'184 countries going through hell': Trump faults China for Covid-19 spread

The US is considering coronavirus scanning of air travellers from countries hit hard by the virus, says President Trump

US President Donald Trump doubled down on China for failing to tame the coronavirus at its very origin, saying it has led to 184 countries “going through hell”, as several American lawmakers demanded steps to reduce dependence on Beijing for manufacturing and minerals.

Trump has been publicly blaming China for the global spread of the “invisible enemy” and launched an investigation against it. He has also indicated that the US may be looking at “a lot more money” in damages from China than the $140 billion being sought by Germany from Beijing for the pandemic. Leaders of the US, the UK and Germany believe that the deaths and the destruction of the global economy could have been avoided, had China shared the information about the virus in its early phases, news agency PTI reported.

“It’s in 184 countries, as you hear me say often. It’s hard to believe. It’s inconceivable,” Trump told reporters at White House Tuesday. “It should have been stopped at the source, which was China. It should have been stopped very much at the source, but it wasn’t. And now we have 184 countries going through hell.” The virus, which originated in China’s Wuhan city in mid-November, has killed more than 200,000 people and infected over three million globally. The largest number of them are in the US: nearly 59,000 deaths and over one million infections…Read More

Covid-19 treatment: AIIMS to conduct clinical trials of plasma therapy

The AIIMS director stresses on the need to have good and well-conducted research trials before the therapy is recommended for routine use

The All India Institute of Medical Sciences is planning to conduct a clinical trial of the convalescent plasma therapy in the treatment of Covid-19 patients, AIIMS Director Dr Randeep Guleria said on Tuesday. The modalities of taking the approval from the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) is being worked out, official sources said.

Stating that the mode of treatment in Covid-19 is still at an “experimental stage”, Guleria stressed on the need to have good and well-conducted research trials before its benefit, and this mode of therapy can be recommended for routine use in coronavirus patients. “AIIMS is working with the ICMR to conduct a clinical trial on the efficacy of convalescent plasma therapy in Covid-19 patients,” he said. The doctor said it is necessary for all institutes to take necessary approvals from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and DCGI and follow proper clinical practice guidelines for this research.

“In very limited studies, globally, convalescent plasma as an adjunct to other supportive therapies and treatments has shown some benefit in the management of severe patients of Covid-19,” Guleria said. He also underlined that plasma has to be tested for its safety and it should have sufficient antibodies to be useful for giving it to Covid-19 patients. “Giving plasma from a recovered patient without testing whether it has enough antibody titer or not may cause more harm than good as it can cause transfusion-related reactions,” he said…Read More

SC asks Centre to provide PPEs to non-Covid doctors, healthcare workers

The order was passed by the apex court on Monday, but it was uploaded on the Supreme Court’s website on Tuesday late evening

The Supreme Court on Monday ordered the Centre to make available the essential PPEs (Personal Protective Equipment) to non-Covid doctors and other healthcare workers engaged in treating the non-Covid patients. A three-judge bench of the apex court, headed by Justice NV Ramana and also comprising Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and B R Gavai, passed the order after hearing the petition filed by Dr Jerryl Banait. The order was passed by the apex court on Monday, but it was uploaded on the Supreme Court’s website on Tuesday late evening.

ALSO READ: Coronavirus LIVE: India adds 1,897 cases in 24-hour, total jumps to 31,332

“We direct the respondent, Union of India (UOI) to examine this issue and make necessary suggestions in the rational use of PPE guidelines so that these PPEs are provided to all health officials, who are working in non-Covid treatment areas,” the apex court said in its order.”We find substance in the petitioner’s suggestions that the non-Covid doctors and healthcare professionals should be given PPEs to treat those patients of non-Covid,” it added.

The top court passed the order after hearing from the petitioner, Dr Banait, and Solicitor General (SG) Tushar Mehta, who had appeared for the Centre. The petitioner sought appropriate orders/directions, from the Supreme Court for providing PPEs to all healthcare workers, including doctors, nurses, ward boys and other medical and paramedical professionals, who are working in all in Covid-19 treatment areas.

Lockdown 2.0: Coronavirus-hit units get Rs 10,000 crore from banks

Banks have built internal capacities for assisting companies, including micro, small & medium enterprises (MSMEs).

