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Tag: India second wave

  • DRDO’s 1st batch of anti-Covid drug 2DG launched

    The first batch of anti-COVID drug 2-DG, developed by the DRDO was launched on Monday by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Health Minister Harsh Vardhan.
    The drug would be the “first indigenous research-based outcome” to battle the virus, and can “reduce recovery time and oxygen dependency” within the nation, Vardhan mentioned on the launch.
    The approval comes as India continues to grapple with a steady surge in a lethal second wave. The healthcare system has stretched and there are big gaps within the provide and demand of medical oxygen.
    The Drugs Controller General of India (DGCI) earlier this month authorised the oral drug for emergency use as an adjunct remedy in average to extreme coronavirus sufferers.
    The scientific trials of the drug, 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG) confirmed that it hastens the restoration course of and supplemental oxygen dependence, the well being ministry mentioned.
    The anti-COVID therapeutic software of the drug has been developed by the Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Sciences (INMAS) in collaboration with Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories (DRL) in Hyderabad.
    The drug is available in powder type in a sachet and is taken orally by dissolving it in water, the ministry mentioned.
    “In the ongoing second COVID-19 wave, a large number of patients are facing severe oxygen dependency and need hospitalisation. The drug is expected to save precious lives due to the mechanism of its operation in the infected cells. This also reduces the hospital stay of COVID-19 patients,” the ministry had mentioned.

  • WHO classifies India variant as being of world concern

    The World Health Organziation mentioned on Monday that the B.1.617 variant first recognized in India final yr was being labeled as a variant of world concern.
    “We classify it as a variant of concern at a global level,” Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO technical lead on COVID-19, advised a briefing. “There is some available information to suggest increased transmissibility.”
    Indian coronavirus infections and deaths held near file each day highs on Monday, growing requires the federal government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to lock down the world’s second-most populous nation.
    The WHO has mentioned the predominant lineage of B.1.617 was first recognized in India final December, though an earlier model was noticed in October 2020.
    The variant has already unfold to different international locations, and many countries have moved to chop or prohibit actions from India. Van Kerkhove mentioned extra details about the variant and its three lineages can be made obtainable on Tuesday.
    WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus mentioned that the WHO Foundation was launching a “Together for India” enchantment to boost funds to buy oxygen, medicines and protecting tools for well being staff.

  • COVID-19: US helps India considerably, says President Biden

    The US helps India “significantly” in its combat towards the second wave of COVID-19 by sending it materials and machine elements, President Joe Biden has stated.
    So far, six air shipments funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) have departed the US for India. These flights embody well being provides, oxygen cylinders, N95 masks, and medicines.
    “We are helping Brazil. We are helping India significantly. I spoke to Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi. What he needs most is the material and the parts to be able to have his machines that can make the vaccine work. We’re sending him that,” Joe Biden advised reporters on the White House on Tuesday.
    “We’re sending them oxygen. We are sending them a lot of the precursors. So we’re doing a lot for India,” he stated responding to a query on his help to India, Brazil, and different nations amid the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic.
    Joe Biden stated by July 4, the US goes to ship 10 per cent of AstraZeneca vaccines to different nations.
    AstraZeneca vaccine is getting used all over the world however has not been authorized to be used within the US.
    “With regard to the AstraZeneca vaccine which we had, we have sent that vaccine to Canada and to Mexico and there are other countries that we’re talking to now. Matter of fact, I talked to a head of state today. I’m not prepared to announce who else we’ll be giving the vaccine to,” the US president stated.
    “But we are going to by the 4th of July have sent about 10 per cent of what we have to other nations, including some of the ones you mentioned,” he added.
    At the request of the Indian authorities, the USAID had earlier offered some provides to the Indian Red Cross, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki advised reporters at her every day information convention.
    “These are a lot of the components that the Indian government has expressed a vital need for. More flights are on the way, with total existence expected to exceed USD100 million,” Jen Psaki stated.
    “In terms of oxygen support which is a big component of what they need right now, we are talking about oxygen cylinders, so the USAID delivered approximately 1,500 cylinders that will remain in India and can repeatedly be refilled at local supply centers with more planeloads to come,” she stated.
    The USAID has despatched roughly 550 oxygen concentrators to acquire oxygen from ambient air and it has additionally delivered large-scale models to assist as much as 20 sufferers every of an oxygen technology unit, she added.

