Two Icelanders managed to climb Mount Everest despite having contracted coronavirus and even though Nepalese authorities insisted there have been no virus cases on the world's highest peak.&nbsp;

The two climbers, Sigurdur Sveinsson and Heimir Hallgrimsson, began coughing and suspected they had caught the virus as they reached around 7,000 metres (about 23,000 feet), they wrote in a message published on Thursday in which they described their perilous descent to base camp.&nbsp;

"At this time and this place, there was no way to get tested," the pair wrote on the website of Umhyggja, an Icelandic aid organisation that helps children with long-term illnesses and for which the pair were raising funds.&nbsp;

The two had tested negative for the virus before beginning their ascent.&nbsp;

"Since we were feeling fine then, we saw no reason to change our plans," they said. &nbsp;

The pair reached the summit, at 8,849 metres on Monday at 4:30 am local time (Sunday at 2245 GMT).&nbsp;

"During the descent, we both began to suffer from increasing fatigue, coughs and discomfort," they said. &nbsp;

"When we left Camp 2, it was clear that Siggi's (Sigurdur's) lungs were very bad and we had to resort to oxygen."&nbsp;

Despite the difficulties, they managed to reach base camp on Wednesday, where tests confirmed they were infected with COVID-19.&nbsp;

In recent weeks, more than 30 climbers have been evacuated from base camp due to illness.&nbsp;

Other than the Icelanders, at least three other climbers have said publicly or told AFP that they have been infected with COVID-19. The total number of cases is not known.&nbsp;

Nepal officials have denied that there have been any cases of the virus on Everest.&nbsp;

Two Icelanders managed to climb Mount Everest despite having contracted coronavirus and even though Nepalese authorities insisted there have been no virus cases on the world's highest peak.

Two Icelanders managed to climb Mount Everest despite having contracted coronavirus and even though Nepalese authorities insisted there have been no virus cases on the world's highest peak. The two climbers, Sigurdur Sveinsson and Heimir Hallgrimsson, began coughing and suspected they had caught the virus as they reached around 7,000 metres (about 23,000 feet), they wrote in a message published on Thursday in which they described their perilous descent to base camp. "At this time and this place, there was no way to get tested," the pair wrote on the website of Umhyggja, an Icelandic aid organisation that helps children with long-term illnesses and for which the pair were raising funds. The two had tested negative for the virus before beginning their ascent. "Since we were feeling fine then, we saw no reason to change our plans," they said. The pair reached the summit, at 8,849 metres on Monday at 4:30 am local time (Sunday at 2245 GMT). "During the descent, we both began to suffer from increasing fatigue, coughs and discomfort," they said. "When we left Camp 2, it was clear that Siggi's (Sigurdur's) lungs were very bad and we had to resort to oxygen." Despite the difficulties, they managed to reach base camp on Wednesday, where tests confirmed they were infected with COVID-19. In recent weeks, more than 30 climbers have been evacuated from base camp due to illness. Other than the Icelanders, at least three other climbers have said publicly or told AFP that they have been infected with COVID-19. The total number of cases is not known. Nepal officials have denied that there have been any cases of the virus on Everest.

Icelandic duo scale Everest despite Covid infection 

World Health Organisation's European Director Hans Kluge warned on Friday that coronavirus pandemic won't be over till at least 70 per cent of the population was vaccinated. He told this to news agency AFP in an interview. Kluge also said that his worry was increased contagiousness of the new variants of Covid.

"The pandemic will be over once we reach 70 percent minimum coverage in vaccination," he said in the interview.

The WHO's European director warned Friday that the Covid-19 pandemic won't be over until at least 70 percent of people are vaccinated, while deploring that the vaccine rollout in Europe is still "too slow".

"We know for example that the B.1617 (variant found in India) is more transmissible than the B.117 (variant found in Britain), which already was more transmissible than the previous strain," Kluge said.

According to the Belgian doctor, speed is "of essence" in pandemic.&nbsp;

"Even when WHO declared a pandemic, many countries were still waiting, we lost valuable time."

Hans Kluge has held the position of regional directors since February 2020. While he lauded calls for solidarity he underlined the need for speedy rollout of vaccines.

"Our best friend is speed, the time is working against us, the vaccination roll-out still goes too slow," Kluge said.

"We need to accelerate, we need to enlarge the number of vaccines."&nbsp;

In the 53 countries and territories that make up the WHO's European region -- including several in Central Asia -- &nbsp;26 percent of the population has received a first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine.&nbsp;

In the European Union, 36.6 percent of the population has received at least one dose, according to a count by AFP.

(With inputs from agencies)

World Health Organisation's European Director Hans Kluge warned on Friday that coronavirus pandemic won't be over till at least 70 per cent of the population was vaccinated.

World Health Organisation's European Director Hans Kluge warned on Friday that coronavirus pandemic won't be over till at least 70 per cent of the population was vaccinated. He told this to news agency AFP in an interview. Kluge also said that his worry was increased contagiousness of the new variants of Covid. "The pandemic will be over once we reach 70 percent minimum coverage in vaccination," he said in the interview. The WHO's European director warned Friday that the Covid-19 pandemic won't be over until at least 70 percent of people are vaccinated, while deploring that the vaccine rollout in Europe is still "too slow". "We know for example that the B.1617 (variant found in India) is more transmissible than the B.117 (variant found in Britain), which already was more transmissible than the previous strain," Kluge said. According to the Belgian doctor, speed is "of essence" in pandemic. "Even when WHO declared a pandemic, many countries were still waiting, we lost valuable time." Hans Kluge has held the position of regional directors since February 2020. While he lauded calls for solidarity he underlined the need for speedy rollout of vaccines. "Our best friend is speed, the time is working against us, the vaccination roll-out still goes too slow," Kluge said. "We need to accelerate, we need to enlarge the number of vaccines." In the 53 countries and territories that make up the WHO's European region -- including several in Central Asia -- 26 percent of the population has received a first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine. In the European Union, 36.6 percent of the population has received at least one dose, according to a count by AFP. (With inputs from agencies)

Pandemic won't be over till 70 per cent of population is vaccinated: WHO

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's inept handling of the COVID-19 pandemic led to tens of thousands of unnecessary deaths, and officials even feared he would ask to be injected with the virus on television to show it was benign, his former chief adviser said on Wednesday.

With almost 128,000 deaths, the United Kingdom has the world's fifth-highest official COVID-19 toll, far higher than the government's initial worst-case estimates of only 20,000.

During seven hours of explosive testimony to a parliamentary committee, Dominic Cummings told lawmakers Johnson was like a shopping cart that could not be guided, and that it was "crackers" that someone like him should be prime minister.

"Everybody was screaming, on quarantine - 'Have a policy, and set it out clearly and stick to it!'," Cummings said.

"But nobody could find a way around the problem of the prime minister - just like a shopping trolley, smashing around from one side of the aisle to the other."

Asked about Cummings's criticisms at a weekly question-and-answer session in parliament, Johnson said nobody could credibly accuse him or his government of complacency.

"We have worked flat out to minimise loss of life," he said, without directly addressing many of the claims of the man who had been his closest adviser before an acrimonious split late last year, and who personally witnessed many of his actions.

Cummings's evidence gave an alarming insight into the heart of the British government as it grappled with the onset of what would become the most devastating public health crisis in a century.

Britain was completely unprepared, and Johnson's government lacked plans, brains, urgency and leadership, he said.

DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT

As danger loomed in February 2020, many ministers were away on ski holidays. Johnson initially dismissed the new virus as a scare story, Cummings said.

He said officials saw Johnson's attitude as "Don't worry about it, and I'm going to get (Chief Medical Advisor) Chris Whitty to inject me live on TV with coronavirus".

"When the public needed us most, the government failed," Cummings said. "Tens of thousands of people died who didn't need to die."

Johnson subsequently caught COVID-19 early in the pandemic and was moved to intensive care in hospital, where he received litres of oxygen. He later said plans had been prepared to announce his death.

Cummings cast the state as woefully disorganised, dominated by "groupthink", and run by ministers such as Health Secretary Matt Hancock who, he said, should be sacked for lying to the public and the government.

Johnson's spokesman said the prime minister had full confidence in Hancock.

Cummings's attacks have so far failed to dent Johnson's popularity, but his testimony is likely to form the broad lines of scrutiny of a public inquiry next year into the response to COVID-19.

Cummings, the strategist behind the 2016 Brexit campaign and Johnson's landslide election win in 2019, left Downing Street late last year, carrying his personal belongings in a box, after falling out with the prime minister.

He said the West had failed during the crisis, and that British officials had resisted the idea that they should follow the example of Asian countries in locking the country down:

"The truth is that senior ministers, senior officials, senior advisers like me, fell disastrously short of the standards that the public has a right to expect of its government in a crisis like this."

'WE'RE GOING TO KILL THOUSANDS'

He related meetings in early 2020 when it started to dawn on some officials that Johnson's resistance to a lockdown was a deadly mistake. Cummings said there was had been no plan for the epidemic, and certainly no plan for a lockdown.

He quoted Helen MacNamara, deputy cabinet secretary, as saying "I've come through here to the prime minister's office to tell you, quote, I think we are f**ed. I think this country is headed for disaster. I think we're going to kill thousands of people".

Reuters has reported how Britain was slow to spot the infections arriving, was late with a lockdown and continued to discharge infected elderly hospital patients into care homes.

Cummings repeated an allegation, which Johnson has denied, that the prime minister late last year said he would rather "let the bodies pile high" than impose a second lockdown.

"I heard that in the prime minister's study," he told the committee.

Cummings said there had been no data system to deal with COVID, no way to understand its spread and "not even a plan to bury all the bodies".

Johnson has admitted that mistakes were made and that lessons need to be learned, but his ministers say they were having to work fast, under pressure, in the face of a huge crisis.

"I take full responsibility for everything that has happened," Johnson told lawmakers on Wednesday. "As I've said before ... I am truly sorry for the suffering that the people of this country have experienced."