Ahead of finalising the package for industries hit by Covid-19, the Union finance ministry reviewed support extended by large public sector banks (PSBs), including via the emergency credit line, to affected firms. State Bank of India (SBI) and Bank of Baroda (BoB) have together sanctioned close to Rs 10,000 crore as immediate credit assistance to the affected units. PSB executives said this was a regular review with top officials of large banks, including SBI. There was also discussion on working capital re-assessment.

ALSO READ: Over Rs 68,600-crore loans of wilful defaulters written off, says RBIBanks 

have built internal capacities for assisting companies, including micro, small & medium enterprises (MSMEs). Feedback from interactions is expected to act as an input for policies that are in works.However, it is not clear when the package would be finalised, officials said. A SBI executive said the bank is giving these emergency loans to those in need. It does not involve elaborate scrutiny. Only thing is that borrowers have to establish the Covid impact.

Covid-19: A curious case of many positives and a speedy recovery

According to tweets put out by the Press Information Bureau in Maharashtra, of the 171 tested on April 15, 53 tested positive on April 20, 31 have been treated and discharged on April 26

On April 20, Jayesh Mhatre was a relieved man. Mhatre was one of the 171 Mumbai journalists tested for coronavirus disease (Covid-19) on April 15. His friends had heard from the authorities. So he called to check up on his results. “I was told I had tested negative,” he adds. As part of a special drive, Mumbai’s municipal authority tested 171 journalists for Covid-19 who were on field. Of the 171 tested, 53 journalists were told they tested positive on April 20.

ALSO READ: Defence budget may be slashed by 40%, may save Centre Rs 80,000 crore

The four-day wait has been grueling for most. For some like Joshi, the wait was long enough to falsely assume his reports were negative. “We were told we would be contacted only if the reports are positive. Since we did not hear from them, we thought we were okay. The call came as a shock,” he adds. According to tweets put out by the Press Information Bureau in Maharashtra, of the 171 tested on April 15, 53 tested positive on April 20. Of the 53 tested positive, the tweet said 31 have been treated and discharged on April 26.

A large number of positive cases and later a quick recovery within less than a week have baffled many. Joshi adds almost everyone he saw at the testing centre with him turned out positive in the first test. “Tests can turn negative in seven-eight days. They were all asymptomatic, which means less viral load. Why will the test be faulty or be not done in the right way? These are high standard tests and there is no need to doubt,” said Daksha Shah, deputy director-health department for Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, to a query whether there were any concerns related to testing…Read More

World coronavirus dispatch: How most affected nations plan to end lockdowns

From Italy to Spain, Germany, the US, China, New Zealand, Norway and Germany have all either ended or will soon end their stringent lockdowns. Read how they plan to do it in today’s world digest

Some of the countries most affected by the coronavirus pandemic – Italy, Spain, Germany, the US, China, New Zealand, Norway, Germany, etc –have either ended or will soon end their stringent lockdowns, as new Covid-19 cases have begun to drop. This is as much a result of businesses gasping for breath as the mankind’s social fabric breaking down. The re-opening is happening in phases, starting with core businesses like manufacturing, food and healthcare, followed by some leisure activities. Institutions of learning might well remain closed until the middle of the second half of this year. Read all about where the lockdowns are ending and how.

Let’s look at the global statistics:

Total confirmed cases: 2,992,970

Change over previous day: 74,702

Total deaths: 207,583

Total recovered: 876,531

Nations hit with most cases: The US (965,951), Spain (229,422), Italy (197,675), France (162,220) and Germany (157,946).

Source: Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Research Center

New York may reopen in a phased manner from mid-May: The New York governor has said a phased reopening, beginning with construction and manufacturing, could start as soon as May 15. The state announced the lowest number of deaths in almost a month. Trade groups in the US have called for states to adopt uniform reopening standards. Read more here.

Italy lays down plan to reopen economy: One of the most affected counties, Italy, will start easing the lockdown from May 4, when construction and manufacturing activities will resume. These will be followed by retail shops and museums on May 18, and bars, restaurants and hair salons on June 1. Schools will remain shut until September. Read more here.

Coronavirus: Take a look at number of cases & death toll in these 13 states

During a video conference meeting with PM Modi, many states have reportedly called for an extension of the second phase of lockdown which is in place till May 3

India has seen a steady rise in coronavirus (Covid-19) cases. The total count has reached 29,451 and the death toll currently stands at 939, according to Worldometer data. During a video conference meeting with PM Modi, many states have reportedly called for an extension of the second phase of lockdown which is in place till May 3.

