Current Affairs 21 May 2021 – IAS Current Affairs

Current Affairs 21 May 2021  focuses on Prelims-Mains perspective. Major events are :

1. Mucormycosis An Epidemic : States To Declare
2. MoU for Digital Transformation of Tribal Schools
3. White Fungus and Impact
4. China’s New Strategic Highway
5. World’s Biggest Iceberg A-76
6. Assistance for Vulnerable Groups
7. India & Oman renew MoUs

Prelims Facts

1. Coviself : Self Testing Kit
2. Corpse flower

Mucormycosis An Epidemic : States To Declare

Source : The Hindu
GS II : Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources

Why in News?

Union Health Ministry urged states and union territories to make black fungus or mucormycosis an Epidemic a notifiable disease under the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 stating that the infection is leading to prolonged morbidity and mortality amongst COVID-19 patients.

Key Facts

• Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) released guidelines for screening, diagnosing and managing this infection.
• Mucormycosis is a fungal infection that mainly affects people who are on medication for other health problems that hamper their ability to fight environmental pathogens.
• It is reported from many states amongst COVID-19 patients, especially those on steroid therapy and deranged sugar control.
• This fungal infection is leading to prolonged morbidity and mortality amongst COVID 19 patients.

• About the disease?
  • It is a serious infection.
  • It is caused by a group of moulds known as mucormycetes present naturally in the environment.
  • It mainly affects people who are on medication for health problems that reduces their ability to fight environmental pathogens.
  • How one get infected ? : Sinuses or lungs of such individuals get affected after they inhale fungal spores from the air.
  • Usually, mucormycetes does not pose a major threat to those with a healthy immune system.
  • Some groups of people are more vulnerable than others for those patients is uncontrolled diabetes mellitus, immunosuppression by steroids, prolonged ICU stay, and comorbidities post transplant/malignancy, voriconazole therapy.
• Symptoms
  • Warning signs include pain and redness around the eyes or nose, with fever, headache, coughing, shortness of breath, bloody vomits, and altered mental status.
  • Sinusitis, Local pain on the cheek bone, Blackish discoloration over bridge of nose/palate, Loosening of teeth, jaw involvement, Blurred or double vision, Thrombosis, necrosis, skin lesion, Chest pain, pleural effusion, worsening of respiratory symptoms.
• Treatment
  • It is treated with antifungals, mucormycosis may eventually require surgery.
  • Utmost importance to control diabetes, reduce steroid use, and discontinue immunomodulating drugs.
  • To maintain adequate systemic hydration, the treatment includes infusion of normal saline (IV) before infusion of amphotericin B and antifungal therapy, for at least 4-6 weeks.
• Treatment for COVID patient
  • Management of Covid patients with mucormycosis is a team effort involving microbiologists, internal medicine specialists, intensivist neurologist, ENT specialists, ophthalmologists, dentists, surgeons and others.
  • All these will be complicated for a COVID patient.
• Prevention
  • Use masks if you are visiting dusty construction sites.
  • Wear shoes, long trousers, long-sleeved shirts and gloves while handling soil (gardening), moss or manure.
  • Maintain personal hygiene including a thorough scrub bath.

MoU for Digital Transformation of Tribal Schools

Source : PIB
GS II : Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes; mechanisms, laws, institutions and Bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of these vulnerable sections

Why in News?

Ministry of Tribal Affairs and Microsoft sign MoU on Joint initiative for Digital Transformation of Tribal Schools.

Key Facts

• A vision to build an inclusive skills-based economy the Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MTA) have Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Microsoft
• It aims to support the digital transformation of schools such as Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) and Ashram Schools among others under the Ministry at an online event ‘Empowering Youth For Success’.
• Microsoft will make AI curriculum available to tribal students in both English and Hindi at all EMRS schools under the Ministry to skill educators and students in next-generation technologies including Artificial Intelligence.
• 250 EMRS schools have been adopted by Microsoft out of which 50 EMRS schools will be given intensive training and 500 master trainers would be trained in the first phase.
• Benefits for students
  • Program will prove beneficial in terms of readiness, preparedness of our students at various international forums.
  • Students would get the required skill set through digital transformation.
  • Opens AI and coding being a part of the curriculum.
  • Helps in Digital India Mission.
  • Get global standard education and to get a level playing field.
• Benefits for Teachers
  • Teachers across states in India will be trained in a phased manner for using productivity technologies like Office 365.
  • The program will also offer opportunities for teachers to earn professional e-badges and e-certificates from the Microsoft Education Centre.
  • 5000 teachers nominated by the ministry across these schools would be provided with professional training.
• The initiative will also enable the professional development of educators, enabling them to use technology in classrooms.

White Fungus and Impact

Source : Indian Express
GS II : Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources

Why in News?

White Fungus has also been found to affect some people.