He has pointed to Britain's rapid vaccination programme as a success that will allow the economy to rebound before its peers.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's inept handling of the COVID-19 pandemic led to tens of thousands of unnecessary deaths, and officials even feared he would ask to be injected with the virus on television to show it was benign, his former chief adviser said on Wednesday.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's inept handling of the COVID-19 pandemic led to tens of thousands of unnecessary deaths, and officials even feared he would ask to be injected with the virus on television to show it was benign, his former chief adviser said on Wednesday. With almost 128,000 deaths, the United Kingdom has the world's fifth-highest official COVID-19 toll, far higher than the government's initial worst-case estimates of only 20,000. During seven hours of explosive testimony to a parliamentary committee, Dominic Cummings told lawmakers Johnson was like a shopping cart that could not be guided, and that it was "crackers" that someone like him should be prime minister. "Everybody was screaming, on quarantine - 'Have a policy, and set it out clearly and stick to it!'," Cummings said. "But nobody could find a way around the problem of the prime minister - just like a shopping trolley, smashing around from one side of the aisle to the other." Asked about Cummings's criticisms at a weekly question-and-answer session in parliament, Johnson said nobody could credibly accuse him or his government of complacency. "We have worked flat out to minimise loss of life," he said, without directly addressing many of the claims of the man who had been his closest adviser before an acrimonious split late last year, and who personally witnessed many of his actions. Cummings's evidence gave an alarming insight into the heart of the British government as it grappled with the onset of what would become the most devastating public health crisis in a century. Britain was completely unprepared, and Johnson's government lacked plans, brains, urgency and leadership, he said. DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT As danger loomed in February 2020, many ministers were away on ski holidays. Johnson initially dismissed the new virus as a scare story, Cummings said. He said officials saw Johnson's attitude as "Don't worry about it, and I'm going to get (Chief Medical Advisor) Chris Whitty to inject me live on TV with coronavirus". "When the public needed us most, the government failed," Cummings said. "Tens of thousands of people died who didn't need to die." Johnson subsequently caught COVID-19 early in the pandemic and was moved to intensive care in hospital, where he received litres of oxygen. He later said plans had been prepared to announce his death. Cummings cast the state as woefully disorganised, dominated by "groupthink", and run by ministers such as Health Secretary Matt Hancock who, he said, should be sacked for lying to the public and the government. Johnson's spokesman said the prime minister had full confidence in Hancock. Cummings's attacks have so far failed to dent Johnson's popularity, but his testimony is likely to form the broad lines of scrutiny of a public inquiry next year into the response to COVID-19. Cummings, the strategist behind the 2016 Brexit campaign and Johnson's landslide election win in 2019, left Downing Street late last year, carrying his personal belongings in a box, after falling out with the prime minister. He said the West had failed during the crisis, and that British officials had resisted the idea that they should follow the example of Asian countries in locking the country down: "The truth is that senior ministers, senior officials, senior advisers like me, fell disastrously short of the standards that the public has a right to expect of its government in a crisis like this." 'WE'RE GOING TO KILL THOUSANDS' He related meetings in early 2020 when it started to dawn on some officials that Johnson's resistance to a lockdown was a deadly mistake. Cummings said there was had been no plan for the epidemic, and certainly no plan for a lockdown. He quoted Helen MacNamara, deputy cabinet secretary, as saying "I've come through here to the prime minister's office to tell you, quote, I think we are f**ed. I think this country is headed for disaster. I think we're going to kill thousands of people". Reuters has reported how Britain was slow to spot the infections arriving, was late with a lockdown and continued to discharge infected elderly hospital patients into care homes. Cummings repeated an allegation, which Johnson has denied, that the prime minister late last year said he would rather "let the bodies pile high" than impose a second lockdown. "I heard that in the prime minister's study," he told the committee. Cummings said there had been no data system to deal with COVID, no way to understand its spread and "not even a plan to bury all the bodies". Johnson has admitted that mistakes were made and that lessons need to be learned, but his ministers say they were having to work fast, under pressure, in the face of a huge crisis. "I take full responsibility for everything that has happened," Johnson told lawmakers on Wednesday. "As I've said before ... I am truly sorry for the suffering that the people of this country have experienced." He has pointed to Britain's rapid vaccination programme as a success that will allow the economy to rebound before its peers.

UK PM's ineptitude led to tens of thousands of Covid deaths, says ex-aide

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has authorised a monoclonal antibody drug against <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus">COVID-19</a>, developed by GlaxoSmithKline and Vir, which claims to reduce hospitalisation and death among <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus-vaccine">Coronavirus</a> patients by 85 per cent and is also effective against the variants. 
 
The drug Sotrovimab has been given an emergency use authorisation (EUA) for the treatment of mild-to-moderate COVID-19 in adults and children 12 years of age and older, weighing at least 40 kg.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/seeking-a-pill-to-cure-covid-drugmakers-eye-alternative-to-vaccines-387717">Seeking a pill to cure Covid: Drugmakers eye alternative to vaccines</a> 
 
The drug has shown positive results among patients 65 years of age and older or individuals who have certain medical conditions and are at high risk for progression to severe COVID-19, including hospitalisation or death. 
 
Laboratory tests have shown that Sotrovimab is able to neutralise the current circulating variants of Covid first reported in the UK, South Africa, Brazil, California, New York and India.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/black-fungus-drug-amphotericin-b-to-be-priced-at-rs-1200-for-each-vial-in-india-387750">Black fungus drug Amphotericin B to be priced at Rs 1200 for each vial in India</a> 
 
"With the authorisation of this monoclonal antibody treatment, we are providing another option to help keep high-risk patients with COVID-19 out of the hospital," Patrizia Cavazzoni, Director of the FDA`s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, said in a statement on Wednesday. 
 
"It is important to expand the arsenal of monoclonal antibody therapies that are expected to retain activity against the circulating variants of COVID-19 in the United States," Cavazzoni added.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/modernas-single-dose-vaccine-in-india-likely-next-year-pfizer-ready-with-50-mn-doses-for-2021-387438">Moderna's single-dose vaccine in India likely next year; Pfizer ready with 50 mn doses for 2021</a> 
 
However, Sotrovimab is not authorised for patients who are hospitalised due to COVID-19 or require oxygen therapy due to the disease, the FDA said. 
 
This treatment has not shown benefit in patients hospitalised due to COVID-19 and monoclonal antibodies may be associated with worse clinical outcomes when administered to hospitalised patients requiring high flow oxygen or mechanical ventilation.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/as-india-is-troubled-with-fresh-covid-wave-a-drug-and-therapy-bring-hope-379586">As India is troubled with fresh Covid wave, a drug and therapy bring hope</a> 
 
Monoclonal antibodies are laboratory-made proteins that mimic the immune system`s ability to fight off harmful antigens such as viruses. Sotrovimab is a monoclonal antibody that is specifically directed against the spike protein of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus">SARS-CoV-2</a> and is designed to block the virus` attachment and entry into human cells. 
 
The EUA is based on an interim analysis from a Phase 1/2/3 randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trials in 583 non-hospitalised adults with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 symptoms and a positive SARS-CoV-2 test result.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/drug-prevents-coronavirus-infection-in-nursing-homes-maker-claims-358546">Drug prevents coronavirus infection in nursing homes, maker claims</a> 
 
Of these patients, 291 received Sotrovimab and 292 received placebo within five days of onset of COVID-19 symptoms. The primary endpoint was progression of COVID-19 (defined as hospitalisation for greater than 24 hours for acute management of any illness or death from any cause) through day 29. 
 
Hospitalisation or death occurred in 21 (7 per cent) patients who received placebo compared to 3 (1 per cent) patients treated with Sotrovimab, an 85 per cent reduction.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-grants-emergency-use-authorisation-to-regeneron-covid-19-antibodies-344588">US grants emergency use authorisation to Regeneron Covid-19 antibodies</a> 
 
The drug will be distributed and administered as a 500 milligram single dose intravenously by health care providers. Potential side effects of Sotrovimab include anaphylaxis and infusion-related reactions, rash and diarrhoea, the FDA said.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has authorised a monoclonal antibody drug against COVID-19, developed by GlaxoSmithKline and Vir, which claims to reduce hospitalisation and death among Coronavirus patients by 85 per cent and is also effective against the variants.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has authorised a monoclonal antibody drug against COVID-19, developed by GlaxoSmithKline and Vir, which claims to reduce hospitalisation and death among Coronavirus patients by 85 per cent and is also effective against the variants. The drug Sotrovimab has been given an emergency use authorisation (EUA) for the treatment of mild-to-moderate COVID-19 in adults and children 12 years of age and older, weighing at least 40 kg. Also Read | Seeking a pill to cure Covid: Drugmakers eye alternative to vaccines The drug has shown positive results among patients 65 years of age and older or individuals who have certain medical conditions and are at high risk for progression to severe COVID-19, including hospitalisation or death. Laboratory tests have shown that Sotrovimab is able to neutralise the current circulating variants of Covid first reported in the UK, South Africa, Brazil, California, New York and India. Also Read | Black fungus drug Amphotericin B to be priced at Rs 1200 for each vial in India "With the authorisation of this monoclonal antibody treatment, we are providing another option to help keep high-risk patients with COVID-19 out of the hospital," Patrizia Cavazzoni, Director of the FDA`s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, said in a statement on Wednesday. "It is important to expand the arsenal of monoclonal antibody therapies that are expected to retain activity against the circulating variants of COVID-19 in the United States," Cavazzoni added. Also Read | Moderna's single-dose vaccine in India likely next year; Pfizer ready with 50 mn doses for 2021 However, Sotrovimab is not authorised for patients who are hospitalised due to COVID-19 or require oxygen therapy due to the disease, the FDA said. This treatment has not shown benefit in patients hospitalised due to COVID-19 and monoclonal antibodies may be associated with worse clinical outcomes when administered to hospitalised patients requiring high flow oxygen or mechanical ventilation. Also Read | As India is troubled with fresh Covid wave, a drug and therapy bring hope Monoclonal antibodies are laboratory-made proteins that mimic the immune system`s ability to fight off harmful antigens such as viruses. Sotrovimab is a monoclonal antibody that is specifically directed against the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 and is designed to block the virus` attachment and entry into human cells. The EUA is based on an interim analysis from a Phase 1/2/3 randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trials in 583 non-hospitalised adults with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 symptoms and a positive SARS-CoV-2 test result. Also Read | Drug prevents coronavirus infection in nursing homes, maker claims Of these patients, 291 received Sotrovimab and 292 received placebo within five days of onset of COVID-19 symptoms. The primary endpoint was progression of COVID-19 (defined as hospitalisation for greater than 24 hours for acute management of any illness or death from any cause) through day 29. Hospitalisation or death occurred in 21 (7 per cent) patients who received placebo compared to 3 (1 per cent) patients treated with Sotrovimab, an 85 per cent reduction. Also Read | US grants emergency use authorisation to Regeneron Covid-19 antibodies The drug will be distributed and administered as a 500 milligram single dose intravenously by health care providers. Potential side effects of Sotrovimab include anaphylaxis and infusion-related reactions, rash and diarrhoea, the FDA said.

