade Related Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) protection for COVID-19 vaccines. The news will support the increased production of vaccines globally as countries, including India, continue to reel under the impact of the pandemic. The initiative was first floated by […]
China on India’s 5G exclusion
Context: China expressed “concern and regret” at India’s move to not include Chinese telecommunication firms among the companies permitted to conduct trials for the use of 5G technology in May 2021. Relevance: GS-III: Science and Technology (IT & Computers, Innovations & Discoveries), GS-II: International Relations (India’s neighbors, Foreign Policies and Developments affecting India’s Interests) Dimensions […]
COVID-19 connection with Neanderthal Genomes
Context: Studies show that we, Human Beings (Homo Sapiens) have inherited regions of host genomes from Neanderthals, which are an extinct species of hominids that were the closest relatives to modern human beings, that increase the risk of getting severely ill and protect against the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Relevance: GS-III: Science and Technology (Biotechnology) Dimensions of […]
Oxygen Crisis: Oxygen Shortage in India explained for UPSC
Context: Oxygen Crisis in India – Oxygen Shortage for Covid-19 patients treatment There are serious calls to address the Oxygen Crisis in India due to shortage of Oxygen as infected patients of the second wave of Covid-19 are left gasping for breath as hospitals in some states are operating on the edge due to a […]
Antimicrobial resistance, the silent threat
Context: As serious as the current health and economic crisis is, COVID-19 may just be the harbinger of future crises – because Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) one of the greatest challenges of the 21st century seems to be ignored. Relevance: GS-III: Science and Technology, GS-II: Social Justice (Health related issues) Mains Questions: How can engaging the […]