    The press secretary advised reporters that the Biden administration has directed its personal order of AstraZeneca manufacturing provides to India, permitting India to make over 20 million doses.
    The US has additionally offered a million fast diagnostic exams and final weekend, the USAID delivered 20,000 remedy programs of the antiviral drug remdesivir to assist deal with hospitalised sufferers, she stated.
    A bunch of consultants from the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is headed to India. The group will work in shut coordination with India’s public well being consultants in laboratory surveillance and epidemiology, emergency response and operations improvement, bioinformatics for genomic sequencing and modeling, Jen Psaki added.

  • US imposes restrictions on journey from India starting May 4

    The US has imposed restrictions on journey from India beginning on May 4 due to the terribly excessive Covid-19 caseloads and a number of variants circulating within the nation, the White House mentioned.
    India is combating a second wave of the pandemic with greater than 3,00,000 every day new coronavirus instances being reported up to now few days, and hospitals are reeling underneath a scarcity of medical oxygen and beds.
    India noticed 3,86,452 new coronavirus infections in a span of 24 hours, the best single-day rise to date, pushing the full tally of Covid-19 instances to 1,87,62,976, whereas energetic instances crossed the 31-lakh mark, in accordance with the Union Health Ministry knowledge up to date on Friday.

    “On the advice of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Administration will restrict travel from India starting immediately,” White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki mentioned on Friday.
    “The policy will be implemented in light of extraordinarily high Covid-19 caseloads and multiple variants circulating in India. The policy will take effect on Tuesday, May 4,” Psaki mentioned in an announcement.
    On April 26, President Joe Biden expressed solidarity with India in its combat in opposition to Covid-19 and asserted that his nation was decided to assist its efforts by rapidly deploying sources like therapeutics, ventilators and figuring out sources of uncooked supplies to be made accessible for the manufacture of Covishield vaccine.
    Biden expressed the assist of the US to India in a telephonic dialog with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

    On Friday, two American army plane delivered to India massive quantities of emergency medical provides as a part of the Biden administration’s assist to the nation’s combat in opposition to a devastating wave of the coronavirus pandemic.
    The first consignment of the provides was delivered to Delhi in a C-5M Super Galaxy, one of many largest strategic airlift plane of the US Air Force, whereas the second cargo was delivered by a C-17 Globemaster.
    The medical provides included 423 oxygen cylinders with regulators, 210 pulse oximeters, 17 massive oxygen cylinders, 8,84,000 Abbott speedy diagnostic check kits and 84,000 N-95 face masks, officers mentioned.
    Quite a few international locations just like the UK, Australia, Singapore and the UAE have banned journey to and from India as a result of a surge in coronavirus infections.
    On April 29, the US suggested its residents to not journey to India or to depart as quickly as it’s protected to take action and authorised the voluntary departure of relations of its workers within the Indian missions, saying the entry to all varieties of medical care is turning into severely restricted within the nation amid an enormous surge in Covid-19 instances.
    The US has put India on Level 4 Travel Advisory, the best degree issued by the Department of State.
    The present Level 4 Travel Advisory asks US residents to not journey to India or to depart as quickly as it’s protected to take action as a result of present well being state of affairs within the nation.

  • UN companies procuring 7,000 oxygen concentrators, COVID-19 testing machines, PPEs for India: UN spokesperson