US FDA authorises GSK-Vir monoclonal antibody drug for Covid

Long dismissed as a kooky conspiracy theory favored by the far right, the idea that Covid emerged from a lab leak in Wuhan has been gaining increasing momentum in the United States.&nbsp;

The government's position has shifted to agnosticism in recent weeks, with top pandemic advisor Anthony Fauci and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director Rochelle Walensky both saying they are open to all possibilities.&nbsp;

"We need to get to the bottom of this and we need a completely transparent process from China, we need the WHO (World Health Organization) to assist in that matter," senior White House Covid advisor Andy Slavitt said on Tuesday.&nbsp;

The demand for more investigation is in stark contrast to the start of the pandemic, when scientists quickly came together around the idea that the virus crossed over from bats via an intermediary animal.&nbsp;

The problem is, this link still hasn't been found, Scott Gottlieb, a former head of the Food and Drug Administration, told CNBC on Monday -- and not for want of trying.&nbsp;

Previous coronaviruses that crossed over to humans, SARS and MERS, were quickly traced back to civets and camels. &nbsp;

"The question for a lot of people is going to be when are too many coincidences too much?" added Gottlieb.&nbsp;

Citing a US intelligence report, The Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday that a trio from the Wuhan Institute of Virology were hospitalised with a seasonal illness in November 2019.&nbsp;

China disclosed the existence of an outbreak of pneumonia cases in Wuhan to the World Health Organization (WHO) on December 31, 2019.&nbsp;

Beijing dismissed the Journal report as "totally untrue."&nbsp;

On Tuesday, the United States and other countries called for a more in-depth probe into the pandemic's origins, after an international mission to China earlier this year proved inconclusive.&nbsp;

A long-delayed report by a team of experts dispatched by the WHO to Wuhan and their Chinese counterparts drew no firm conclusions on the origins of the pandemic.&nbsp;

It said that a natural origin was the most probable scenario, and that a theory involving the virus leaking from a laboratory was "extremely unlikely."&nbsp;

After the report was released, however, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus himself insisted all theories remained on the table.&nbsp;

And calls from scientists for more transparency are growing.&nbsp;

"We must take hypotheses about both natural and laboratory spillovers seriously until we have sufficient data," a group of researchers from top US universities wrote in a letter published by the journal Science in mid-May.&nbsp;

The virus has claimed more than 3.4 million lives worldwide and determining how it passed to humans is considered crucial in preventing the next pandemic.&nbsp;

Long dismissed as a kooky conspiracy theory favored by the far right, the idea that Covid emerged from a lab leak in Wuhan has been gaining increasing momentum in the United States.

Long dismissed as a kooky conspiracy theory favored by the far right, the idea that Covid emerged from a lab leak in Wuhan has been gaining increasing momentum in the United States. The government's position has shifted to agnosticism in recent weeks, with top pandemic advisor Anthony Fauci and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director Rochelle Walensky both saying they are open to all possibilities. "We need to get to the bottom of this and we need a completely transparent process from China, we need the WHO (World Health Organization) to assist in that matter," senior White House Covid advisor Andy Slavitt said on Tuesday. The demand for more investigation is in stark contrast to the start of the pandemic, when scientists quickly came together around the idea that the virus crossed over from bats via an intermediary animal. The problem is, this link still hasn't been found, Scott Gottlieb, a former head of the Food and Drug Administration, told CNBC on Monday -- and not for want of trying. Previous coronaviruses that crossed over to humans, SARS and MERS, were quickly traced back to civets and camels. "The question for a lot of people is going to be when are too many coincidences too much?" added Gottlieb. Citing a US intelligence report, The Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday that a trio from the Wuhan Institute of Virology were hospitalised with a seasonal illness in November 2019. China disclosed the existence of an outbreak of pneumonia cases in Wuhan to the World Health Organization (WHO) on December 31, 2019. Beijing dismissed the Journal report as "totally untrue." On Tuesday, the United States and other countries called for a more in-depth probe into the pandemic's origins, after an international mission to China earlier this year proved inconclusive. A long-delayed report by a team of experts dispatched by the WHO to Wuhan and their Chinese counterparts drew no firm conclusions on the origins of the pandemic. It said that a natural origin was the most probable scenario, and that a theory involving the virus leaking from a laboratory was "extremely unlikely." After the report was released, however, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus himself insisted all theories remained on the table. And calls from scientists for more transparency are growing. "We must take hypotheses about both natural and laboratory spillovers seriously until we have sufficient data," a group of researchers from top US universities wrote in a letter published by the journal Science in mid-May. The virus has claimed more than 3.4 million lives worldwide and determining how it passed to humans is considered crucial in preventing the next pandemic.

Covid lab origin theory gains traction in United States 

Every piece of evidence points to a leak of coronavirus from the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV), said US former state secretary Mike Pompeo, adding that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) must be held "accountable".

Pompeo`s remarks come after a US media reported three Wuhan lab staff sought hospitalisation after they fell ill in November 2019, weeks before China reported the first patient with COVID-19-like symptoms.

He claimed that the CCP has "done everything" to cover up and deflect blame.

"The CCP was actively engaged in viral research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology. Every piece of evidence points to a leak from this laboratory. The CCP has done everything to cover up and deflect blame, even blaming the U.S. Prove it. They must be held accountable," he tweeted.

A US State Department fact sheet released by the Trump administration in January said the researchers had become sick in autumn 2019 and displayed "symptoms consistent with both Covid-19 and common seasonal illness."China reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) that the first patient with Covid-like symptoms was recorded in Wuhan on December 8, 2019.

"The US government has reason to believe that several researchers inside the WIV became sick in autumn 2019, before the first identified case of the outbreak, with symptoms consistent with both Covid-19 and common seasonal illnesses," the report read.

Recently, Anthony Fauci, a top adviser to US President Joe Biden on the coronavirus pandemic said he`s "not convinced" the deadly virus developed naturally and has called for further investigations into where it emerged. Fauci was asked during a Poynter event, "United Facts of America: A Festival of Fact-Checking," earlier this month about whether he was confident that Covid-19 developed naturally, Fox News reported.

"No actually. I am not convinced about that. I think we should continue to investigate what went on in China until we continue to find out to the best of our ability what happened," Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases, said.

"Certainly, the people who investigated it say it likely was the emergence from an animal reservoir that then infected individuals, but it could have been something else, and we need to find that out. So, you know, that`s the reason why I said I`m perfectly in favour of any investigation that looks into the origin of the virus," he added.

Last month, the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken launched a scathing attack against China for a lack of transparency during "the early stages" of the coronavirus pandemic and called for a more thorough investigation into the origins of Covid-19. Blinken`s remarks came following the publishing of a joint inquiry by the World Health Organization and China in March.

The inquiry did not conclusively establish how or when the virus began spreading and did little to address Western concerns that the Chinese Communist Party bent the investigation to its advantage.

The WHO report determined that the possibility the virus came from a lab was "extremely unlikely," noting there was "no record" any lab had closely related viruses.

The probe was criticised by the US, UK, and other governments over its limited access to "complete, original data and samples". The organization was also accused of being overly deferential to China throughout the study, which was co-authored by 17 Chinese scientists -- several of them from state-run institutions.

Every piece of evidence points to a leak of coronavirus from the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV), said US former state secretary Mike Pompeo, adding that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) must be held "accountable".

Every piece of evidence points to a leak of coronavirus from the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV), said US former state secretary Mike Pompeo, adding that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) must be held "accountable". Pompeo`s remarks come after a US media reported three Wuhan lab staff sought hospitalisation after they fell ill in November 2019, weeks before China reported the first patient with COVID-19-like symptoms. He claimed that the CCP has "done everything" to cover up and deflect blame. "The CCP was actively engaged in viral research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology. Every piece of evidence points to a leak from this laboratory. The CCP has done everything to cover up and deflect blame, even blaming the U.S. Prove it. They must be held accountable," he tweeted. A US State Department fact sheet released by the Trump administration in January said the researchers had become sick in autumn 2019 and displayed "symptoms consistent with both Covid-19 and common seasonal illness."China reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) that the first patient with Covid-like symptoms was recorded in Wuhan on December 8, 2019. "The US government has reason to believe that several researchers inside the WIV became sick in autumn 2019, before the first identified case of the outbreak, with symptoms consistent with both Covid-19 and common seasonal illnesses," the report read. Recently, Anthony Fauci, a top adviser to US President Joe Biden on the coronavirus pandemic said he`s "not convinced" the deadly virus developed naturally and has called for further investigations into where it emerged. Fauci was asked during a Poynter event, "United Facts of America: A Festival of Fact-Checking," earlier this month about whether he was confident that Covid-19 developed naturally, Fox News reported. "No actually. I am not convinced about that. I think we should continue to investigate what went on in China until we continue to find out to the best of our ability what happened," Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases, said. "Certainly, the people who investigated it say it likely was the emergence from an animal reservoir that then infected individuals, but it could have been something else, and we need to find that out. So, you know, that`s the reason why I said I`m perfectly in favour of any investigation that looks into the origin of the virus," he added. Last month, the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken launched a scathing attack against China for a lack of transparency during "the early stages" of the coronavirus pandemic and called for a more thorough investigation into the origins of Covid-19. Blinken`s remarks came following the publishing of a joint inquiry by the World Health Organization and China in March. The inquiry did not conclusively establish how or when the virus began spreading and did little to address Western concerns that the Chinese Communist Party bent the investigation to its advantage. The WHO report determined that the possibility the virus came from a lab was "extremely unlikely," noting there was "no record" any lab had closely related viruses. The probe was criticised by the US, UK, and other governments over its limited access to "complete, original data and samples". The organization was also accused of being overly deferential to China throughout the study, which was co-authored by 17 Chinese scientists -- several of them from state-run institutions.