Maharashtra : Maharashtra on Monday reported 522 new Covid-19 cases, taking the total number of the infected people to 8,590. The death toll mounted to 8,590 with 27 more fatalities yesterday. Mumbai reported 395 new Covid-19 cases and 15 new fatalities, taking the total number of the infected patients in the country’s financial capital to 5,589. In Dharavi, out of the 288 Covid-19 patients detected so far 14 have died. In Pune, 84 fresh Covid cases have been detected taking the tally in the district increased to 1,348. Aurangabad reported 29 new cases taking the total to 82. A total of 1,45,677 people are currently in home quarantine across the state while 9,399 others in institutional quarantine.

ALSO READ: Coronavirus LIVE: India cases at 29,451; Maharashtra 8,590, Delhi 3,108

Gujarat : Gujarat recorded 247 new coronavirus infections on Monday, most of which was in Ahmedabad – taking the tally to 3,548. The number of fatalities increased to 162. Gujarat has so far conducted coronavirus tests on 53,575 people – 2,848 of them in the last 24 hours. As many as 8,908 samples have been tested using rapid testing kits.

Delhi : Delhi reported 190 new Covid-19 cases on Monday, however, no new deaths were reported. Currently, there are 2,177 active cases in the national capital, while 877 have recovered. Meanwhile, the government allowed veterinarians, plumbers, electricians, and water purifier repairers to resume work….Read Full Story

Covid-19 patients can now opt for home isolation: Here're govt guidelines

“Very mild/ presymptomatic patients having the requisite facility at his/her residence for self-isolation will have the option for home isolation,” it said

The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW) on Monday said that very mild or presymptomatic Covid-19 patients will have the option to opt for home isolation, given that his/ her residence has the facility to do so.

As per existing guidelines, during the containment phase, the patients should be identified as very mild, mild, moderate or severe and accordingly admitted to Covid Care Centre or dedicated Covid hospital. “However, very mild/ presymptomatic patients having the requisite facility at his/her residence for self-isolation will have the option for home isolation,” the government said in a statement.

ALSO READ: Coronavirus LIVE: India cases at 29,451; toll hits 939; US tally past 1 mn

Who can go for home isolation?

Those who have been clinically assigned as a very mild case/ pre-symptomatic case by the treating medical officer. However, they need to fill in an undertaking on self-isolation agreement before doing so.

• They should have the required facility for self-isolation at home and also for quarantining the family contacts
• A caregiver should be appointed on 24 x7 basis, who will have to maintain communication with the hospital for the entire duration of home isolation.
• The caregiver and all close contacts of such cases should take Hydroxychloroquine prophylaxis as per protocol
• The Arogya Setu App should remain active at all times
• The patient will have to monitor his health and regularly inform the District Surveillance Officer of his health status for further follow up by the surveillance teams.

Coronavirus outbreak: India cancels Chinese rapid antibody test kit orders

ICMR cancels Wondfo’s test kits; row on prices and efficacy erupts

By the middle of May, more clarity is expected on ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) test that has better sensitivity and is expected to have 95 per cent accuracy as opposed to 60 per cent accuracy of the rapid antibody tests. Another test, using chemiluminescence technology, is also under consideration. The accuracy is expected to be higher, in the range of 99 per cent.

The controversy around the efficacy and pricing of the rapid tests may change the way India now tests for the novel coronavirus. Sources say once the final results on these tests are out, India is likely to include these in the testing protocol for coronavirus disease (Covid-19). An industry source revealed that discussions are on with the government to consider these tests. “Once, the final outcomes on these tests come, in around a month or so, we can start importing these kits if the government approves,” said the source.

By the middle of May, more clarity is expected on ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) test that has better sensitivity and is expected to have 95 per cent accuracy as opposed to 60 per cent accuracy of the rapid antibody tests. Another test, using chemiluminescence technology, is also under consideration. The accuracy is expected to be higher, in the range of 99 per cent.

“ELISA is highly sensitive and specific and is able to detect HIV-1/ HIV-2 and variants. It requires sophisticated equipment, a constant supply of electricity, and skilled technicians. It is not suitable for small laboratories, but for testing large numbers of samples per day, as well as in blood banks or for surveillance studies. The simple or rapid tests are better for emergency testing, and in smaller laboratories with low numbers of tests per day,” the World Health Organization has said on its website…Read More

Signal from PM Modi to CMs: Covid-19 lockdown may continue beyond May 3

Green zones may see more relaxations; states divided on how to end curbs

The nationwide lockdown is all set to be extended beyond May 3, at least until the middle of the month in the red zones of the country, as many states told Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a video-conference meeting on Monday that it’s not the time yet to lift the curbs.This means more activities may be allowed to resume in green zones of the country. Most Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled states support extending the lockdown, but will wait and abide by the Centre’s fresh guidelines. Telangana has already extended the lockdown until May 7, and will take a decision on further extension on May 5.

