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Ludhiana logs 31 new Covid cases

By Hindustan Times

As many as 31 new Covid cases were reported in Ludhiana on Wednesday.

Currently, there are 226 active cases, of which 215 patients are under home isolation and 11 are undergoing treatment at a private facility.

Ludhiana has so far recorded 1,12,860 Covid infections, of which 1,09,626 have successfully defeated the virus and 3,008 have succumbed to it.

National Deworming Programme kickstarts

Ludhiana The National Deworming Programme kickstarted in the district on Wednesday. As many as 8.5 lakh children of private schools aged between one and 19 will receive deworming tablets during the week-long drive initiated by the health department. Civil surgeon Dr Hitinder Kaur said, “The department is planning to administer deworming tablets among children under the National Deworming Programme till August 17.” Kaur, accompanied by deputy director Sangita Singh. Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK), visited numerous schools and administered Albendazole tablets to students and made teachers aware of the National Deworming Day. She informed about the use of Albendazole tablets and advised to take a pill 20 minutes after eating the mid-day meal. District immunisation officer Dr Manisha Khanna said albendazole tablets had been given to ANM, MPHW and ASHA workers and students on Wednesday. She said the pills help in getting rid of stomach worms and protect children from anaemia.

PAU holds talk on nutrition and genes by eminent biomedic

Ludhiana The department of food and nutrition, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana Chapter of Nutrition Society of India (NSI), organised a talk on ‘Eat to fit your genes’ by Dr Maninder Ahluwalia, an eminent expert from Biomedical Sciences, Cardiff Metropolitan University, UK, on Wednesday. She highlighted that the ‘one size fits all’ model doesn’t apply to nutritional requirements. Genetic variants are responsible for inter-individual variations in metabolism and demand tailored approach to nutrition. She said, “Our diet contains multiple bioactive compounds that have a potential to switch our genes on or off.” She discussed the gene-nutrient interactions within the newly expanding fields of nutrigenetics and nutrigenomics. According to Ahluwalia, certain gene polymorphisms contribute to the metabolic response, nutritional status and ability to respond or not-respond to nutritional interventions. Kiran Bains, convenor, NSI, Ludhiana Chapter, and head of the department of food and nutrition, PAU, said personalised approach to nutrition is a novel tool to prevent chronic diseases as certain nutrients within one’s diet have the ability to alter the gene expression and contribute to health and disease.

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