Evidence suggests leak of coronavirus from Wuhan lab, CCP must be held accountable: Pompeo

When the Indian government allowed states to pursue their own vaccine procurement, the idea was welcomed.

States governments were quick to seize the moment. Some chief ministers announced global tenders to buy shots from the international market. Weeks later, they are complaining again.

Because companies like Pfizer and Moderna don't want to deal with them. They want to negotiate directly with the centre and set the terms.&nbsp;

So what do these vaccine majors need from India?

It's not just about the money. They want the kind of guarantees that India hasn't given any vaccine maker.

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Pfizer and Moderna are among the best shots on the international market. Both vaccines work on the same technology. They are more than 90 per cent effective. Together, they have been approved by more than 40 countries. India wants them too. But on its own terms.

The government has authorised states to negotiate for themselves. Global tenders were announced. But it proved to be a damp squib as vaccine makers refused to deal with state governments.

Punjab made request to Moderna, it was denied. Moderna says it will only deal with the central government.

The Delhi state government wrote to Moderna, Pfizer and Johnson and Johnson. It got the same reply. They will only deal with the Government of India.&nbsp;

Beyond the obvious need of approvals and clearances, these vaccine companies have their own demands.

For instance, Pfizer CEO claims that they have been trying to get Pfizer vaccines to India for months. But Pfizer wants indemnity, a legal exemption from future lawsuits over their vaccines. Countries like the US and Britain have signed such clauses.

It basically means that if the vaccine maker is sued in India, it will be the government's problem, not the company's. India has not given such indemnity to any vaccine producer. Why should Pfizer be the exception?

The discussion is still on between the company and the government. In the past, Pfizer has been accused of bullying Latin American countries. They demanded embassy buildings and military bases as guarantee against the cost of any future legal cases.

The other problem is supply. Rich countries have already taken most of the shots off the shelves. Reports say, Moderna has its hands full with the existing orders. It might not have more doses for India. According to a report in April, Moderna already had orders to supply more than 1,000 million doses. These are for countries like the US, the EU, Canada, Japan, Switzerland and others.

Moderna is planning a major expansion in manufacturing. But even with a global tender, India may have to wait in line for its deliveries.

States like, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka have issued global tenders. But all of them are waiting for a bid.

When the Indian government allowed states to pursue their own vaccine procurement, the idea was welcomed. States governments were quick to seize the moment. Some chief ministers announced global tenders to buy shots from the international market.

When the Indian government allowed states to pursue their own vaccine procurement, the idea was welcomed. States governments were quick to seize the moment. Some chief ministers announced global tenders to buy shots from the international market. Weeks later, they are complaining again. Because companies like Pfizer and Moderna don't want to deal with them. They want to negotiate directly with the centre and set the terms. So what do these vaccine majors need from India? It's not just about the money. They want the kind of guarantees that India hasn't given any vaccine maker. × Pfizer and Moderna are among the best shots on the international market. Both vaccines work on the same technology. They are more than 90 per cent effective. Together, they have been approved by more than 40 countries. India wants them too. But on its own terms. The government has authorised states to negotiate for themselves. Global tenders were announced. But it proved to be a damp squib as vaccine makers refused to deal with state governments. Punjab made request to Moderna, it was denied. Moderna says it will only deal with the central government. The Delhi state government wrote to Moderna, Pfizer and Johnson and Johnson. It got the same reply. They will only deal with the Government of India. Beyond the obvious need of approvals and clearances, these vaccine companies have their own demands. For instance, Pfizer CEO claims that they have been trying to get Pfizer vaccines to India for months. But Pfizer wants indemnity, a legal exemption from future lawsuits over their vaccines. Countries like the US and Britain have signed such clauses. It basically means that if the vaccine maker is sued in India, it will be the government's problem, not the company's. India has not given such indemnity to any vaccine producer. Why should Pfizer be the exception? The discussion is still on between the company and the government. In the past, Pfizer has been accused of bullying Latin American countries. They demanded embassy buildings and military bases as guarantee against the cost of any future legal cases. The other problem is supply. Rich countries have already taken most of the shots off the shelves. Reports say, Moderna has its hands full with the existing orders. It might not have more doses for India. According to a report in April, Moderna already had orders to supply more than 1,000 million doses. These are for countries like the US, the EU, Canada, Japan, Switzerland and others. Moderna is planning a major expansion in manufacturing. But even with a global tender, India may have to wait in line for its deliveries. States like, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka have issued global tenders. But all of them are waiting for a bid.

Pfizer and Moderna don't want to deal with Indian states for vaccines

The World Health Organization (WHO) is a failed institution. But we cannot let it remain like that. Public health is now linked to everything. Our economy, our national security, even our politics. This pandemic is proof of that.

So reforming the WHO is top priority. But where to start?

At the World Health Assembly. This is the council that governs the WHO. They set the policy, They elect the director-general. And they approve the budget. Real power lies with this council.

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Unfortunately, the real problem also lies with them.

The 74th World Health Assembly kicked off today. All 194 members were in attendance. This is being billed as the most consequential meeting on public health.

Seeing what happened last year, that's a right assessment. This is the chance to reform the WHO. For a complete cultural revamp at the top. To seek accountability from the leadership. And to release the WHO from China's influence.

But even before the assembly convened, we got a taste of the WHO's politics. One country was missing from the invitation list. A country that first warned the WHO about the pandemic. A country that crushed the pandemic. A country that donated masks and PPE kits to the world: good ones, not the faulty kind that China sent.

The country is Taiwan. WHO has overlooked them once again. Every major country was campaigning for their inclusion.

"There is no reasonable justification for Taiwan’s continued exclusion from this forum, and the United States calls upon the WHO director-general to invite Taiwan to participate as an observer at the WHA," said US Secretary of State Antony Blinken earlier this month.

That was a direct appeal from America's most powerful diplomat to Dr Tedros. An appeal from the WHO's largest donor. It is difficult to imagine that he did not see this appeal.

So why wasn't Taiwan invited? Because Dr Tedros simply ignored it. For him, the orders from Beijing are more important. It wasn't just the United States pushing Taiwan's case.

The Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China released a campaign video. 15 lawmakers from Australia, Europe, New Zealand and North America launched the hashtag, #LetTaiwanHelp.

Even the G7 foreign ministers called for Taiwan's participation. They said the international community would benefit from Taiwan's experience.

Taiwan did not get an invite despite all this international support. Because China blocked it. For Beijing, Taiwan is an estranged province, a territory that will one day return to mainland China.

But Taiwan is a full-fledged democracy. They have elections, they have an army. They are everything China is not.

The One-China Policy is losing credibility by the day. But Beijing keeps hanging on to it.

"To safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity, China cannot agree to the Taiwan region's participation in the upcoming session of the world health assembly," said Chinese foreign ministry on Friday.

China ordered, and Dr Tedros followed. In fact, he went a step ahead. Today, a special report was tabled at the World Health Assembly.&nbsp;

It is called COVID-19: Make it the last pandemic

Taiwan's Centres for Disease Control featured on two pages. But the agency was identified as Centres for Disease Control, Taiwan, China.

Taiwan's foreign minister spotted this. He has asked the WHO to correct this error and re-publish.

But that's not going to happen. Because the WHO is indifferent to Taiwan's interests. It is indifferent to the health rights of 23.5 million people who call Taiwan their home.

This anger was reflected in their government's statement.

"As a professional international health body, the World Health Organization should serve the health and welfare of all humanity and not capitulate to the political interests of a certain member.”

Anyone would imagine a public health body to be too busy for petty politics, specially during a pandemic. But that's not the case for the WHO.

So what's the way out?

If the World Health Assembly is the problem, it is also the solution. There are 194 members in the WHA. If a majority of them pass a resolution, they can invite Taiwan. Whether Dr Tedros wants to or not.

The second thing they can do is overhaul the agency. Dr Tedros wants a second term. The assembly can deny him that opportunity. The WHO needs fresh blood. New leaders and experts who read scientific studies. Not Xi Jinping's new little red book.

The World Health Organization (WHO) is a failed institution. But we cannot let it remain like that. Public health is now linked to everything. Our economy, our national security, even our politics.

The World Health Organization (WHO) is a failed institution. But we cannot let it remain like that. Public health is now linked to everything. Our economy, our national security, even our politics. This pandemic is proof of that. So reforming the WHO is top priority. But where to start? At the World Health Assembly. This is the council that governs the WHO. They set the policy, They elect the director-general. And they approve the budget. Real power lies with this council. × Unfortunately, the real problem also lies with them. The 74th World Health Assembly kicked off today. All 194 members were in attendance. This is being billed as the most consequential meeting on public health. Seeing what happened last year, that's a right assessment. This is the chance to reform the WHO. For a complete cultural revamp at the top. To seek accountability from the leadership. And to release the WHO from China's influence. But even before the assembly convened, we got a taste of the WHO's politics. One country was missing from the invitation list. A country that first warned the WHO about the pandemic. A country that crushed the pandemic. A country that donated masks and PPE kits to the world: good ones, not the faulty kind that China sent. The country is Taiwan. WHO has overlooked them once again. Every major country was campaigning for their inclusion. "There is no reasonable justification for Taiwan’s continued exclusion from this forum, and the United States calls upon the WHO director-general to invite Taiwan to participate as an observer at the WHA," said US Secretary of State Antony Blinken earlier this month. That was a direct appeal from America's most powerful diplomat to Dr Tedros. An appeal from the WHO's largest donor. It is difficult to imagine that he did not see this appeal. So why wasn't Taiwan invited? Because Dr Tedros simply ignored it. For him, the orders from Beijing are more important. It wasn't just the United States pushing Taiwan's case. The Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China released a campaign video. 15 lawmakers from Australia, Europe, New Zealand and North America launched the hashtag, #LetTaiwanHelp. Even the G7 foreign ministers called for Taiwan's participation. They said the international community would benefit from Taiwan's experience. Taiwan did not get an invite despite all this international support. Because China blocked it. For Beijing, Taiwan is an estranged province, a territory that will one day return to mainland China. But Taiwan is a full-fledged democracy. They have elections, they have an army. They are everything China is not. The One-China Policy is losing credibility by the day. But Beijing keeps hanging on to it. "To safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity, China cannot agree to the Taiwan region's participation in the upcoming session of the world health assembly," said Chinese foreign ministry on Friday. China ordered, and Dr Tedros followed. In fact, he went a step ahead. Today, a special report was tabled at the World Health Assembly. It is called COVID-19: Make it the last pandemic Taiwan's Centres for Disease Control featured on two pages. But the agency was identified as Centres for Disease Control, Taiwan, China. Taiwan's foreign minister spotted this. He has asked the WHO to correct this error and re-publish. But that's not going to happen. Because the WHO is indifferent to Taiwan's interests. It is indifferent to the health rights of 23.5 million people who call Taiwan their home. This anger was reflected in their government's statement. "As a professional international health body, the World Health Organization should serve the health and welfare of all humanity and not capitulate to the political interests of a certain member.” Anyone would imagine a public health body to be too busy for petty politics, specially during a pandemic. But that's not the case for the WHO. So what's the way out? If the World Health Assembly is the problem, it is also the solution. There are 194 members in the WHA. If a majority of them pass a resolution, they can invite Taiwan. Whether Dr Tedros wants to or not. The second thing they can do is overhaul the agency. Dr Tedros wants a second term. The assembly can deny him that opportunity. The WHO needs fresh blood. New leaders and experts who read scientific studies. Not Xi Jinping's new little red book.

