5th January, 2021

 

Topic: Health

Avian influenza, killer of the birds of Lake Pong.

 

What is News?

• H5N1 is also known as avian influenza or Bird flu has killed approximately 1900 migratory birds in the Pong Lake area.

 

What is Bird flu or Avian Flu?

• Avian influenza refers to the disease caused by infection with avian (bird) influenza (flu) Type A viruses.

 

How does avian influenza spread?

• Wild waterfowl such as geese and ducks are natural reservoirs of the influenza A virus and are key to the ecology of these viruses.
• Many of these birds are carriers of viruses without being affected, they excrete them in their faeces.
• As birds fly and can excrete while flying, the virus can spread across a large area.
•  From migratory birds to poultry and land birds and at times to pigs, horses, cats and dogs.

 

When humans are contaminated?

• People were known to contract avian influenza in a live bird market in Hong Kong in 1997.
• It was an H5N1 strain.
• Further spread into Southeast Asian countries.

 

Cause:

1) Displacement of infected migratory birds and poultry.

2) Illegally traded birds.

• Subsequently, other strains such as H5N2 and H5N8 jumped out of animals into humans and became a global public health concern.

 

Important:

• It is easy to spread from human to human, according to the WHO.
• But Bird to Human when humans are in close contact with living and dead infected birds.
• The death rate per H5N1 strain is 6 out of 10 confirmed cases resulting in death.

 

India:

• From 2006 to 2015: Only 25 cases of H5N1 in 15 states spread when the epidemic started in Gujarat and Maharashtra.

 

Main Symptoms:

• Respiratory Distress.
• Cough.
• Sore throat.

 

Vaccine:

• The U.S. FDA approved a vaccine for H5N1 in 2007.
• India, Antiviral drugs, especially Oseltamivir improve the survival rate of a human, according to the Union Health Ministry.

 

Important facts for HPAS Prelim:

(Source: Indian Express)

 

Topic: Crime

 

What is News?

• HP Police and IIT Mandi to work on crimes against women and children, road safety and the threat from drugs.

 

How is this going to work?

• Through the use of technology and research, the everyday problems of individuals will be solved.
• Establish surveillance using closed-circuit television, drone surveillance, vehicle intelligence and offender facial recognition. Police training in forensic DNA application while investigating and analyzing.

(Source: The Tribune)

 

Important for COVID-19 Vaccacine:

• DCGI granting approval to vaccines of Serum Institute, India and Bharat Biotech accelerates the road to a healthier and COVID-free nation.