ABSTRACT
Background: COVID-19 is essentially an illness brought about by corona virus. COVID-19 is transmitted primarily by close contact between infected individuals. COVID-19 has been related to myalgia and general weakness in one-quarter to one-portion of suggestive patients. Aim(s): To recognize the number of Covid-19 recovered patients who at present complain of musculoskeletal impairments. Method(s): This was an observational study in which 181 covid-19 recovered patients were surveyed. Data was collected from different hospitals of Pakistan, throughself-made questionnaire and analyzed by SPSS version 21. Result(s): After the collection of data, gender differences exist in musculoskeletal disorders after comparison of both genders with age group 20 to 50 years with 48% are males 58% are females and pie chart shows prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders among covid-19 recovered patients. According to the findings, around 35% of 181 healed patients (with pain in their body parts) have seen a doctor in the last 6 months, while 65% have not visited a hospital to consult a doctor for MSK disease Practical Implication: Musculoskeletal impairments are leading cause of pain and disability that canlead to deformity if remain untreated or left without prior notice. As Covid-19 infection rate is getting higher day by day and till date vaccinationis not available to everyone here. We must ensure that anyone getting infected by the novel Corona can have least negative effects even after patients get cured. Conclusion(s): Gender differences exist in musculoskeletal problems. We have to compare it with Covid. Here we may say that it may be due to more stress among females, there are more chances of MSK issue among females as compared to males.Copyright © 2023 Lahore Medical And Dental College. All rights reserved.
ABSTRACT
Background: In the absence of effective treatment or vaccine, the current strategy for the prevention of further trans- mission of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) CoV-2 (COVID-19) infection is early diagnosis and isolation of cas- es. The diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 is done by detecting viral RNA in the nasopharyngeal and throat swabs by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Many commercial assays are now available for performing the PCR assay. The aim was to evaluate the performance of the SD Biosensor nCoV real-time detection kit with the real-time PCR kit provided by the Indian Council of Medical Research-National Institute of Virology (ICMR-NIV), Pune (NIV Protocol). Methods:A total of 253 pairs of nasopharyngeal-oropharyngeal swabs combined in a single viral transport medium were tested for viral RNA by both the protocols. The sensitivity and specificity of the SD Biosensor were calculated consider- ing the ICMR-NIV kit as the gold standard. Matched pairs of recorded cycle threshold values (Ct values) were compared by Pearson’s correlation coefficient. Results:Concordant COVID-19 negative and positive PCR results were reported for 113 and 77 samples, respectively. The SD Biosensor kit additionally detected 62 cases, which were found negative by the NIV protocol. In all discordant positive results by the SD Biosensor kit, the average Ct values were higher than the concordant positive results. A total of forty samples tested positive for E gene by SD Biosensor and having Ct values <25 had 100% concordance with NIV protocol results and 39 samples tested positive for E gene by SD Biosensor having Ct value >32 were all found negative by the NIV protocol. Conclusions:The results highlight the need for careful evaluation of commercial kits before being deployed for screening of COVID-19 infections
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Background:Droplet transmission is the main mode of transmission for SARS-CoV-2. Contact transmission through fom- ites is another important mode of transmission. Amongst fomites, currency notes carry a high risk of SARS-CoV-2 trans- mission because of frequent handling. They also provide ample surface area to harbor micro -organisms. As there is lim- ited data currently available on this subject, the study was planned to determine the presence of SARS -COV-2 on com- monly circulating currency notes by detecting viral RNA using real time PCR. Methods:A total of 71 creased and visibly well circulated notes of monetary value Rs. 10, 100 and 500 were included in the study, collected through normal monetary transaction from the busy shops in designated areas in Delhi (inside and outside containment zones). Two nylon flocked swabs moistened with viral transport medium were rubbed on the ob- verse and reverse sides of the notes and then kept in screw capped tubes containing 1 ml of VTM till further processing at 2-8. RNA extracted was tested for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 by real time PCR as per NIV protocol. Results:Among the 71 currency notes tested for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA by RT-PCR, three samples tested posi- tive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA (4.2%). All the three positive samples were collected from containment zones. Conclusions:Currency notes may be a potential mode of human-to-human transmission. Considering the widespread magnitude of the pandemic and the remarkable stability of the virus on smooth surfaces, caution is warranted while handling currency notes. Hence, contactless transactions/ digital transactions should be recommended as the best op- tions in the ongoing pandemic
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Background:In resource-constrained settings, the majority of laboratories are not accredited to international standards and may only be partially implementing elements of a QMS. ICMR started an Inter -Laboratory Quality Control (ILQC) program for Covid-19 testing. Under this program, RT-PCR testing laboratories across the country send 10 Covid testing samples;five positive and five negative, quarterly to the assigned State Quality Control (SQCs) laboratories for ILQC testing. MAMC Covid-19 laboratory is one of the SQCs laboratory which receives samples for testing. We are presenting here ILQC results and experience of MAMC SQCs Laboratory. Methods:In the duration from July through to November 2020 a total of 445 anonymized samples were received from 24 various public and private linked laboratories. These samples were processed by RT -PCR tests as per NIV protocol. Results were uploaded on the ICMR QC/QA portal to keep pace with the latest technical developments and to synchro- nize with the International Standards. ICMR QC/QA portal generated a final report stating concordance of the results to individual laboratories. Results: Among 445 samples, three samples were rejected as leaked. A total of 442 samples tested. Of these samples, 317 Covid testing samples results are available till date from ICMR which were received in 25 different batches from 18 laboratories. Out of total 317 samples, 308 samples (97%) showed concordant results and 09 were discordant. A total of 19 sample batches showed complete concordance. Only 6 batches from different laboratories showed disagreement. Of these laboratories two laboratories were public and four private laboratories. A total of 12 laboratories had 100% con- cordance. Conclusions:We concluded that majority of the laboratories approved by ICMR are performing with high concordance of results despite varied usage of kits and platforms