WHO toes China's line, excludes Taiwan from World Health Assembly

The Wuhan virus came from a lab. This theory is as old as the pandemic. And after 17 months we still don't know if it's true or not. But the lab leak theory refuses to die. More arguments backing this claim keep coming up. And each one is better than the other.&nbsp;

This time, a probe by the Republicans in America and a story from a prominent science writer are raising the same question: Is China trying to hide something about the Wuhan lab?

Former US secretary of state Mike Pompeo has had no doubt that the virus escaped from a lab in Wuhan.

When Pompeo was in charge of the state department, his office released a fact sheet that said researchers at the Wuhan Institute of Virology had become ill in the autumn of 2019.

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&nbsp;

This was well before China reported its first case. And all these months and investigations later, Pompeo still believes that a leak did happen.

This claim is not new. But what about the evidence? Can anyone prove a lab leak?

Republican lawmakers say there is circumstantial proof&nbsp;that merits a full and credible investigation. They have released a report asking the US government to put more pressure on China for a probe.

And it's not just politicians. Many scientists and researchers agree that the lab theory must be investigated.&nbsp;

Nicholas Wade, a prominent science writer, recently authored a detailed assessment for the bulletin of atomic sciences. The piece explores every angle, and assesses all possibilities.

Wade believes that neither a natural outbreak, nor the lab theory should be ruled out. But going by the evidence that's available, a lab leak looks much more plausible.

Wade lists several events that put a question mark on the role of the Wuhan lab.

In his piece, he shares how researchers at the Wuhan lab collected hundreds of bat coronaviruses and how they were doing gain-of-function experiments.

This is research designed to make coronaviruses infect human cells and humanised mice. Here is where the role of Peter Daszak comes into question.

Daszak is the president of EcoHealth Alliance, an American organisation that funded research into coronaviruses at the Wuhan lab in China.

In the early days of this pandemic, 27 prominent public health scientists had signed a letter. They rejected theories that suggested the Wuhan virus was not natural in its origin.

In his piece, Nicolas Wade claims Daszak had organised and drafted this letter. And while doing so, he did not disclose his own links to the Wuhan lab. Daszak claims the charges against him are disingenuous and wildly erroneous. His organisation the EcoHealth Alliance received funding from America's National Institute of Health. The same body that is headed by Dr Anthony Fauci.

Dr Fauci himself has recently faced questions over the funding that America gave to the Wuhan lab. While EcoHealth Alliance and the Wuhan lab did get American money, Fauci maintains that the funding wasn't for any gain of function research.

In recent weeks, The fresh claims and new connections have caught the eye of more experts. 18 scientists have now written an open letter. Demanding a new probe into the origins of the Wuhan virus. The doubts can only be settled if China gives unfettered access to the Wuhan lab.

And that's wishful thinking.

The Wuhan virus came from a lab. This theory is as old as the pandemic. And after 17 months we still don't know if it's true or not. But the lab leak theory refuses to die.

The Wuhan virus came from a lab. This theory is as old as the pandemic. And after 17 months we still don't know if it's true or not. But the lab leak theory refuses to die. More arguments backing this claim keep coming up. And each one is better than the other. This time, a probe by the Republicans in America and a story from a prominent science writer are raising the same question: Is China trying to hide something about the Wuhan lab? Former US secretary of state Mike Pompeo has had no doubt that the virus escaped from a lab in Wuhan. When Pompeo was in charge of the state department, his office released a fact sheet that said researchers at the Wuhan Institute of Virology had become ill in the autumn of 2019. × This was well before China reported its first case. And all these months and investigations later, Pompeo still believes that a leak did happen. This claim is not new. But what about the evidence? Can anyone prove a lab leak? Republican lawmakers say there is circumstantial proof that merits a full and credible investigation. They have released a report asking the US government to put more pressure on China for a probe. And it's not just politicians. Many scientists and researchers agree that the lab theory must be investigated. Nicholas Wade, a prominent science writer, recently authored a detailed assessment for the bulletin of atomic sciences. The piece explores every angle, and assesses all possibilities. Wade believes that neither a natural outbreak, nor the lab theory should be ruled out. But going by the evidence that's available, a lab leak looks much more plausible. Wade lists several events that put a question mark on the role of the Wuhan lab. In his piece, he shares how researchers at the Wuhan lab collected hundreds of bat coronaviruses and how they were doing gain-of-function experiments. This is research designed to make coronaviruses infect human cells and humanised mice. Here is where the role of Peter Daszak comes into question. Daszak is the president of EcoHealth Alliance, an American organisation that funded research into coronaviruses at the Wuhan lab in China. In the early days of this pandemic, 27 prominent public health scientists had signed a letter. They rejected theories that suggested the Wuhan virus was not natural in its origin. In his piece, Nicolas Wade claims Daszak had organised and drafted this letter. And while doing so, he did not disclose his own links to the Wuhan lab. Daszak claims the charges against him are disingenuous and wildly erroneous. His organisation the EcoHealth Alliance received funding from America's National Institute of Health. The same body that is headed by Dr Anthony Fauci. Dr Fauci himself has recently faced questions over the funding that America gave to the Wuhan lab. While EcoHealth Alliance and the Wuhan lab did get American money, Fauci maintains that the funding wasn't for any gain of function research. In recent weeks, The fresh claims and new connections have caught the eye of more experts. 18 scientists have now written an open letter. Demanding a new probe into the origins of the Wuhan virus. The doubts can only be settled if China gives unfettered access to the Wuhan lab. And that's wishful thinking.

Origin of Wuhan virus needs to be found

A surge in domestic COVID-19 cases in Taiwan after months of relative safety is intensifying pressure on the government to accept vaccines from China, as the island has vaccinated just 1% of the population with no immediate sign of new shots arriving. 
 
The Chinese-claimed island and Beijing have repeatedly sparred over the pandemic since it began. 
Taipei accuses Beijing of spreading fake news and preventing its full participation at the World Health Organization, while Beijing says Taipei is playing political games with its people`s lives by refusing Chinese vaccines. 
 
Taiwan has only received about 700,000 vaccine doses to date, all from AstraZeneca Plc, which are rapidly running out. It has millions more on order, including from Moderna Inc. 
 
Over the weekend, Hung Hsiu-chu, a former head of Taiwan`s main opposition party, the Kuomintang (KMT), said the government should allow in Chinese vaccines as soon as possible, saying that they are internationally accepted and that Taiwan cannot wait. 
 
"At this moment, lives are at stake, and we respectfully tell the Tsai government: the real enemy is the virus, not the mainland," she said, referring to President Tsai Ing-wen. 
 
The KMT, always wary of being painted as pro-China, has not explicitly backed or rejected the idea, but has called on the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) not to tar as Communist Party sympathisers those who are trying to obtain more vaccines. 
 
Pressure is growing from industry too to address the issue, especially after China`s Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical Group Co Ltd said on Saturday it was willing to provide Taiwan with BioNTech SE COVID-19 vaccines. 
 
A source familiar with the situation said major Apple Inc supplier Foxconn was exploring directly approaching Fosun for the shots to vaccinate its employees and their families, though the company had not formally started discussions with the Chinese firm or Taiwan`s Central Epidemic Command Centre. 
 
Fosun has 10 million shots that are expiring in August and is anxious to offload them, the source added. Fosun did not respond to requests for comment. 
 
Foxconn, formally called Hon Hai Precision Industry Co, told Reuters that information on vaccines should come from the command centre. 
 
"If we can do what we can to prevent the epidemic in Taiwan, then our company is willing to assist," it added. 
Health Minister Chen Shih-chung said on Sunday that if companies wanted to buy vaccines they had to talk to his ministry. 
 
Chen has said that China has not provided enough evidence that its vaccines are safe, and that most Taiwanese would not want to take them anyway. Chen has also said the law prohibiting the imports of any Chinese vaccine would need to be revised. 
 
Beijing has called on Taiwan to cast aside political prejudices. 
 
"Most Taiwanese compatriots are eagerly anticipating the use of mainland vaccines," China`s Taiwan Affairs Office said in a statement to Reuters, without offering evidence. "The pressing task is to remove artificial political obstacles on the island." 
 
Taiwan`s government has kept vaccine purchase details under close wraps, but has promised more are on the way. 
 
Chen met virtually with his US&nbsp;counterpart, Xavier Becerra, last week and discussed vaccines, but no announcements of any US&nbsp;help have come yet, even after President Joe Biden said the country would release stocks to other parts of the world. However, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters that the United States was trying to help speed up deliveries of the vaccines Taiwan has already ordered.

A surge in domestic COVID-19 cases in Taiwan after months of relative safety is intensifying pressure on the government to accept vaccines from China, as the island has vaccinated just 1% of the population with no immediate sign of new shots arriving.

