Rapid Fire Current Affairs | 29 Dec 2022

India’s Youngest Grandmaster

With 8 wins in a row at the Chess Olympiad 2022, Dommaraju Gukesh (or Gukesh D) became the new poster boy for Indian chess. In 2019, he became the youngest Indian and then-second-youngest Grandmaster ever (youngest - Abhimanyu Mishra). Recently, (at the age of 16) he won gold at the Chess Olympiad. Gukesh won the Under-9 category of the Asian School Chess Championships in 2015 and won 5 gold medals at the 2018 Asian Youth Chess Championships (Under-12).

Read More - Chess Olympiad 2022

India’s WAPCOS Ranked Amongst Top Consulting Services

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) released two reports - one on Annual Procurement (AP) and another - Members’ Fact Sheet (MFS) 2022 on which WAPCOS was ranked top (AP) and among top 3 (MFS).

In AP, WAPCOS was ranked amongst Consulting Services Firm in Water and other Infrastructure Sectors with the highest sanctioned financed amount.

In MFS, WAPCOS was in India’s top 3 Consulting Services involved in Contracts under ADB Loan, Grant & Technical Assistance Projects (in Energy, Transport and Water & other Urban Infrastructure Sectors).

WAPCOS Limited is a “MINI RATNA” Public Sector Enterprise under the Ministry of Jal Shakti. Apart from India, it has projects completed/on-going in 51+ Countries (covering Asia, Africa, Pacific Islands and South America).

Read More - Asian Development Bank (ADB)

Brain-Eating Amoeba

Recently, S Korea reported its first case of infection and death from Naegleria fowleri or “brain-eating amoeba”.

Naegleria is an amoeba, a single-celled organism, and only one of its species - Naegleria fowleri, can infect humans. It was first discovered in Australia (1965) and is commonly found in warm freshwater bodies (hot springs, rivers and lakes). It enters the human body through the nose and then travels up to the brain.

The infection caused by this amoeba is PAM (Primary Amebic Meningoencephalitis) which destroys brain tissues. It has a very high mortality rate. Currently, no vaccine is available, but PAM can be treated with proper drug combinations.

Ethylene Glycol in Cough Syrups

The Health Ministry of Uzbekistan has reported the death of 18 children (with acute respiratory disease) from taking excessive doses of a cough syrup - Doc-1 Max manufactured by an Indian firm.

The cough syrups contained ethylene glycol, a substance that ought not to be present in cough syrup. Earlier, Gambia also reported “unacceptable levels” of diethylene glycol (DEG) and ethylene glycol (EG) in India manufactured cough syrups.

DEG and EG are highly toxic colourless and viscous liquids which have a sweetish taste. They are often found as contaminants in glycerin, which is used as a sweetener in formulations of many pharmaceutical syrups ingested orally. Acute poisoning from EG may result in Ataxia, Slurred speech, Restlessness, Disorientation, Myoclonic jerks, Convulsions, Coma and Death.

Read More - Cough Syrup Deaths in Gambia.