ALSO READ: CRISIL pegs India’s FY21 economic growth rate at 1.8% from 3.5%

Odisha, Meghalaya and some others support extending it by a month. Congress-led governments want the lockdown to be lifted in areas other than hotpots or containment zones.Delhi will take a call by April 30.Maharashtra will also decide by the end of the month, but will not lift the lockdown in urban centres like Mumbai and Pune, which are in red zones, while allowing economic activity in green zones. Mindful of the economic challenges, the government is preparing a detailed exit strategy that would give states more space in deciding their respective plans, sources said after the three-hour meeting.

ALSO READ: Govt likely to pledge Rs 3-trn in loans to MSMEs amid Covid-19 outbreak

All CMs, except Kerala’s Pinarayi Vijayan, who sent his chief secretary, participated in the meeting. Nine CMs spoke while the rest sent in their suggestions. The PM indicated that Covid-19 is here for a long haul and that people need to learn to live with it. He said masks and face covers would become part of our lives in the days ahead and reiterated the mantra of ‘do gaz doori’ or social distancing…

South Korea says Kim Jong-un 'alive and well' amid mounting speculation

Kim has not appeared in public for over two weeks and was absent from a key event on Friday, amid rumours that he had heart trouble

The condition of North Korea’s Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un, after a long spell of non-appearance, remained unclear, with a set of reports saying that he had died after heart trouble, while another said he was staying at his holiday resort. Kim has not appeared in public for over two weeks and was absent from a key event on Friday, amid rumours that he had heart trouble.

UK’s Daily Express cited “multiple sources” from North Korea as well as the East Asian region as claiming the 36-year-old dictator died on Saturday night but noted that “due to the hyper-secretive nature of the pariah state the exact picture remains unclear tonight”, and that claims are very difficult to verify before an official state announcement, given “the nature of the ultra secret regime in North Korea”.

ALSO READ: North Korean media silent on Kim Jong-Un as speculation on health grows

It quoted a section of media outlets in China and Japan as saying Kim was dead, while other sources said he was on his death bed in a vegetative state with no hope of resuscitation after botched heart surgery. One announcement, the report said, was by a Hong Kong-backed news channel’s vice director, who claims to be the niece of a Chinese Foreign Minister.

HKSTV Hong Kong Satellite Television’s Shijian Xingzou said that a “very solid source” has told her Kim was dead. Other sources, it said, reporting a Chinese medical team had been sent to North Korean capital Pyongyang. Hours ago a Japanese weekly called Shukan Gendai claimed the North Korea’s dictator was in a vegetative state after complications from heart surgery..

Give priority to coronavirus, but focus on malaria, polio too: WHO

The global number of those infected with coronavirus has increased by almost 85,000 in the past 24 hours, climbing to 2,804,796 Covid-19 cases

Despite the severe strain on public health systems due to the Covid-19 pandemic, countries around the world must also focus on other health emergencies like malaria or polio, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Sunday.

“Public health systems are coming under severe strain as the COVID-19 pandemic continues. Countries must also continue to focus on other health emergencies and make progress against diseases such as malaria or poliomyelitis (polio),” WHO said in its daily coronavirus situation report. The global number of those infected with coronavirus has increased by almost 85,000 in the past 24 hours, climbing to 2,804,796 Covid-19 cases.

ALSO READ: Coronavirus LIVE: 33 healthcare workers infected at Delhi’s Max hospital

Europe is still leading the count with 1,341,851 confirmed cases and 122,218 deaths, followed by the Americas with 1,094,846 cases and 56,063 fatalities. Like Europe, the hardest-hit continent is planning to ease the lockdown norms, the WHO “has published key considerations for the gradual easing of the lockdown restrictions introduced by many countries in response to the spread of Covid-19 across the region.”