A surge in domestic COVID-19 cases in Taiwan after months of relative safety is intensifying pressure on the government to accept vaccines from China, as the island has vaccinated just 1% of the population with no immediate sign of new shots arriving. The Chinese-claimed island and Beijing have repeatedly sparred over the pandemic since it began. Taipei accuses Beijing of spreading fake news and preventing its full participation at the World Health Organization, while Beijing says Taipei is playing political games with its people`s lives by refusing Chinese vaccines. Taiwan has only received about 700,000 vaccine doses to date, all from AstraZeneca Plc, which are rapidly running out. It has millions more on order, including from Moderna Inc. Over the weekend, Hung Hsiu-chu, a former head of Taiwan`s main opposition party, the Kuomintang (KMT), said the government should allow in Chinese vaccines as soon as possible, saying that they are internationally accepted and that Taiwan cannot wait. "At this moment, lives are at stake, and we respectfully tell the Tsai government: the real enemy is the virus, not the mainland," she said, referring to President Tsai Ing-wen. The KMT, always wary of being painted as pro-China, has not explicitly backed or rejected the idea, but has called on the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) not to tar as Communist Party sympathisers those who are trying to obtain more vaccines. Pressure is growing from industry too to address the issue, especially after China`s Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical Group Co Ltd said on Saturday it was willing to provide Taiwan with BioNTech SE COVID-19 vaccines. A source familiar with the situation said major Apple Inc supplier Foxconn was exploring directly approaching Fosun for the shots to vaccinate its employees and their families, though the company had not formally started discussions with the Chinese firm or Taiwan`s Central Epidemic Command Centre. Fosun has 10 million shots that are expiring in August and is anxious to offload them, the source added. Fosun did not respond to requests for comment. Foxconn, formally called Hon Hai Precision Industry Co, told Reuters that information on vaccines should come from the command centre. "If we can do what we can to prevent the epidemic in Taiwan, then our company is willing to assist," it added. Health Minister Chen Shih-chung said on Sunday that if companies wanted to buy vaccines they had to talk to his ministry. Chen has said that China has not provided enough evidence that its vaccines are safe, and that most Taiwanese would not want to take them anyway. Chen has also said the law prohibiting the imports of any Chinese vaccine would need to be revised. Beijing has called on Taiwan to cast aside political prejudices. "Most Taiwanese compatriots are eagerly anticipating the use of mainland vaccines," China`s Taiwan Affairs Office said in a statement to Reuters, without offering evidence. "The pressing task is to remove artificial political obstacles on the island." Taiwan`s government has kept vaccine purchase details under close wraps, but has promised more are on the way. Chen met virtually with his US counterpart, Xavier Becerra, last week and discussed vaccines, but no announcements of any US help have come yet, even after President Joe Biden said the country would release stocks to other parts of the world. However, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters that the United States was trying to help speed up deliveries of the vaccines Taiwan has already ordered.

Pressure to accept China vaccines intensifies as Taiwan battles Covid surge

Bangladesh&nbsp;authorities on Thursday imposed a lockdown in five&nbsp;Rohingya&nbsp;refugee&nbsp;camps&nbsp;in the country's southeast&nbsp;after&nbsp;a&nbsp;spike&nbsp;in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus">coronavirus</a> cases in recent days, officials said.

The restrictions barred gatherings and movement between&nbsp;camps, which are home to more than 100,000&nbsp;Rohingya&nbsp;refugees,&nbsp;Bangladesh's deputy refugee commissioner Shamsud Douza told AFP.

"We imposed the restrictions from today&nbsp;after&nbsp;sudden spikes in coronavirus cases in the five&nbsp;camps," he said, adding Wednesday saw a single-day record in new infections.

Bangladesh&nbsp;authorities have set up 34&nbsp;camps&nbsp;in the country's southeastern district of Cox's Bazar for nearly 900,000&nbsp;Rohingya&nbsp;refugees, who fled persecution and violence in Myanmar.&nbsp;

They included some 740,000&nbsp;Rohingya&nbsp;refugees who fled a deadly Myanmar military offensive in August 2017.

Douza said aid workers have been restricted in the&nbsp;camps, allowing only a bare minimum people who work in health, food and gas distribution to enter.

On Wednesday alone, 45&nbsp;Rohingya&nbsp;tested positive for the&nbsp;virus&nbsp;out of 247 tested, said local health coordinator Toha Bhuiyan. The same number was also tested positive on Thursday.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/nepal-bangladesh-sri-lanka-nearly-out-of-covid-vaccines-say-officials-386537">Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka nearly out of Covid vaccines, say officials</a>

All five&nbsp;camps&nbsp;have been completely closed," he told AFP.

"The infection number is alarming," Anupom Barua, the Principal of Cox's Bazar Medical College, told AFP. Barua has been monitoring the coronavirus situation in the&nbsp;camps&nbsp;since last year.&nbsp;

Since the&nbsp;virus&nbsp;was detected last year in the&nbsp;camps,&nbsp;Bangladesh&nbsp;authorities have tightly controlled visitors entry into the area, amid fear that COVID-19 could wreck havoc in the squalid and extremely congested settlements.

The restrictions helped keep&nbsp;down&nbsp;cases and deaths.

An international aid worker told AFP that the authorities have already used loudspeakers to warn people in the&nbsp;camps&nbsp;of the restrictions.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/15-dead-400-missing-in-fire-at-rohingya-camp-in-bangladesh-says-un-372531">15 dead, 400 missing in fire at Rohingya camp in Bangladesh, says UN</a>

The worker said the number of cases have also jumped among the host Bangladeshi population in Teknaf, prompting the authorities to impose a lockdown in the southern-most border town.

A senior police officer told AFP that authorities have stepped up security and set up checkposts in the settlements.

Bangladesh&nbsp;launched a COVID-19 vaccination drive in February and some six million people have got one or two doses, but that campaign has not reached&nbsp;Rohingya&nbsp;refugees.

Bangladesh authorities on Thursday imposed a lockdown in five Rohingya refugee camps in the country's southeast after a spike in coronavirus cases in recent days, officials said.

Bangladesh authorities on Thursday imposed a lockdown in five Rohingya refugee camps in the country's southeast after a spike in coronavirus cases in recent days, officials said. The restrictions barred gatherings and movement between camps, which are home to more than 100,000 Rohingya refugees, Bangladesh's deputy refugee commissioner Shamsud Douza told AFP. "We imposed the restrictions from today after sudden spikes in coronavirus cases in the five camps," he said, adding Wednesday saw a single-day record in new infections. Bangladesh authorities have set up 34 camps in the country's southeastern district of Cox's Bazar for nearly 900,000 Rohingya refugees, who fled persecution and violence in Myanmar. They included some 740,000 Rohingya refugees who fled a deadly Myanmar military offensive in August 2017. Douza said aid workers have been restricted in the camps, allowing only a bare minimum people who work in health, food and gas distribution to enter. On Wednesday alone, 45 Rohingya tested positive for the virus out of 247 tested, said local health coordinator Toha Bhuiyan. The same number was also tested positive on Thursday. Also Read | Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka nearly out of Covid vaccines, say officials All five camps have been completely closed," he told AFP. "The infection number is alarming," Anupom Barua, the Principal of Cox's Bazar Medical College, told AFP. Barua has been monitoring the coronavirus situation in the camps since last year. Since the virus was detected last year in the camps, Bangladesh authorities have tightly controlled visitors entry into the area, amid fear that COVID-19 could wreck havoc in the squalid and extremely congested settlements. The restrictions helped keep down cases and deaths. An international aid worker told AFP that the authorities have already used loudspeakers to warn people in the camps of the restrictions. Also Read | 15 dead, 400 missing in fire at Rohingya camp in Bangladesh, says UN The worker said the number of cases have also jumped among the host Bangladeshi population in Teknaf, prompting the authorities to impose a lockdown in the southern-most border town. A senior police officer told AFP that authorities have stepped up security and set up checkposts in the settlements. Bangladesh launched a COVID-19 vaccination drive in February and some six million people have got one or two doses, but that campaign has not reached Rohingya refugees.

Bangladesh locks down Rohingya camps after virus spike

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson is facing allegations of lying over country's Covid pandemic response Former chief adviser Dominic Cummings has made the accusation ahead of a much-anticipated hearing into Britain's coronavirus response. The allegation is that Johnson lied about the strategy of herd immunity when the pandemic first hit Britain.

He is due to give evidence to House of Commons select committees on health and science on Wednesday. Cummings has already suggested that he has a crucial document that'll expose the government's handling of the pandemic.

The influential adviser was sacked at the end of last year, and has recently been involved in a war of words with Downing Street, which accused him of leaking internal conversations and documents to the media.

Cummings tweeted that the government initially intended to treat the virus-like the flu and pursue a strategy of herd immunity by building up natural defences, but Johnson has denied that was ever the official plan.

"No 10 decided to lie... V foolish, &amp; appalling ethics, to lie about it," Cummings tweeted late Saturday.&nbsp;

Herd immunity by September 2020 "was literally the official plan," he said.

"The right line wd have been what PM knows is true: our original plan was wrong &amp; we changed when we realised," he added.

The initial herd immunity strategy was abandoned less than two weeks before the first lockdown in March 2020 and "is a fundamental issue in the whole disaster", he also said.

"If we'd had the right preparations + competent people in charge, we wd probably have avoided lockdown1, *definitely* no need for lockdowns 2&amp;3," he wrote.

Chief scientific adviser Patrick Vallance suggested in March 2021 that herd immunity was one of the goals, but Health Secretary Matt Hancock two days later said it was "not a goal or strategy".

The former adviser warned he will release a "crucial historical document from Covid decision-making" to the Commons committee ahead of his appearance before MPs on Wednesday.

Cummings is constrained by the Official Secrets Act, which limits his ability to release classified documents.

MPs can only release documents that relate to their "lessons learned inquiry" into the pandemic.

Johnson has ordered a full public inquiry into how the pandemic was handled.