    The UN workforce in India is supporting the nation’s authorities to reply to the COVID-19 pandemic by offering vital provides and its companies are procuring 1000’s of oxygen concentrators, oxygen producing crops and different important gear in addition to serving to arrange cellular hospital items, a spokesperson for the UN chief stated.
    “I know you’ve been asking about our support to India during the current surge in COVID-19 cases,” Deputy Spokesman for Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Farhan Haq informed reporters on the day by day press briefing on Wednesday.
    “Our team there, led by Resident Coordinator Renata Lok Dessallien, is supporting the authorities’ response to the pandemic by providing equipment and supplies, including to local governments,” Haq stated.
    The World Health Organisation (WHO) and UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund) are procuring gear and provides, together with 7,000 oxygen concentrators and 500 nasal gadgets for oxygen provide, in addition to oxygen producing crops, COVID-19 testing machines, and private protecting kits, he stated.
    Haq’s remark comes a day after he stated, in response to a query, that the UN had supplied the help of its built-in provide chain if it was required however the supply was declined by India.
    “We’ve been told at this point that it’s not needed because India has a reasonably robust system to deal with this. But our offer stands, and we’re willing to help in whatever way we can,” Haq had stated Tuesday.
    Haq stated WHO can be serving to to arrange cellular hospital items and is offering for laboratories.
    About 2,600 WHO area officers have been instantly deployed to help well being authorities to curb the unfold of the pandemic.
    In Maharashtra, UNICEF has engaged specialists to work on danger governance. The UN workforce can be persevering with its marketing campaign highlighting the “three Ws: Wear a mask, Wash your Hands, Watch your distance and stay six feet apart,” he stated.
    According to the newest WHO figures, the loss of life toll in India crossed 201,000 and confirmed circumstances within the nation stand at practically 18 million.
    “In India’s time of need, the UN is doing everything it can to rapidly provide critical equipment and supplies to central and state governments,” Dessallien stated.
    The WHO stated in a press launch that filling vital gaps in important medical provides and hospital capacities must be the highest precedence as India battles surge in COVID-19 circumstances. WHO is chartering flights to usher in 4,000 oxygen concentrators to assist meet the elevated calls for.
    “The current rapid surge of COVID-19 cases has put immense pressure on the health systems, already overburdened since the start of the pandemic. We need to act with speed, expand hospital capacities and equip them with medical supplies, most needed to save lives,” Regional Director, WHO South-East Asia Region, Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh stated.
    A UN News article stated the South-East Asian area has led the world in COVID-19 infections for a 3rd straight week, primarily as a result of state of affairs in India.
    In order to make obtainable further hospital beds and demanding gear for India, WHO is procuring cellular area hospitals with a capability of 20-30 beds, which could possibly be arrange in essentially the most affected areas.
    The mattress capability at these area hospitals might be elevated to a most of fifty, if wanted, with out impacting an infection prevention and management protocols, and water and sanitation, the WHO launch added.
    The company can be offering for laboratories to satisfy the massive demand for testing, and over 2600 WHO technical workers, engaged on varied programmes akin to polio, TB and NTD, have been repurposed to help pandemic response in India.
    WHO is procuring laboratory provides, together with 1.2 million reagents, to satisfy the massive demand and wish for testing.
    Khetrapal Singh added that with a speedy surge of circumstances, you will need to triage folks properly to optimize obtainable sources akin to ICU beds. Simultaneously, all efforts must be made to scale up COVID-19 vaccination protection, she added.
    India this week accomplished a 100-day COVID-19 vaccination drive, with over 145 million doses administered.
    “Irrespective of the numbers that we see today or the virus variants that may be circulating during the ongoing surge, our key public health measures – test, trace, isolate and treat – along with physical distancing, hand hygiene, cough etiquette and masks continue to be our tried and tested measures to curtail COVID-19 transmission,” she stated.
    Underlining WHO’s dedication to proceed working with well being authorities in any respect ranges, Khetrapal Singh stated “Together we must do all we can to halt the current COVID-19 surge”.
    Haq had stated that the UN is in contact with authorities in India at varied ranges. Chef de Cabinet to the United Nations Secretary-General Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti has been in contact with India’s Permanent Representative to the UN T S Tirumurti over the COVID-19 state of affairs in India and different officers within the system have additionally been in contact with officers each right here in New York and on the bottom.