“The transition out of lockdown is set to be a complex and uncertain phase. Challenges and circumstances vary from country to country and there is no one-size-fits-all approach. It is vital that countries clearly communicate this to the public to build trust and ensure that people observe restrictions specific to their situation,” WHO said…Read More

Covid-19 Factoid: Some worrying signs from India, Qatar and elsewhere

While India has seen its biggest single-day jump in cases, cases being added daily in Qatar has nearly doubled; the global death toll has taken just 15 days to rise from 100,000 to 200,000

The global tally of coronavirus infections is nearing the three-million mark, and more than 200,000 people have already succumbed to infections. The number of positive cases at present stands at 2,940,257, while 841,966 patients have recovered fully. The US, the most affected country in this pandemic, accounts for over 30 per cent of all confirmed cases, and a little over 25 per cent of the global death toll. In India, now there are 26,917 reported cases, and there have been 826 deaths. Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Delhi account for a little over 50 per cent of all confirmed cases in the country.

Here are some data trends to help you understand the current pandemic situation better:

1. Addition of 100,000 to the global death toll took just 15 days

The total number of fatalities globally has seen a sharp rise in the past fortnight. While the first 100,000 deaths had taken place in a little over 70 days, the second has come in just 15 days. In the first it was Italy that had contributed the most last month, but in the second the US surpassed all other countries with a whopping death toll of over 50,000.

2. Qatar is West Asia is witnessing a worrying surge in number of daily new cases

In the past five days, the number of cases added daily to Qatar’s total has surged from 500-odd to more than 900. The country has 10,287 cases at present, and 10 fatalities. In fact, it has more cases per million population than Italy, France, and the US.

Covid-19 impact: Gurugram MNCs may have to work from home till July-end

The Gurgaon district administration had issued an advisory in mid March asking MNCs, BPOs, IT companies, corporates and industries to allow work from home

MNCs, BPOs and IT enabled services (ITES) in Gurgaon may have to allow their employees to work from home till the end of July, says Gurgaon Metropolitan Development Authority CEO V S Kundu. Kundu, who is also additional chief secretary of Haryana, however, made it clear that this is his personal opinion and no such advisory has been issued. Several real estate projects, including those of DLF, have got the green signal to resume construction but within the norms of social distancing, he said. Gurgaon, which is part of the National Capital Region, is known as the millennium city and is home to many BPOs, MNCs and technology giants, including Infosys, Genpact, Google and Microsoft.

The Gurgaon district administration had issued an advisory in mid March asking MNCs, BPOs, IT companies, corporates and industries to allow work from home. As of now it appears this advisory for work from home will continue till end of July. All those who have offices in Gurgaon should continue to work from home to the extent possible, Kundu told PTI.

Kundu, who is in charge of handling the COVID-19 crisis for Gurgaon district, said it is advisable that companies should ensure that as many employees as possible work from home. This might not be possible in the case of industries and the manufacturing sector but should be followed wherever possible, he added. Later, the district administration also issued a statement. “It is only his personal estimation under prevailing situation that some staff in non-essential and routine offices in Gurugaon may have to work from home till July end and no such advisory or order has been issued by the govt…Read More

CMs to discuss migrants issue, exit strategy with PM Narendra Modi today

Several CMs say they’re staring at economic ruin if limited activity is not started

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s videoconference with chief ministers (CMs) on Monday will focus on how best to facilitate interstate transit of migrants. At least some CMs are likely to flag how the Centre has caused confusion by speaking in different voices on the issue, indicating that the Centre has favoured Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled states.

Several states, including Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, have deployed buses to evacuate their migrants, particularly students from Kota in Rajasthan. However, the Centre is yet to announce a policy on the issue. Neither do the CMs agree on how best to help migrants reach their native places. If Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot wants special trains for migrants, Maharashtra’s Uddhav Thackeray has rejected it lest it leads to overcrowding. Even Chhattisgarh and Odisha, both of which have fewer cases, are not keen that train services start at the current juncture.

The CMs would highlight, as Rajasthan’s Gehlot did on Saturday, that the Centre “should show the same unity when it comes to issuing guidelines for the states irrespective of the party lineage”. On movement of stranded migrants and other issues, Gehlot is set to flag how “it is creating confusion” for everyone that the Union home secretary and cabinet secretary are not on the same page…Read More Here

Coronavirus crisis: Nationwide lockdown cripples Assam’s tourism industry

Tourism in Assam has been crippled and scores of people working for this sector are now facing the brunt as there is a nationwide lockdown to halt the spread of the deadly virus

The Covid-19 pandemic has been terrible for several businesses, but tourism is among the most affected sectors. Tourism in Assam has been crippled and scores of people working for this sector are now facing the brunt as there is a nationwide lockdown to halt the spread of the deadly virus. Speaking to ANI on the same, Sailendra Pandey, Public Relations Officer of Assam Forest Minister, on Friday said that his government will take requisite measures to boost the sector after the conclusion of the lockdown.