(With inputs from agencies)

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson is facing allegations of lying over country's Covid pandemic response Former chief adviser Dominic Cummings has made the accusation ahead of a much-anticipated hearing into Britain's coronavirus response.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson is facing allegations of lying over country's Covid pandemic response Former chief adviser Dominic Cummings has made the accusation ahead of a much-anticipated hearing into Britain's coronavirus response. The allegation is that Johnson lied about the strategy of herd immunity when the pandemic first hit Britain. He is due to give evidence to House of Commons select committees on health and science on Wednesday. Cummings has already suggested that he has a crucial document that'll expose the government's handling of the pandemic. The influential adviser was sacked at the end of last year, and has recently been involved in a war of words with Downing Street, which accused him of leaking internal conversations and documents to the media. Cummings tweeted that the government initially intended to treat the virus-like the flu and pursue a strategy of herd immunity by building up natural defences, but Johnson has denied that was ever the official plan. "No 10 decided to lie... V foolish, & appalling ethics, to lie about it," Cummings tweeted late Saturday. Herd immunity by September 2020 "was literally the official plan," he said. "The right line wd have been what PM knows is true: our original plan was wrong & we changed when we realised," he added. The initial herd immunity strategy was abandoned less than two weeks before the first lockdown in March 2020 and "is a fundamental issue in the whole disaster", he also said. "If we'd had the right preparations + competent people in charge, we wd probably have avoided lockdown1, *definitely* no need for lockdowns 2&3," he wrote. Chief scientific adviser Patrick Vallance suggested in March 2021 that herd immunity was one of the goals, but Health Secretary Matt Hancock two days later said it was "not a goal or strategy". The former adviser warned he will release a "crucial historical document from Covid decision-making" to the Commons committee ahead of his appearance before MPs on Wednesday. Cummings is constrained by the Official Secrets Act, which limits his ability to release classified documents. MPs can only release documents that relate to their "lessons learned inquiry" into the pandemic. Johnson has ordered a full public inquiry into how the pandemic was handled. (With inputs from agencies)

Former aide accuses UK PM Boris Johnson of lying over Covid response

EU member states reached a deal paving the way for a Covid-19 certificate to open up travel in Europe, just as the operators of the iconic Eiffel Tower in Paris announced a July reopening. &nbsp;

The deal will allow anybody living in the EU's 27 countries to secure a digital health pass by the end of June that displays their vaccination status, results of Covid-19 tests or recovery from a coronavirus infection. &nbsp;

"This is an important step towards restarting EU free movement as safely as possible, while providing clarity and certainty for our citizens," said EU health commissioner Stella Kyriakides.&nbsp;

The certificate is seen as a key tool to save the European summer vacations and, as if to celebrate the news, the operators of the Eiffel Tower, one of the biggest tourist attractions on the continent, announced it will reopen on July 16 after several months of closure due to the pandemic.&nbsp;

Visitor numbers will be limited to 10,000 a day to meet social distancing requirements, fewer than half of their pre-Covid levels, operator Sete said.&nbsp;

However, a World Health Organization director warned that the progress against the coronavirus pandemic remains ‘fragile’ and that international travel should still be avoided.&nbsp;

"Right now, in the face of a continued threat and new uncertainty, we need to continue to exercise caution, and rethink or avoid international travel," WHO's European director Hans Kluge said, adding that 'pockets of increasing transmission' on the continent could quickly spread.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

EU member states reached a deal paving the way for a Covid-19 certificate to open up travel in Europe, just as the operators of the iconic Eiffel Tower in Paris announced a July reopening.

EU member states reached a deal paving the way for a Covid-19 certificate to open up travel in Europe, just as the operators of the iconic Eiffel Tower in Paris announced a July reopening. The deal will allow anybody living in the EU's 27 countries to secure a digital health pass by the end of June that displays their vaccination status, results of Covid-19 tests or recovery from a coronavirus infection. "This is an important step towards restarting EU free movement as safely as possible, while providing clarity and certainty for our citizens," said EU health commissioner Stella Kyriakides. The certificate is seen as a key tool to save the European summer vacations and, as if to celebrate the news, the operators of the Eiffel Tower, one of the biggest tourist attractions on the continent, announced it will reopen on July 16 after several months of closure due to the pandemic. Visitor numbers will be limited to 10,000 a day to meet social distancing requirements, fewer than half of their pre-Covid levels, operator Sete said. However, a World Health Organization director warned that the progress against the coronavirus pandemic remains ‘fragile’ and that international travel should still be avoided. "Right now, in the face of a continued threat and new uncertainty, we need to continue to exercise caution, and rethink or avoid international travel," WHO's European director Hans Kluge said, adding that 'pockets of increasing transmission' on the continent could quickly spread. (With inputs from agencies)

EU lines up Covid travel pass, Eiffel Tower to reopen 

The second coronavirus wave is slowly subsiding in India. But another challenge has emerged.

Black fungus!

India has now been forced to declare this infection an epidemic. The situation is serious. The infection is scientifically known as Mucormycosis. It's a complication associated with the virus.

A few cases were reported in New Delhi last month with no loss of lives. Since then the infection has killed atleast 219 people. The case count has reached 7,250. With infections reported in at least 13 states &amp; union territories. Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi, UP, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka and Telangana are the worst-hit.

Considering the scale of infections the central government has directed all states to declare black fungus as an epidemic. The Health Ministry has asked them to list it under The Epidemic Diseases Act 1897.

This means that every single confirmed or suspected case will directly have to be reported to Union Health Ministry. All hospitals, state and private, will have to follow guidelines for screening, diagnosis and management of cases.

Are they prepared? Not really. Several hospitals across India have reported shortage of Amphotericin-B. The medicine is key to curing this infection.

The centre says this shortage will be resolved soon. So far, 6 pharma companies were producing this drug. Now the Centre has given permission to five more manufacturers. It has also placed orders to import 6 lakh vials from abroad. The rising cases and shortages have caused alarm. But it's important to understand that the fungus doesn't infect everyone. So far it is only being reported in some Covid-19 survivors.

Doctors blame the panic use of steroids which made it easier for this fungal infection to spread.

How does it spread?

Mucormycosis is caused by a group of molds called Mucormycetes. These molds exist freely throughout the environment. People get infected when they come in contact or breathe in these fungal molds.

Who is the most vulnerable?

According to the Indian Council of Medical Research, four kinds of people are vulnerable

<ul>
	<li>Those who used steroids during their Covid treatment and ended up with lower immunity.</li>
	<li>Those who had prolonged stays at hospital ICUs and are yet to recover.</li>
	<li>Those with diabetes or a history of Kidney &amp; Heart failure.</li>
	<li>Those who are on medication for major health problems that reduce their ability to fight pathogens.</li>
</ul>

What are the symptoms?..

Pain under the eyes, one-sided facial swelling, nasal or sinus congestion, black lesions on nasal bridge, stuffy or bleeding nose, toothache or loosening of teeth, and partial loss of vision.

How do you protect yourself from such an infection?

Experts advise the following steps...

<ul>
	<li>Wear a mask at all times.</li>
	<li>Wear shoes, long trousers and preferably gloves if you step out into a park or for gardening.</li>
	<li>Maintain personal hygiene including a thorough scrub bath.</li>
</ul>

As infections rise, India must focus on precaution, judicious use of steroids. And immediate treatment where the fungus is detected.

The second coronavirus wave is slowly subsiding in India. But another challenge has emerged. Black fungus! India has now been forced to declare this infection an epidemic.

The second coronavirus wave is slowly subsiding in India. But another challenge has emerged. Black fungus! India has now been forced to declare this infection an epidemic. The situation is serious. The infection is scientifically known as Mucormycosis. It's a complication associated with the virus. A few cases were reported in New Delhi last month with no loss of lives. Since then the infection has killed atleast 219 people. The case count has reached 7,250. With infections reported in at least 13 states & union territories. Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi, UP, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka and Telangana are the worst-hit. Considering the scale of infections the central government has directed all states to declare black fungus as an epidemic. The Health Ministry has asked them to list it under The Epidemic Diseases Act 1897. This means that every single confirmed or suspected case will directly have to be reported to Union Health Ministry. All hospitals, state and private, will have to follow guidelines for screening, diagnosis and management of cases. Are they prepared? Not really. Several hospitals across India have reported shortage of Amphotericin-B. The medicine is key to curing this infection. The centre says this shortage will be resolved soon. So far, 6 pharma companies were producing this drug. Now the Centre has given permission to five more manufacturers. It has also placed orders to import 6 lakh vials from abroad. The rising cases and shortages have caused alarm. But it's important to understand that the fungus doesn't infect everyone. So far it is only being reported in some Covid-19 survivors. Doctors blame the panic use of steroids which made it easier for this fungal infection to spread. How does it spread? Mucormycosis is caused by a group of molds called Mucormycetes. These molds exist freely throughout the environment. People get infected when they come in contact or breathe in these fungal molds. Who is the most vulnerable? According to the Indian Council of Medical Research, four kinds of people are vulnerable Those who used steroids during their Covid treatment and ended up with lower immunity. Those who had prolonged stays at hospital ICUs and are yet to recover. Those with diabetes or a history of Kidney & Heart failure. Those who are on medication for major health problems that reduce their ability to fight pathogens. What are the symptoms?.. Pain under the eyes, one-sided facial swelling, nasal or sinus congestion, black lesions on nasal bridge, stuffy or bleeding nose, toothache or loosening of teeth, and partial loss of vision. How do you protect yourself from such an infection? Experts advise the following steps... Wear a mask at all times. Wear shoes, long trousers and preferably gloves if you step out into a park or for gardening. Maintain personal hygiene including a thorough scrub bath. As infections rise, India must focus on precaution, judicious use of steroids. And immediate treatment where the fungus is detected.

How to protect yourself from Black fungus infection? Read on

The 'lab leak' theory refuses to die down. Fresh claims and new assessments have reignited the debate. WION's Palki Sharma tells you why some experts & scientists are not ruling out a leak at the Wuhan lab.

Gravitas | COVID origins: New claims reignite Wuhan lab leak theory

The death toll from COVID-19 in Latin America and the Caribbean passed 1 million people on Friday, according to a Reuters tally, with the pandemic worsening in the part of the world with the highest per capita death rate. 
 
From the dusty highlands of Bolivia to the Brazilian metropolis of São Paulo, the pandemic has swamped underfunded healthcare systems after spreading fast across nations where many people survive hand-to-mouth and have been unable to enter lockdown. 
 
In Peru, among the hardest hit nations in the region, COVID-19 patients have died in crowded hospital corridors of the capital Lima. Deep in the Amazon jungles of Brazil, many residents of the city of Manaus have died at home with no oxygen to fill damaged lungs, after supplies ran out there this year. 
 