  • Demand up 67% as 22 states search oxygen

    The demand for medical oxygen has elevated 67 per cent in 9 days to April 24, in keeping with info collated from oxygen allocation orders issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. It additional exhibits the demand has unfold from 12 states on April 15 to 22 states on April 24.
    Official information present that Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan had on April 15 written to the Additional Secretaries/ Principal Secretaries/Secretaries (Health) of 12 states informing them about oxygen allocation towards their demand for the week starting April 20. These states are Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan.
    In his letter, Bhushan supplied particulars of the era items from which these dozen states have been being supplied oxygen. The states had cumulatively demanded 4,880 metric tonnes of medical oxygen for the week starting April 20, and allocations have been accordingly made.
    Within 10 days, one other letter by Nipun Vinayak, Joint Secretary, MoH&FW to state well being officers on April 24 knowledgeable them about allocation towards their demand for oxygen from April 25 onwards. This exhibits that the variety of states looking for oxygen allocation from the Centre has risen to 22; their mixed demand had additionally risen to eight,172 MT a day, 67 per cent increased than the mixed demand proven within the Health Secretary’s April 15 letter.
    Vinayak’s letter exhibits that the Centre had allotted 8,280 MT medical oxygen a day to those 22 states. The new states demanding oxygen are Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Uttarakhand, J&Okay, Goa, Chandigarh, Himachal Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Dadra and Nagar Haveli Daman and Diu.
    “The supply plan has been prepared under the overall guidance of the Empowered Group by the DPIIT (Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade) in consultation with the concerned ministries, states, oxygen manufacturers and AIIGMA (All India Industrial Gases Manufacturers Association),” Vinayak stated within the letter.
    The prime 5 states with the best demand for medical oxygen for the week beginning April 25 are Maharashtra (1,784 MT/day), Gujarat (1,000), Karnataka (770), UP (657) and MP (640).

    Of the 22 states which have been allotted oxygen on April 24, 4 states have been allotted the next amount towards their demand, 4 have been given a decrease allocation compared to their demand, and 14 have been allotted the amount demanded.
    The states, which have gotten increased oxygen allocation are: UP (857 MT/day towards demand of 657); Karnataka (802 MT/day towards demand of 770); Delhi (490 MT/day towards demand of 470); and MP (649 MT/day towards demand of 640).
    The states, which have been supplied oxygen lower than what they demanded are: Haryana (allocation of 162 MT/day towards demand of 180); Gujarat (975 MT/day towards demand of 1,000); Punjab (137 MT/day towards demand of 187); and Tamil Nadu (280 MT/day towards demand of 220).

  • India Inc ramps up efforts to handle oxygen shortfall

    As the nation battles to satisfy the shortfall of medical grade oxygen amidst rising Covid-19 circumstances and mortality, India Inc has stepped up in a giant method. If some are importing ventilators and oxygen concentrators, quite a lot of metal producers and petrochemical corporations have diverted their sources to provide medical grade oxygen.
    On Wednesday, Maruti Suzuki India Limited introduced that it’s going to shut down its factories in Haryana for 9 days starting May 1, in a bid to make oxygen out there for medical wants.
    “As part of the car manufacturing process, Maruti Suzuki uses a small amount of oxygen in its factories while relatively much larger quantities are used by the manufacturers of components. In the current situation, we believe that all available oxygen should be used to save lives. Accordingly, Maruti Suzuki has decided to advance its maintenance shutdown, originally scheduled for June, to 1st to 9th May,” stated the corporate in its assertion.
    The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), on Tuesday, shaped a process power on Oxygen Supply Chain to work with Central and state governments to reinforce oxygen provide.
    Companies together with Tata Group, Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL), JSW Group, Adani, ITC, and Jindal Steel and Power, to call a number of, have come ahead to supplying medical oxygen, cryogenic vessels, moveable concentrators and mills, stated CII in its assertion. While RIL is manufacturing 700 MT of liquid medical oxygen per day, it plans to lift the capability to 1,000 MT per day.
    Tata Steel, on Monday, stated that it has elevated its day by day oxygen provide restrict to 600 MT per day. Among different main gamers, whereas JSW Steel Limited has decreased its output to provide 1,000 tonne of medical grade oxygen per day, a senior official with Jindal Steel and Power Limited stated that the corporate is producing 100 tonne of medical grade oxygen per day. Steel Authority of India Limited is supplying a median of round 650 tonnes of liquid medical oxygen per day over the previous couple of days. ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India is supplying 220 MT of liquid oxygen per day to Gujarat.
    While ITC is airlifting 24 Cryogenic ISO Containers, with 20 tonne capability every, Adani Group is importing 4 ISO cryogenic tanks with 80 MT liquid oxygen from Saudi Arabia. On Tuesday, Amazon stated that it will ship 100 ICU ventilator items to India from the US. It had earlier labored with companions to airlift greater than 8,000 oxygen concentrators and 500 ventilators from Singapore.