Key Facts

• These new cases of white fungus have been found in Patna, Bihar, and this infection is more dangerous than Black Fungus.
• White Fungus
  • This infection can be caused due to low immunity or if people come in contact with things that contain these moulds like water.
  • Patients of white fungus show Covid-like symptoms but test negative; the infection can be diagnosed through CT-Scan or X-ray.
    • COVID-19 is detected when HRCT is performed on the infected patient.
  • White fungus can affect not just the lungs but also other parts of the body including nails, skin, stomach, kidney, brain, private parts and mouth.
• Impact over COVID Patient
  • COVID-19 patients are more prone to white fungus as it affects the lungs and similar symptoms are created like that of coronavirus.
  • It is also affecting those coronavirus patients who are on oxygen support.
  • It was also observed that all the four patients who had white fungus infection did showcase COVID-like symptoms, but were found to be negative.
• Who is at Risk ?
  • The white fungus infection may be risky for pregnant women and children.
    • The disease occurs in the newborn in the form of diaper candidiasis in which cream-coloured spots appear and in young children it causes oral thrust.
  • Risk of catching the disease is highest for those with frail immunity, suffering from pre-existing medical issues, including diabetes, and/or using steroids.
    • Those who have weak immunity like diabetes, cancer patients, and those who are taking steroids for a long period of time must take special care as they are more at risk.

China’s New Strategic Highway

Source : Economic Times
GS II : India and its neighbourhood- relations

Why in News?

China has completed the construction of a strategic highway through the Brahmaputra Canyon, stated to be the world’s deepest, close to the Arunachal Pradesh border ahead of its plan to build a mega-dam over the gorge.

• The highway project was started in 2014.

Key Facts

• China’s New Strategic Highway construction of a highway passing through the Yarlung Zangbo Grand Canyon known as the world’s deepest gorge with a maximum depth of 6,009 meters was completed.
  • Brahmaputra river is known as Yarlung Zangbo in Tibet.
• New highway was built on the former hiking route between Nyingchi’s Pad Township and Baibung Township, Medog County.
  • It is an altitude difference of up to 2,892 meters between the highest and lowest spots of the road.
• It is the second significant passageway to Medog following the first one connecting the county and Zhamog Township, Bomi County.
• Road length connecting the city proper of Nyingchi and Medog County will be shortened to 180 kms from 346 kms.

Disputed Region

• China claims Arunachal Pradesh as part of South Tibet, which is firmly rejected by India.
• The India-China border dispute covers the 3,488-km-long Line of Actual Control (LAC).
• China has already cleared a plan to build a mega-dam over Brahmaputra Canyon.

The Brahmaputra

• The Brahmaputra is the longest river in Tibet.
• Its valley is the world’s deepest with a 7,000-metre drop from the highest mountain peak to the lowest basin.
• Origin in the Manasarovar Lake.
• It is the 9th largest river in the world by discharge, and the 15th longest.
• The Brahmaputra River, known as the Yarlung Tsangpo.
• In Bangladesh, the Brahmaputra is joined by the Teesta River.

World’s Biggest Iceberg A-76

Source : The Hindu
GS II : Salient features of world’s physical geography
GS III : Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment

Why in News ?

An enormous iceberg, a little bigger than the state of Rhode Island, has broken off of Antarctica.

Key Facts

• An enormous iceberg has calved from the western side of the Ronne Ice Shelf, lying in the Weddell Sea.
• 105 miles (170 kilometers) long and 15 miles (25 kilometers) wide was spotted by satellites as it calved from the western side of Antarctica’s Ronne Ice Shelf, according to the European Space Agency.
• The berg is floating freely on the Weddell Sea
  • A large bay in the western Antarctic where explorer Ernest Shackleton once lost his ship the Endurance to pack ice.
• Iceberg which now the world’s biggest and has been called A-76 after the Antarctic quadrant where it was first spotted.
• The event won’t directly impact sea levels.
• Ice shelves help to slow the flow of glaciers and ice streams into the sea.
• But the loss of parts of an ice shelf eventually contributes to rising seas.
• The continent of Antarctica, which is warming at a faster pace than the rest of the planet, holds enough frozen water to raise global sea levels by 200 feet (60 meters).
• A76 and A74 are both just part of natural cycles on ice shelves.

The largest iceberg on record, B15, broke off from the Ross Ice Shelf in March 2000 measuring more than 4,200 square miles.

Melting of Antartica

• Ronne Ice Shelf, which birthed the recent iceberg, is mostly spared from influxes of warm water that disrupt the Antarctic’s natural cycle of ice calving and regrowth.
• Doomsday Glacier was discovered to be melting faster than previously.
  • This was due to a warm water current from the east whittling away at the vital pinning points that anchor the shelf to the land.

