NEWS

The Centre has asked Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands to ensure that health facilities are stocked with essential medicines and supplies to meet any exigencies in the wake of Cyclone Yaas, which is expected to make landfall later this month.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), a low pressure area is forming over north Andaman Sea, which is likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm by May 24, and is expected to move north-westwards and approach Odisha and West Bengal coasts around May 26.

Amidst the second wave of COVID-19, the Diving School of the Southern Naval Command of the Indian Navy has conceptualised and designed an ‘Oxygen Recycling System’ (ORS) to alleviate the existing Oxygen (O2) shortages.

The Diving School has expertise in this area as the basic concept is used in some of the diving sets used by the school. 

The ORS is designed to extend the life of the existing medical O2 cylinders two to four times, using the fact that only a small percentage of O2 inhaled by a patient is actually absorbed by the lungs, the rest being exhaled into the atmosphere along with carbon dioxide (CO2) produced by the body. This exhaled O2 can be re-used, provided the exhaled CO2 is removed.

The total count of anti-Covid vaccine doses administered in Delhi crossed the 50 lakh-mark on Friday, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said. In a tweet, he also lamented that the government had to close down vaccination centres for the 18-44 years age group due to "non-availability of vaccine". "Delhi has crossed total 50 lakh vaccination doses benchmark today (including 1st and 2nd dose). But it's unfortunate that we have to close our centres, for 18+ age group, because of non-availability of vaccine," he tweeted.

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday in a letter urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to arrange Covid-19 vaccines for state and central government employees. In the letter, she requested the Prime Minister for 20 lakh vaccine doses to cover the vaccination process of all employees engaged in the priority sectors without further delay.

"I request you to kindly arrange vaccines for these priority sector Central government employees working all over the country along with state Government employees without any further delay," Banerjee said in the letter, adding that the inoculation for frontline workers involving extensive interface with the public is of paramount importance.