ABSTRACT
In December 2019, a novel coronavirus (now named COVID-19) was identified as a causative agent for a cluster of pneumonia cases in Wuhan, China.(1) Till March 2020, India was one among 50 countries which identified patients tested positive for COVID-19.(2) One day curfew was imposed in the country on March 22, 2020 to forewarn the people about the danger the country was going to face. The government of India announced a nationwide lockdown for 21 days from March 25, 2020 with subsequent second, third and fourth lockdowns. This was done to reduce the transmission of disease and flatten the curve. The preparations to manage COVID-19 pandemic crisis began in Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College Hospital Aligarh, a tertiary care centre in western Uttar Pradesh by 15th of March 2020. In April 2020, it was declared as Level 2 COVID care hospital to deal with complicated and critical cases. The establishment of flu clinic, exclusive COVID-19 isolation ward, teleconsultation and widespread screening of patients by Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT PCR) were some measures undertaken to deal with the crisis. The increased burden of patients presenting with bronchopneumonia necessitated augmentation of the existent infrastructure and better utilization of resources. Emergency and trauma centre, JNMCH, AMU Aligarh was also no exception and reorganising emergency trauma ICU as COVID-19 suspect ICU made the functioning of the entire hospital a lot smoother during this unsustainable crisis situation. However, there were several challenges to overcome while designating an emergency and trauma ICU as COVID-19 suspect ICU. There is ample amount of literature available discussing the strategies for preparing a dedicated COVID ICU, however there is relative scarcity of literature on the challenges in managing an emergency and trauma ICU (ETC - ICU) during the pandemic. In this review, we discuss the strategies and planning for converting an emergency and trauma ICU into a COVID suspect ICU in a tertiary care centre in western Uttar Pradesh (India) during the pandemic and the challenges faced.
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In this study, a new solar-based fuel cell-powered oxygenation and ventilation system is presented for COVID-19 patients. Solar energy is utilized to operate the developed system through photovoltaic panels. The method of water splitting is utilized to generate the required oxygen through the operation of a proton exchange membrane water electrolyser. Moreover, the hydrogen produced during water splitting is utilized as fuel to operate the fuel cell system during low solar availability or the absence of solar irradiation. Transient simulations and thermodynamic analyses of the developed system are performed by accounting for the changes in solar radiation intensities during the year. The daily oxygen generation is found to vary between 170.4 kg/day and 614.2 kg/day during the year. Furthermore, the amount of daily hydrogen production varies between 21.3 kg/day and 76.8 kg/day. The peak oxygen generation rate attains a value of 18.6 g/s. Moreover, the water electrolysis subsystem entails daily exergy destruction in the range of 139.9-529.7 kWh. The maximum efficiencies of the developed system are found to be 14.3% energetically and 13.4% exergetically.
ABSTRACT
Introduction: Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) has taken the world by storm since its detection in China. The pandemic swept across the globe and affected India. The presence or absence of co-morbidities may determine the clinical outcome. Clinical manifestations include cough, fever and dyspnoea mainly. Aim: To elucidate epidemiological findings, clinical features, co-morbidities of COVID-19 disease and clinical outcomes in first 500 COVID-19 patients admitted at a tertiary care teaching hospital in Northern India. Materials and Methods: The retrospective observational study was conducted at Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College and Hospital (JNMCH), Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, India, from 21st April to 27th October 2020 on first 500 Reverse Transcription–Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR)/ Rapid Antigen or TruNatBeta positive patients. During January to March 2021 period data was collected and analysed. Data was analysed for epidemiological parameters, Symptoms and Clinical hospital outcomes of patients. Data was analysed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) VERSION 21.0 IBM and p-value <0.05 was taken as significant. Results: Out of total patients, 284 (56.80%) and 216 (43.20%) were males and females respectively and 11.12% of females were pregnant. Difference in mean ages of males and females was significant (p-value<0.001). The results show that 434 patients (86.80%) recovered fully and were discharged (more males were discharged), whereas 47 (9.40%) patients died. Out of total 500 patients 75.60% patients stayed in the hospital for more than 72 hours and 24.40% stayed for less than 72 hours. The mean age of patients who stayed for less than 72 hours was 48.85± 17.93 as compared (44.23± 17.45) to those who stayed for more than 72 hours and the difference was significant (p-value=0.012). Most common symptom was fever (58%) followed by cough (32%) and dyspnoea (31%). The association between the duration of stay and clinical outcome was significant (p-value<0.001). Conclusion: Gender, advancing age, duration of stay and associated co-morbidities appear to play role in infection and outcome of COVID-19.