The newly created algorithm can identify individuals who are at risk of contracting the disease from high-risk contacts of a Covid positive person who are not themselves known to be infected, said researchers at the Bengaluru-based Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS), and Institute of Mathematical Sciences (IMSc) at Chennai.

Four Indian research institutes have collaborated with the Global Consortium of Chemosensory Researchers (GCCR) to collect data via an online survey (http://gcchemosensr.org/) to find the connection between chemical senses and the novel coronavirus. The investigation will determine if anosmia is a reliable ‘early indicator’ of the disease, and when and how the change or loss of sense occurs.

NCBS will seek answers from patients to establish link between the loss of sense of smell and Covid-19.

The survey is available to individuals and clinicians on the GCCR website: http://gcchemosensr.org

To the range of symptoms attached to COVID-19, scientists are now considering “loss of smell''.

Indian herpetologists have discovered a new species of viper family in Pakke Tiger Reserve in Arunachal Pradesh and named it after Salazar Slytherin, a fictional character in JK Rowling’s Harry Potter series.

The study, titled State of India’s Birds 2020, states raptors, migratory seabirds & habitat specialist birds were most affected in past decades.

To prepare for such an event, several national labs are planning to chip in with the testing, Satyajit Mayor, the director of National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS), a DAE-funded institution in Bengaluru, told The Wire Science

Bengaluru based National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS) and Institute for Stem Cell Science and Regenerative Medicine (inStem) have received approval to immediately undertake projects that aim to develop affordable, field-deployable actions in the fight against COVID-19.

Read more about BLiSC efforts here:

Scientists from the Indian Institute of Science, Tata Memorial Centre, Bangalore Life Science Cluster, IndiaBiosciene and Vigyan Prasar have teamed up in this multi-lingual communication exercise.

The Bangalore Life Sciences Cluster (BLiSC) has announced that it will soon start proposing projects intended to achieve an immediate and medium-term response to the COVID-19 outbreak.