ALSO READ: Gilead’s antiviral drug remedesivir being made in India on trial basis

“Tourism has halted at the time when it usually peaks. After the lockdown ends, we’ll focus on reviving this sector,” he said. A couple of weeks back, the Centre had decided to extend lockdown till May 3. Addressing the nation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said, stakeholders including states and people have favoured extension of lockdown. The Prime Minister had stated that integrated and holistic approach has helped India to handle the situation properly. He further had said, tight vigil will be kept on all hotspots and containment zones and strict implementation of the lockdown will be ensured so that the virus does not spread to new areas.

US faces biggest job crisis since Depression; Trump may reopen economy soon

Both the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund have projected a negative growth in the US in 2020

US President Donald Trump has favoured safe and phased reopening of the American economy, which has been devastated by the coronavirus pandemic that has killed more than 50,000 people and infected over 800,000. More than 95 per cent of the country’s 330 million people are under stay-at-home order as a result of the social mitigation measures including social distancing till May 1. Trump on Thursday indicated that this might be extended beyond May 1, but forcefully advocated the need to gradually open up the economy that is safe.

ALSO READ: Coronavirus LIVE: India cases rise to 23,039; global cases at 2,718,699

In the past few weeks, more than 26 million Americans have filed for unemployment benefits and the figure is soon likely to cross 40 million. Unemployment in the US is swelling to levels last seen during the Great Depression of the 1930s, with one in six American workers thrown out of a job by the coronavirus, according to a data quoted by the Associated Press. Both the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund have projected a negative growth in the US in 2020.

“To keep America gaining momentum, every citizen needs to maintain the vigilance, and we all understand that very well we’ve gone over it many, many times this includes practising good hygiene, maintaining social distance, and the voluntary use of face covering,” he said. “Safe and phased reopening of our economy it’s very exciting, but it does not mean that we are letting down our guard at all in any way; on the contrary, continued diligence is an essential part of our strategy to get our country back to work to take our country back,” Trump added…Read More

Gilead’s experimental Covid-19 drug remdesivir fails first trial: Reports

Researchers studied 237 patients, giving the drug to 158 and comparing their progress with the remaining 79

Gilead Sciences Inc’s experimental coronavirus drug failed its first randomised clinical trial, the Financial Times reported on Thursday, citing draft documents published accidentally by the World Health Organization.

Trading in the shares of the company was halted after they fell 6%. The Chinese trial showed the antiviral remdesivir did not improve patients’ condition or reduce the pathogen’s presence in the bloodstream, the report on.ft.com/2VumJIA said.

ALSO READ: Covid-19 impact: UNCTAD calls for $1 trn developing world debt write-off

Researchers studied 237 patients, giving the drug to 158 and comparing their progress with the remaining 79. The drug also showed significant side effects in some, which meant 18 patients were taken off it, according to the Financial Times.

ALSO READ: IndiGo reverses plan to cut salaries of employees, drops March decision

Interest in Gilead’s drug had been high as there are currently no approved treatments or preventive vaccines for Covid-19, and doctors are desperate for anything that might alter the course of the disease that attacks the lungs and can shut down other organs in extremely severe cases.

The company is testing the drug in multiple trials and highly anticipated trial results from a study involving 400 patients hospitalized with severe cases of the illness are expected later this month. Remdesivir, which previously failed as a treatment for Ebola, is being tried against Covid-19 because it is designed to disable the mechanism by which certain viruses, including the new coronavirus, make copies of themselves and potentially overwhelm their host’s immune system.

Covid-19 hinterland digest: Childbirths at home see a jump in the lockdown

Even as childbirths at home see a rise, IVF treatment has come to a halt, and at other places milk is going to waste

Attacks on frontline coronavirus (Covid-19) workers are increasing by the day. The Union Cabinet approved an ordinance imposing stringent penalties, including a maximum jail term of seven years and a fine up to Rs 5 lakh, on those found guilty of attacking or harassing health workers treating persons infected with the coronavirus disease (Covid-19). It makes violent offences cognisable and non-bailable. The government also said that negligent employers will be charged for Covid-19 cases.

