Anonna Dutt

2 weeks ago | indianexpress.com | Anonna Dutt

A dangerous hospital-acquired bacteria can digest and live on plastics present in sutures, stents, wound dressings and implants in your body. Researchers from UK’s Brunel University also found that when the bacteria used plastics as its food source, it led to the formation of more biofilms — barriers that can protect the pathogen from attacks by the immune system and antibiotics.

2 weeks ago | indianexpress.com | Anonna Dutt

With the mango season in full swing — and reports of the fruit being artificially ripened using carcinogenic chemicals such as calcium carbide — the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has asked states to intensify inspections and take action against such practices. What has the FSSAI said? The food safety regulator has asked state food safety commissioners and its regional directors to maintain vigil over fruit markets and carry out inspections in godowns and storage facilities.

2 weeks ago | indianexpress.com | Anonna Dutt

After three years of intense negotiations, the World Health Organisation (WHO) on Tuesday adopted the world’s first pandemic agreement during the ongoing annual meeting of the inter-governmental body. The adoption came after the approval by vote a day ago by member state delegations — there were 124 votes in favour, none against and 11 abstentions.

2 weeks ago | indianexpress.com | Anonna Dutt

From his training and selection to the moment his terminally ill mother met the Prime Minister months before she passed away, one of India’s four astronaut-designates, Angad Pratap, talks about his journey since being selected for Gaganyaan — the country’s first crewed spaceflight mission scheduled for 2027. Pratap (43), an IAF test pilot who believes space should be accessible to all, spoke to The Indian Express during an ISRO-backed event in the national capital.

3 weeks ago | indianexpress.com | Anonna Dutt

Asian countries such as Singapore and Hong Kong have noted a surge in Covid-19 cases over the last few weeks. Health authorities in these countries have said that the increase may be because of waning population level immunity to the infection and fewer elderly getting their booster shots. “There is no indication that the variants circulating locally are more transmissible or cause more severe disease compared to previously circulating variants,” said Singapore’s ministry of health.