Assistance for Vulnerable Groups

Source : PIB
GS I : Social empowerment, communalism, regionalism & secularism
GS II : Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes; mechanisms, laws, institutions and Bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of these vulnerable sections

Why in News ?

Ministry of Home Affairs(MHA) Issues Advisory to States/Union Territories to Review Existing Facilities for Vulnerable Groups Taking into Account Second Wave of Covid-19.

• MHA advisory comes against the backdrop of reports of several children losing both the parents or the earning parent, senior citizens, and under-privileged people finding it difficult to access vaccination and other health facilities.

Key Facts

• High priority on preventing and combating crimes against vulnerable sections of society.
  1. This including women, children, senior citizens and Scheduled Castes/ Scheduled Tribes.
  2. Also putting in place institutional mechanisms for preventing and countering human trafficking.
  3. Specially children who may have been orphaned due to loss of parents due to COVID-19.
  4. Also referred to the recent SOPs issued for safety of Transgenders during COVID-19.
• Efforts for undertake an immediate review of existing facilities for vulnerable groups especially for
  • Children who have been orphaned
  • Senior citizens who may require timely assistance and support including medical as well as safety and security.
  • Members of the Scheduled Castes/ Scheduled Tribes who may need guidance to access Government support facilities.
• Sensitisation of police personnel coordination with various line Departments/ Agencies concerned to effectively deploy the Women Help Desk in Police Stations and Anti-Human Trafficking Units in Districts.
• NCRB has released several tools to States/Union Territories to facilitate in this activity that includes
  • Crime Multi Centre Agency (Cri-MAC) for police to share inter-state information
  • Online National Alert Service for police on missing and found persons using the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS)
  • Automated photo matching web-based application UNIFY that uses the Machine Learning model to enable police personnel to search photographs of missing persons, unidentified dead bodies etc. against the national image repository in the CCTNS.
• Transgenders during COVID-19
  • Financial assistance for the transgender person announced.
  • Rs. 1500 each for each transgender person through DBT mode
  • They can submit their details to Nationsl Institute of Social Defence to avail the assistance.

India & Oman renew MoUs

Source : PIB
GS II : Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests

Why in News ?

India & Oman renew MoUs on military cooperation & maritime issues.

Key Facts

• India and Oman renewed the Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) on military cooperation along with its annexure as well as on maritime issues.
• The defence will help to access the existing relation for military and maritime co-operations.

India – Oman Relation

• Oman is the first Gulf nation to have formalized defence relations with India.
• Both countries conducted joint military exercises in 2006
  • Subsequently signed a defense agreement.
• Defence co-operation between the two countries was further stepped up in 2008.
• The Indian Navy has berthing rights in Oman, and has been utilizing Oman’s ports as bases for conducting anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden.
• The Indian Air Force has also been holding biannual joint exercises with Oman since 2009.
• Oman has approached India in order to fence along the Oman-Yemen border in order to protect the nation from growing unrest in Yemen.
• India has a listening post at Ras al Hadd and birthing rights for the Indian Navy at Muscat naval base.
• Key bilateral agreements/MoUs
  • Cooperation in Health and Tourism
  • Military Cooperation
  • Peaceful uses of Outer Space
  • Visa exemption for diplomats/officials
  • Legal and Judicial Cooperation in Criminal Matter
  • Extradition, legal and judicial cooperation in civil and commercial matters
  • Agriculture
  • Civil Aviation
  • Avoidance of Double Taxation
  • Standards and Measures
  • Maritime Issues, Maritime Transport
  • Cultural Cooperation
    • India and Oman signed MoU on Cultural cooperation in July 2010, which is automatically renewed every five years.
• Indian Technical & Economic Cooperation (ITEC) Programme, Omani Officials have been availing training in many premier institutes of India.
• India was the 3rd largest (after UAE and China) source for its imports and 3rd largest market (after UAE and Saudi Arabia) for its non-oil exports in 2018.
• There are about 7,00,000 Indians in Oman

Prelims Facts

Coviself : Self Testing Kit

• India’s first Covid-19 self-testing kit approved recently by the ICMR.
• Anyone can collect their own nasal sample and test it for SARS-CoV-2.
• It is developed by MyLab Discovery Solutions, a Pune-based molecular company.
• It uses a RAT (Rapid Antigen Test) and gives results within 15 minutes.
• This test is synced with a mobile app CoviSelf
  • Will help directly feed the positive case’s report on the ICMR portal.
• This testing kit cost Rs 250 affordable.

Corpse flower

• Recently thousands gathered at San Francisco’s Bay Area for watching this flower.
• Known for its putrid smell, which is often compared to that of rotting flesh.
• Plant is known to bloom only once every seven to ten years with a lifespan of about three-four decades.
• Listed as an endangered plant in 2018 by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

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