Business Standard takes a look at regional editions of Hindi newspapers to provide you with a picture of the Covid-19 situation in the hinterland.

Covid-19 halt in vitro fertilisation; dismay for couples

Considering in vitro fertilisation as non-emergency treatment, the government has put a halt on them, reports Dainik Bhaskar. For those couples who were expecting to become parents via this procedure, coronavirus has spoilt their plans. It is important to note that since IVF is a time-sensitive treatment, every month and every week is crucial for the couples who have their hopes pinned on it. As age increases, the success of the treatment decreases. The fertility rate is coming down as well. 10-15 per cent of couples face fertility issues. 40-50 per cent of the fertility issues are related to women.

Childbirths at home see an unprecedented rise

Pregnant women are having problems with deliveries during the lockdown. There is a dearth of ambulances and reaching the hospitals on time has become a task, reports Dainik Jagran from Dhanbad. The biggest hospital of the district, PMCH, has seen a drop of about 50 per cent in deliveries. Many women are opting for private hospitals, while the number of women going for home deliveries has doubled. PMCH used to deliver 500 babies on an average in a month. Now that count has come down to 260. Due to lack of transportation facilities, only 5-9 deliveries take place in a day in PMCH. For now, the hospital is not able to test pregnant women for coronavirus. The doctors and support staff expressed their anguish over the same. On a usual day, 90 per cent of the deliveries on Dhanbad are done in recognised hospitals…Read More

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Covid-19 Factoid: India took just four days to add 5,000 coronavirus cases

While the rate at which new daily deaths get added to the global toll has been declining consistently, France, the fourth most affected country has shown some clear signs of improvement

Globally, now there are more than 2.6 million confirmed cases of coronavirus infection. While the number of fatalities stands at 185,504, recoveries so far have been 730,843. In other words, for every 10 closed cases, two cases have ended up as fatalities, and the rest have recovered. In India, the tally of confirmed cases is now well above 21,000, and death toll is at 686. A little less than 20 per cent of all reported cases have now recovered. There has been a drop in the number of new cases added, but the trajectory is still erratic.

Here are a few data trends to help you understand the present pandemic situation:

1. Growth in global number of fatalities is slowing down

Growth in daily deaths across the world in percentage terms has been on a decline consistently. In the past two weeks, the rate of growth has been under 10 per cent, even sub-5 per cent in last five days. While the global death toll stands at 185,504, the US alone accounts for more than 20 per cent of all reported deaths. Spain, Italy, France, and the United Kingdom have also reported high numbers of fatalities.

2. France shows signs of improvement; daily new case additions on a decline

France is showing consistent improvement with its daily new case additions falling consistently in the past 15 days. The country is the fourth most affected in the world — next to the US, Spain and Italy — by number of total confirmed cases. With its current tally of cases at 159,877, it is one of the four countries to have reported more than 20,000 deaths in the pandemic…Read More

Covid-19 vaccine: Oxford University to start human trials from today

The vaccine will be tested on around 500 volunteers and will focus on safety and tolerability, as well as providing an initial assessment of how effective the shot is

Oxford University will start human testing with a Covid-19 vaccine they developed from Thursday, the UK government said in a coronavirus press conference. The Oxford team – led by Professor Sarah Gilbert, is testing ChAdOx1 nCoV-19, a candidate based on a chimpanzee adenovirus modified to include the spike or ‘S’ protein on the surface of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19.

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The government funded the vaccine project with 20 million pounds to Oxford University and another 22 million pounds to a second vaccine project at Imperial College, London, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said on Wednesday, adding the project will help support phase 2 trials and help prepare for a larger phase 3 study. Hancock said a vaccine is the “best way” to defeat the virus and the bring the number of cases down in the country. He said the UK government is committed to provide financial support to build manufacturing capacity for vaccines if they prove effective in clinical testing.

The testing came as the death toll from coronavirus in the UK crossed the 18,000 mark. The global toll has already crossed 184,000v The vaccine will be tested on around 500 volunteers and will focus on safety and tolerability, as well as providing an initial assessment of how effective the shot is. The Imperial candidate has been developed by a team led by Professor Robin Shattock and is an mRNA vaccine against the S protein on SARS-CoV-2 – using a similar approach to a vaccine developed by US biotech Moderna which is already in clinical trials.