Current Affairs - April 12, 2020 Current Affairs

The Department of Science and Technology (DST), under the Ministry of Science & Technology, is to fund Seagull BioSolutions Pvt. Ltd. (SBPL) to undertake the development of Active Virosome (AV) Vaccine and Immunodiagnostic kits for COVID-19 emergency.

National Innovation Foundation India (NIF) has developed "wormivet," an indigenous herbal medication (dewormer) in the form of commercial products for livestock owners. The product will be an alternative to the chemical method of treatment of worm.

Indonesia's Anak Krakatau volcano erupted on 11 April. It spewed a column of ash 500 meters into the sky. It last erupted in 2018. No casualties were reported.Anak Krakatau means the child of Kratakau, is the offspring of the famous Krakatau volcano.

Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy (CCRH) under the Ministry of AYUSH organized an international webinar on 10 April 2020 on the occasion of World Homoeopathy Day. Over 1000 participants attended the webinar on a digital platform which was also live-streamed. The webinar was addressed by Union Minister of State (I/C) AYUSH Shripad Yesso Naik.

The World homeopathy day is celebrated on 10 April. The day is celebrated to honor the birth of the father of the Homoeopathic system of medicines Dr. Samuel Hahnemann. The year 2020, commemorates the 265th birth anniversary of the founder of Homoeopathy. The theme of the 2020 World homeopathy day is "Enhancing the scope of Homoeopathy in Public Health".

Renowned Hindustani classical singer and Padma Shri awardee Shanti Hiranand Chawla passed away in Gurgaon on April 10, 2020at the age of 87. The singer was trained in thumri, dadra and ghazal singing by Begum Akhtar.

The country's foreign exchange reserves declined by USD 902 million to USD 474.66 billion in the week to April 3 due to a fall in foreign currency assets, according to the latest data from the Reserve Bank of India.

Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST), under the Department of Science and Technology (DST), is to explore convalescent-plasma therapy for COVID-19. Indian council for medical research (ICMR) has approved to carry out the novel treatment.

J&K government released Rs.183 crore to the beneficiaries under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). The move is to benefit poor wage seeking households.The amount was transferred electronically into the accounts of beneficiaries within a period of 5-6 days. The move benefitted around 15.50 lakh active workers under MGNREGA in J&K.

Odisha on April 9, 2020 became the first state to prolong the coronavirus lockdown which has been extended till April 30. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik made the announcement after a Cabinet meeting.

The policy think tank NITI Aayog recommended to the government that the Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) Act be kept in suspended animation for the next 6 months in view of the COVID-19. The NITI Aayog recommendation was moved by member and agricultural policy expert Ramesh Chand. It also recommended that it should be done across states even if an ordinance is required. The aim of the move is to ease pressure on farmers and ensure a smooth supply of farming goods. The Prime Minister is the Chairperson of the NITI Aayog.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah has directed the Border Security Force (BSF) to enhance vigil along the Indian borders with Pakistan and Bangladesh, especially in the non-fenced areas of India. The security of the two borders was reviewed by the Minister. The move comes in the wake of coronavirus outspread. The BSF personnel were directed to ensure that no cross-border movement takes place at these two fronts. The Ministry is to ensure enforcement of the ongoing coronavirus lockdown.

Dharmendra Pradhan, Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas and Steel, participated in the G20 Extraordinary Energy Ministers' virtual Meeting on 10 April 2020. The meeting was hosted by Saudi Arabia, it is the President of G20 countries.

National Pet Day is celebrated on 11 April every year. The day encourages people to help reduce the number of animals in shelters. On this day, the pet owners celebrate their animal companion. A survey by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) determined that the animals contribute to the physical and mental benefits to overall cardiovascular health by lowering cortisol, cholesterol, and blood pressure levels.

Researchers at the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research -Guwahati (NIPER-G) developed two products, namely 3D-printed hands-free object and 3D-printed antimicrobial face-shield in an effort to control the spread of novel coronavirus, to fight COVID-19 outbreak.

Scientists at Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST), Trivandrum, Kerala, have designed two technologies to fight COVID-19 pandemic. These are: Chitra Disinfection Gateway and Chitra UV Based Facemask Disposal Bin. SCTIMST is an autonomous institute under Centre's Department of Science and Technology (DST).

National Safe Motherhood Day observed 11 April. The day aims to raise awareness about the proper healthcare of women and maternity facilities to pregnant and lactating women. The day also aims to spread awareness about healthcare facilities for women. India became the first country to officially declare a National Safe Motherhood Day in the world.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacted with Chief Ministers of the country to decide the further plan of action in combat against COVID-19. PM will take their feedback on whether the 21 days nation-wide lockdown will be extended beyond 14 April in a move to contain COVID-19 pandemic.The video conference meeting was significant as the leaders discussed the extension of the complete lockdown beyond 14 April. A 21-day complete lockdown of the entire nation was announced on the 24 March.

:Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) has developed a cost-effective solution for isolation wards, Fumigation Chamber, Hand sanitizers and face masks as a measure to fight against COVID-19 pandemic.OFB's measures includes Two-Bed Tents,Fumigation Chamber,Hand sanitizers and face masks,Handwashing System. Ordnance Factory Board was Founded in 1712.

Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL) and AIIMS, Rishikesh have jointly developed a remote patient health monitoring system to the condition of COVID-19 patients without healthcare workers risking exposure to them. The device has non-invasive sensors to measure the main parameters of the patient such as patient: temperature, pulse rate, saturated oxygen level and respiration rate.