1. Swine Flu in Gujarat: Five Dead, 117 Cases in Two Days
The swine flu situation in Gujarat seems to be assuming worrying proportions, with five more patients dying in the last two days, and more than 100 fresh cases coming to light.
State health department data put the number of swine flu deaths in the state since 1 January at 43 on Monday. The number of deaths was 38 on Saturday, when data was previously released, which means five patients have succumbed since then.
On Monday, one swine flu death was reported each from Banaskantha and Porbandar.
From 781 cases as of Saturday, the number of swine flu cases in the state touched 898 on Monday, i.e. up by 117 in two days. The health department said that 65 new cases were reported on Monday, the highest in a single day in the current season. Of these, 27 cases were reported within Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) limits.
(Source: DNA Ahmedabad)
2. Best Bakery Case: Two Accused Charged with Rioting, Murder
A sessions court on Monday framed charges against two persons in the 2002 Best Bakery case. Harshad Solanki and Mafat Gohil will face trial for charges including murder, attempt to murder, rioting and other sections of the Indian Penal Code for the communal violence in Vadodara in 2002.
During the violence in the bakery, 14 persons were killed. A total of 19 accused faced trial earlier, nine of whom were sentenced to life imprisonment by the trial court in 2006. They then challenged the order in the Bombay High Court, which confirmed the life term of four, while acquitting five in 2012.
Solanki and Gohil were named as absconding accused at that time and were brought before the trial court only after their arrest in 2013. While rejecting their bail pleas filed last year, the sessions court had said that there is sufficient evidence to prosecute them.
(Source: Indian Express)
3. Dead Fish near Narmada Dam Cause Sulfide Contamination
Contamination of Narmada water supplied for drinking owing to the decay of dead fish near Sardar Sarovar Dam has pushed the state government to take immediate action.
Narmada water up to a distance of 20km from the reservoir has been contaminated by Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S) gas and the water has turned blackish. State government Monday called meeting to combat the situation.
Complaints were reported on 28 January in Ghoghamba, Jambughoda and Kaalol talukas of Panchmahals district and the local staff of the water supply department immediately stopped the supply there.
Although the staff did not report the incident to the state authorities, the water supply department noticed that the supply had been cut off. Upon enquiring, they found that a 'fishy' smell was emanating from the water and therefore, the supply had been stopped.
(Source: DNA Ahmedabad)
4. Gujarat’s Groundnut Exports Likely to Hit 5-Yr Low
Groundnut exports in Gujarat could decline to a five-year low due to lower production. The state’s oilseed export will be around 2.5 lakh tonnes in 2018-19, the lowest since 2013-14.
Gujarat is the largest producer and exporter of groundnuts. According to Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) between April-November 2018 the state exported 1.79 lakh tonnes of the commodity.
Groundnut exports were at 3.22 lakh tonne (Valued at Rs 2,115 Crore) in 2017-18. The falling exports from the state will further reduce the overall groundnut exports from Gujarat in 2018-19. The first eight months of the current fiscal saw groundnut exports from the country stand at 3.10 lakh tonnes, against 5.04 lakh tonnes in all of 2017-18.
(Source: Times of India)
5. Lack of Outdoor Play Makes Kids Vitamin D Deficient
A slew of factors is responsible for more and more children suffering from poor bone health these days, say doctors in Ahmedabad. A team of experts has said that lack of exposure to the sun, reduced play time (especially outdoors) and constant exposure to the AC are some of the reasons for the condition.
"Poor Vitamin D level in the body directly impacts the bone. The number of injuries being reported is also high," said Dr Kamlesh Devmurani, a pediatric orthopaedic surgeon practising in the city.
Dr Devmurani, whose patients are often in the age group of 1 to 18 years, said the primary cause for poor vitamin D level is a drop in time the children spend outdoors.
(Source: DNA Ahmedabad)
6. Gujarat Medical Council Asks Members Not to Cross Lakshman Rekha
To put an end to the rising instance of hospitals using their 'high profile' doctors to attract patients, the Gujarat Medical Council (GMC) once again issued an advisory asking its members not to advertise themselves with their photos to solicit patients directly or indirectly.
The advisory, however, makes exceptions in certain conditions including when a medical practitioner begins a new practice, changes his address or is on leave etc.
The advisory stated that hospitals and private practitioners were knowingly or unknowingly crossing the limit of ethical advertising. It has warned its members against printing their photographs on letterheads and signboards that would amount to self-aggrandizement.
(Source: DNA Ahmedabad)
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