National Current Affairs – UPSC/KAS Exams- 25th March 2020

Covid-19 Made in India Diagnostic Kit

Topic: Science and Technology

In News:  Pune-based molecular diagnostics company Mylab Discovery Solutions has received commercial approval from the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) for its COVID-19 test kit.

More on the Topic:

• The test kit by the company is the first ”Made in India” kit to receive commercial approval from CDSCO.
• The testing time of COVID-19 in current lab testing services is 4 hours. However, MyLAb’s testing time is 2 ½ hours.
• The kits are based on Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain reaction.
• The laboratory is to sell the kits at Rs 1,200 to Rs 1,500 per test. Currently, the Government of India has fixed the cap price of COVID-19 as Rs 4,500.
• No laboratory in India can charge more than this fixed amount to test the COVID-19. The move was made after the Indian Government allowed the private organizations to test for the virus.
• A single kit can study 1000 samples. The testing methodology adopted have been validated by National Institute of Virology.

Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain reaction: · It is a laboratory method used to make many copies of a specific genetic sequence for analysis. It uses an enzyme called reverse transcriptase to change a specific piece of RNA into a matching piece of DNA. This piece of DNA is then amplified (made in large numbers) by another enzyme called DNA polymerase. · The amplified DNA copies help tell whether a specific mRNA molecule is being made by a gene. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction may be used to look for activation of certain genes, which may help diagnose a disease, such as cancer. ·  It may also be used to study the RNA of certain viruses, such as the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and the hepatitis C virus, to help diagnose and monitor an infection. Also called RT-PCR.

Source: Hindu

Hanta Virus

Topic: Health

In News: A man in Yunnan Province of China has tested positive for Hanta Virus.

More on the Topic:

• According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), hantaviruses are a family of viruses which are spread mainly by rodents and can cause varied diseases in people.
• It can cause hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) and haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS).
• The disease is not airborne and can only spread to people if they come in contact with urine, feces, and saliva of rodents and less frequently by a bite from an infected host.
• The virus does not spread from person-to-person.
• As per the CDC, rodent population control is the primary strategy for preventing hantavirus infections.

Source: Hindu

The difference between lock down, curfew and Section 144

Topic: Polity and Governance

In News: While the government has said that lockdowns and state-wide curfews are extreme measures, they need to be implemented considering the situation.

More on the topic:

Curfew:

• During a curfew, everyone is forced to stay home and nobody is allowed to venture out. This is different from when the administration imposes prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC, where no more than five people can gather in a group.
• A curfew is announced to keep people off the streets during an emergency situation— like riots, for instance. It is announced according to the state regulations and people are forced to be inside their homes for a particular period of time.

Locked Down:

• A lockdown essentially means that people need to stay indoors, but they can go out to buy essential commodities. They also need to maintain a distance of one meter or three feet between themselves and others, especially those showing symptoms such as fever, cold, cough, etc.
• Moreover, according to reports, unlike a curfew, the police does not have the power to arrest people violating the lockdown norms.
• But, much like a curfew, the administration has invoked Section 144 so that five or more people cannot gather at a place.
• At this point of time, a lockdown has been initiated by state authorities to ensure quarantine and distancing.

Source: Indian Express

Long-Tailed Macaques

Topic: Environment and Ecology

In News: A study from IISER Mohali has looked into how long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis umbrosus) in Greater Nicobar Island handle objects and use tools to simplify their efforts.

More on the Topic:

• The researchers observed interesting behaviour related to object manipulation and tool use in six behavioural contexts involving eight different types of objects. They also saw that males were more frequently involved in tool use than females.
• There is a crucial difference between tool use and object use. A tool helps the user get better outcomes.
• When we change either the function or structure, of an object, we make it a tool. But when we use an item in the manner it is supposed to be used, we are not making it a tool it is an object use.

Significance of the Study:

• Though the long-tailed macaques are further from humans in relatedness than chimpanzees or apes, this study could offer a perspective on evolutionary origins of tool use behaviour.
• Macaca fascicularis Umbrosus which are vulnerable under IUCN Red list, are the only Old World monkeys who use stone tools in their daily foraging.

Source: Hindu

National Knowledge Network

Topic: Science and Technology

In News: National supercomputing mission will form the backbone of National Knowledge Network.

More on the Topic:

• In March 2010, the Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure (CCI) approved the establishment of the National Knowledge Network (NKN) at an outlay of Rs 5990 Crore, to be implemented by NIC over a period of 10 years.
• The idea of setting up of a National Knowledge Network was deliberated at the office of Principal Scientific Advisor to the Government of India and the National Knowledge Commission.
• NKN is intended to connect all the knowledge and research institutions in the country using high bandwidth / low latency network.
• In India, NKN with its multi-gigabit capability aims to connect all universities, research institutions, libraries, laboratories, healthcare and agricultural institutions across the country to address such paradigm shift.

Source: PIB

World Tuberculosis Day 2020

Topic: Health

In News: World Tuberculosis (TB) Day is observed on March 24 to raise public awareness about the devastating health, social and economic consequences of TB, and to step up efforts to end the global TB epidemic.

More on the Topic:

• The date marks the day in 1882 when Dr Robert Koch announced that he had discovered the bacterium that causes TB, which opened the way towards diagnosing and curing this disease.
• The theme of World TB Day 2020 is “It’s TIME”.

Tuberculosis: · It is a disease caused by the bacillus Mycobacterium tuberculosis. ·  It affects the lungs (pulmonary TB) and also affect other sites. · The disease is spread when people who are sick with pulmonary TB expel bacteria into the air, for example by coughing. · Diagnostic tests for TB disease include – Rapid molecular test, Sputum smear microscopy, Culture-based methods ·  Without treatment, the mortality rate from TB is high. · TB remains the world’s deadliest infectious killer. Each day, over 4000 people lose their lives to TB and close to 30,000 people fall ill with this preventable and curable disease. · India aims to eliminate TB by 2025. UN aims to eliminate TB by 2030. · India provides Mass BCG vaccination to prevent TB.

Source: PIB