Hospitals across India report Covid-19 patients with rare deadly black fungus that decays brains and lungs
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Dozens of hospitals across India have started to report cases of Coronavirus patients being hit by a rare black fungus which has a mortality rate of about 50 per cent.
A number of severely ill Covid-19 patients are showing symptoms of Mucormycosis, an extremely rare fungal infection, which causes vital organs to rot, including the brain, lungs and sinuses.
According to a report earlier today in
The Hindustan Times, one of India’s largest newspapers, the country’s governmental Council of Medical Research warned doctors in recent days to look out for symptoms, such as blackening or discolouration over the nose, blurred or double vision, chest pain, toothache and loosening of teeth, breathing difficulties and coughing blood.
Covid strain that contains 18 mutations is more deadly and infectious, researchers warn
Outbreak of the coronavirus in Brazil
Researchers have confirmed that a new variant of the Coronavirus turns out to be a combination of 18 different mutations, including the strains commonly known as the Brazil, British and South African variants.
Moreover, the new strain is more deadly and infectious variant than the original coronavirus variant.
Researchers in the Brazilian city of Belo Horizonte said the new variant is a mixture of nearly two dozen previously know mutations, according to local media reports in the South American country.
“It is as if these variants were evolving,” virologist Renato Santana reportedly said, adding the new variant includes the same genes modified by Brazil’s Manaus, known as P1, British and South African variants.
BBC News
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image captionThere were 245 positive tests in Bolton in the week ending 1 May
Surge testing is to be rolled out in Bolton, which has one of the highest rates of the India variant of Covid in England.
Everyone living or working in the Rumworth, Deane or Great Lever areas is being urged to get tested.
There were 245 positive tests in Bolton in the week ending 1 May.
The council is setting up mobile testing units at Memory Lane Wedding Venue, Gilnow Lane and Makkah Mosque in Grecian Crescent.
Home testing kits will also be available for collection and return at Deane Road Temple.
Under-40s in Britain to be offered alternative to Astrazeneca vaccine
People under the age of 40 in Britain will be offered an alternative to the Astrazeneca coronavirus vaccine following concerns of rare blood clots.
In a press conference this morning, the government’s Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) recommended that adults in the UK aged between 30 and 39 should seek an alternative vaccine.
Professor Wei Shen Lim, member of the JCVI’s Covid subcommittee, said: “Safety remains our number one priority.
“As Covid-19 rates continue to come under control, we are advising that adults aged 18- 39 years with no underlying health conditions are offered an alternative to the Oxford/Astrazeneca vaccine, if available, and if it does not cause delays in having the vaccine.”