With world health organization (WHO) lifting emergency status of Covid-19, Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) on Monday termed the declaration a big relief.

“This is very encouraging news that Covid-19 emergency is over,” said DAK President Dr Nisar ul Hassan in a statement to Asian News Hub.

WHO on Friday announced that Covid-19 no longer warranted the status of a global emergency, more than 3 years after it raised the disease to its highest alert level.

Dr Hassan said the decision recognizes the falling impact that covid has now on our lives.

We are no longer seeing major surges in infection, severe illness or death. This is because people have developed hybrid immunity from widespread infections and vaccinations.

“The virus has settled now. Infections are less severe and hospitalizations are minuscule,” he said.

The DAK President said the end of Covid-19 as a global health emergency means that countries no longer need to implement public health measures like masking and social distancing.

“WHO decision makes a symbolic end to the pandemic which has had a profound impact on our lives over the last 3 years,” he said adding pandemic has affected our health, our economy, our everyday activities and caused devastation through the loss of so many lives.

“We have entered into the endemic stage of Covid-19,” said Dr Nisar.

“It is yet another infection joining many other diseases that humanity has learned to live,” he said.

“With the transition from pandemic to endemic stage, Covid is going to stay with us, but will no longer be a disruptor of daily family and community life,” he added.

The month of fast along with blessings bring health benefits for people, experts said.

Doctors said that fasting helps in weight loss, improves blood sugar control and decreases inflammation.

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Dr Fayaz Ahmad Bhat Assistant Professor Department of General Medicine at SKIMS Soura told news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that fasting gives discipline and patience besides decreasing chances of developing diabetes and other metabolic syndrome disorders.

He said there remains less chances of metabolic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, fatty liver and other diseases in people who fast as compared to people who don’t.

Recent studies suggest that fasting lowers chances of neurological diseases and cancer, he said, adding that it has been also found that people who eat less have good memory besides good overall neurological status and their lifespan is more as compared to those who eat more.

“Fasting helps in regeneration of stem cells that helps in making of any tissue or organ in the body besides that mental stability and it can help you in getting rid of dementia,” he said.

“Stem cells play an important role in regeneration because they can develop into many different cell types in the body and renew themselves millions of times,” he said.

He said that fasting promotes blood sugar control by reducing insulin resistance, promotes better health by fighting inflammation, may enhance heart health by improving blood pressure, triglycerides and cholesterol levels, may boost brain function and prevent neurodegenerative disorders and aids weight loss by limiting calorie intake and boosting metabolism.

Dr Fayaz said that fasting helps in cancer prevention and increases the effectiveness of chemotherapy besides fasting helps in the detoxification process of body and reboots the immune system of individuals.

Noted doctor S M Qadri told KNO that studies suggest that fasting helps in reduction of weight mainly among men besides that it helps in reduction of LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol, sometimes called “bad” cholesterol that increases your risk for heart disease and stroke.

Dr Owais from GMC Anantnag said that fasting has several health benefits as it helps in decreasing chronic inflammations that may be involved in the development of chronic conditions, such as heart disease, cancer, and rheumatoid arthritis.

It also helps in weight loss by limiting calorie intake and boosting metabolism and may also help in better brain functioning, he said.

He said that fasting increases growth hormone secretion, which is vital for growth, metabolism, weight loss, and muscle strength.

The rising number of Covid-19 cases in the country can lead to an increase in hospitalisation, ICU stays and demand for oxygen, health experts said on Monday.

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India on Monday recorded 1,805 new Covid cases in the last 24 hours, the data issued by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

The total number of active cases in the country has now crossed the 10,000 mark, after a span of 134 days.

“Currently, there is no increase in the hospitalisation so far as the Covid-19 new strain is concerned. But yes, if the number rises further, it might be a possibility that the burden comes to hospitalisation and oxygen demand and ICU stays can really increase,” Rahul Sharma, Additional Director, Pulmonology and Critical Care, Fortis Hospital Noida, told IANS.

The daily positivity rate has been recorded at 3.19 per cent and the weekly positivity rate at 1.39 per cent. Six deaths, one each from Chandigarh, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh have also been reported in a span of 24 hours, and two were reconciled by Kerala.

“The increase in the number of Covid cases are due to the Covid variant XBB1.15 and XBB1.16, but there is no need to worry though individuals should follow Covid-appropriate behaviour such as using masks, maintain hand hygiene and avoiding crowded places,” Laxman Jessani, Consultant, Infectious Disease, at Apollo Hospitals-Navi Mumbai told IANS.

He said people who are eligible for booster doses should consider getting them, especially if they are at higher risk for severe disease or have weakened immune systems.

“Booster doses can help boost immunity and provide additional protection against new variants of the virus,” Jessani noted.

According to Sharma, the most important symptoms to watch for are persistent fever which is not improving, and cough with sputum production; and falling oxygen level below below 92 per cent.

If patients are having increased weight loss, loss in appetite, chest pain, and atypical symptoms like nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, they should immediately seek medical attention or maybe probably need hospitalisation, he explained.

“The symptoms are generally mild and self limited or can be easily managed with the help of mild symptomatic medicines in the form of paracetamol, some kind of anti allergic, etc. But people, especially elderly above the age of 60-65 years and young children could be more prone to developing some kind of serious infection from Covid,” said Tushar Tayal – Consultant – Internal Medicine, CK Birla Hospital Gurugram, told IANS.

In addition, people suffering from any kind of health issues like cardiac diseases, hypertension, diabetes, malignancies, immunocompromised patients, cancer patients, could also be at the maximum risk of Covid infection, the doctors said.