With cases falling in Europe, Asia and North America, and flat in Africa, South America is the only region where new infections are rising rapidly on a per capita basis, according to Our World in Data. Although India is currently struggling through one of the world`s worst outbreaks of the pandemic. 
 
On average in May, 31% of the COVID-19 deaths in the world have been in Latin America and the Caribbean - home to just 8.4% of the global population. 
 
Doctors and epidemiologists say the coronavirus pandemic took unprepared governments by surprise last year and its impact has been worsened by leaders who downplayed its gravity and failed to secure timely vaccine supplies. 
 
The top eight countries registering the most COVID-19 deaths per capita over the past week were all in Latin America. 
 
"Instead of preparing for the pandemic, we minimised the disease, saying the tropical heat would deactivate the virus," said Dr. Francisco Moreno Sanchez, head of the COVID-19 program at one of Mexico`s main hospitals and a critic of the government`s vaccination plan. 
 
"Unfortunately, we are among the most-affected regions, where the handling of the pandemic has been the most mistaken, and now we are suffering the consequences," the epidemiologist told Reuters. 
 
BRAZIL HARD HIT 
 
With the death toll steadily mounting, grave diggers in several countries have been forced to expand cemeteries with row after row of new tombs. In a break with the region`s predominantly Catholic traditional culture, dead are often buried with few or no relatives there to say goodbye. 
 
Most of the deaths - more than 446,000 - have occurred in Brazil, which became a coronavirus epicenter this year with the second-deadliest outbreak outside the United States, though it appears likely to be surpassed soon by India. 
 
Brazil recorded 2,215 new deaths from COVID-19 in 24 hours, the Health Ministry said on Friday, pushing Latin America`s total to over 1 million COVID-19 fatalities. 
 
The government of far-right Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, a vaccine skeptic and opponent of lockdowns, is being investigated by a parliamentary commission for failing to plan a national drive against COVID-19 and not buying vaccines in time. 
 
Brazil remains the third most-affected country in the world in terms of confirmed COVID-19 cases, behind only India and the United States. It has the highest death toll in the region, followed by Mexico and Colombia, which combined represent about 74% of all the deaths Latin America. 
 
The daily death toll in South America had slowed in May to 3,872, from an average of 4,558 people in April, according to a Reuters analysis. But cases are on the rise again and deaths are a lagging indicator, typically rising weeks after a surge in new infections. 
 
Vaccinations in South America lag behind much of the world. In South America, just 15% of people have received at least one dose compared with 28% in Europe and 34% in North America. Only Asia and Africa are lower at 5% and 1%, respectively, according to Our World in Data through May 19. 
 
The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has criticised "glaring gaps" in access to COVID-19 vaccines in Latin America, compared to the United States, which has had the lion`s share of the 400 million doses administered so far in the Americas. 
 
"Just three percent of Latin Americans have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19. We urgently need more vaccines," PAHO director Carissa Etienne told reporters this week. 
 
Vaccine supplies have been slow to arrive in most countries and inoculation programs have been disorganised in some. 
 
"Vaccination has lacked strategic planning," said pediatric surgeon Kurt Paulsen, who runs a vaccination site in Bolivia. "At first they brought lots of different vaccines with no information to show people what they are being injected with."

The death toll from COVID-19 in Latin America and the Caribbean passed 1 million people on Friday, according to a Reuters tally, with the pandemic worsening in the part of the world with the highest per capita death rate.

The death toll from COVID-19 in Latin America and the Caribbean passed 1 million people on Friday, according to a Reuters tally, with the pandemic worsening in the part of the world with the highest per capita death rate. From the dusty highlands of Bolivia to the Brazilian metropolis of São Paulo, the pandemic has swamped underfunded healthcare systems after spreading fast across nations where many people survive hand-to-mouth and have been unable to enter lockdown. In Peru, among the hardest hit nations in the region, COVID-19 patients have died in crowded hospital corridors of the capital Lima. Deep in the Amazon jungles of Brazil, many residents of the city of Manaus have died at home with no oxygen to fill damaged lungs, after supplies ran out there this year. With cases falling in Europe, Asia and North America, and flat in Africa, South America is the only region where new infections are rising rapidly on a per capita basis, according to Our World in Data. Although India is currently struggling through one of the world`s worst outbreaks of the pandemic. On average in May, 31% of the COVID-19 deaths in the world have been in Latin America and the Caribbean - home to just 8.4% of the global population. Doctors and epidemiologists say the coronavirus pandemic took unprepared governments by surprise last year and its impact has been worsened by leaders who downplayed its gravity and failed to secure timely vaccine supplies. The top eight countries registering the most COVID-19 deaths per capita over the past week were all in Latin America. "Instead of preparing for the pandemic, we minimised the disease, saying the tropical heat would deactivate the virus," said Dr. Francisco Moreno Sanchez, head of the COVID-19 program at one of Mexico`s main hospitals and a critic of the government`s vaccination plan. "Unfortunately, we are among the most-affected regions, where the handling of the pandemic has been the most mistaken, and now we are suffering the consequences," the epidemiologist told Reuters. BRAZIL HARD HIT With the death toll steadily mounting, grave diggers in several countries have been forced to expand cemeteries with row after row of new tombs. In a break with the region`s predominantly Catholic traditional culture, dead are often buried with few or no relatives there to say goodbye. Most of the deaths - more than 446,000 - have occurred in Brazil, which became a coronavirus epicenter this year with the second-deadliest outbreak outside the United States, though it appears likely to be surpassed soon by India. Brazil recorded 2,215 new deaths from COVID-19 in 24 hours, the Health Ministry said on Friday, pushing Latin America`s total to over 1 million COVID-19 fatalities. The government of far-right Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, a vaccine skeptic and opponent of lockdowns, is being investigated by a parliamentary commission for failing to plan a national drive against COVID-19 and not buying vaccines in time. Brazil remains the third most-affected country in the world in terms of confirmed COVID-19 cases, behind only India and the United States. It has the highest death toll in the region, followed by Mexico and Colombia, which combined represent about 74% of all the deaths Latin America. The daily death toll in South America had slowed in May to 3,872, from an average of 4,558 people in April, according to a Reuters analysis. But cases are on the rise again and deaths are a lagging indicator, typically rising weeks after a surge in new infections. Vaccinations in South America lag behind much of the world. In South America, just 15% of people have received at least one dose compared with 28% in Europe and 34% in North America. Only Asia and Africa are lower at 5% and 1%, respectively, according to Our World in Data through May 19. The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has criticised "glaring gaps" in access to COVID-19 vaccines in Latin America, compared to the United States, which has had the lion`s share of the 400 million doses administered so far in the Americas. "Just three percent of Latin Americans have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19. We urgently need more vaccines," PAHO director Carissa Etienne told reporters this week. Vaccine supplies have been slow to arrive in most countries and inoculation programs have been disorganised in some. "Vaccination has lacked strategic planning," said pediatric surgeon Kurt Paulsen, who runs a vaccination site in Bolivia. "At first they brought lots of different vaccines with no information to show people what they are being injected with."

COVID-19 deaths in Latin America surpass 1 million as outbreak worsens

The G20 leaders have issued a joint declaration at the close of the Global Health Summit aimed at coordinating worldwide efforts against the Covid-19 pandemic. 
 
The Rome Declaration is made up of 16 "mutually reinforcing principles" that "reconfirm our commitment to global solidarity, equity, and multilateral cooperation" and to promoting "sustained financing for global health", the G20 leaders said on Friday. 
 
"We affirm our support for efforts to strengthen supply chains and boost and diversify global vaccine-manufacturing capacity, including for the materials needed to produce vaccines, including by sharing risks, and welcome the vaccines technology transfer hub launched by the WHO," the declaration read. 
 
During a joint press conference at the close of the summit, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen expressed their satisfaction with the outcome of the event, which was organised by the Italian G20 Presidency in partnership with the European Commission. 
 
"I am very pleased with this summit because of the strength of the commitments that were undertaken, and the absolute conviction and sincerity with which they were made," Draghi told reporters. 
 
The Rome Declaration is "groundbreaking and historical because for the first time you have the G20 (members) all committing to basic principles", von der Leyen said. 
 
The most important of those principles, she said, is multilateralism, which runs like a golden thread through the Declaration. 
 
"This is a very clear `no` to health nationalism, to export bans, to bottlenecks," von der Leyen explained. 
 
"Supply chains have to be open. All the G20 members have agreed on that." 
 
Draghi followed up by saying that "the involvement of multilateral organizations such as the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) will be the forums where countries will agree on the removal of export bans, the removal of property rights, and ensuring the continuous flow of the supply chains 
 
"We have discovered that a complete openness of boundaries is essential to produce vaccines in huge quantities and to make sure they are distributed to everybody," the Prime Minister said. 
 
Von der Leyen stressed that the three leading Western manufacturers of Covid vaccines have made major pledges going forward. 
 
"Pfizer/BioNTech has committed to delivering one billion doses of their vaccine this year to low-income countries, at zero profit," she said, adding that Johnson &amp; Johnson has committed to delivering 200 million doses and Moderna said it will deliver 100 million doses, under the same terms, this year. 
 
Von der Leyen added that Team Europe, which consists of the EU, its member states, the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), will donate 100 million doses to low-income countries this year. 
 
Also taking part in the summit was WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who said closing remarks on Friday: "Yesterday alone, more than 13,000 people around the world lost their lives to Covid-19, nine every single minute. Today the number will be similar and people will continue to die as long as the global disparity in vaccines persists." 
 
The WHO chief went on to say that while "the rapid development of Covid-19 vaccines is a triumph of science, their inequitable distribution is a failure for humanity". 
 
Also attending the one-day virtual conference were representatives from international organisations such as the UN, the African Union, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the World Bank, and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). 
 
Apart from the G20 members, Singapore, Spain and the Netherlands attended the summit as guest countries. 
 
Friday`s summit built on the Coronavirus Global Response, which is the European Commission`s campaign for universal access to affordable coronavirus vaccination, treatment and testing. 
 
The campaign launched in May last year has raised 15.9 billion euros ($19.4 billion) so far in pledges.

The G20 leaders have issued a joint declaration at the close of the Global Health Summit aimed at coordinating worldwide efforts against the Covid-19 pandemic. The Rome Declaration is made up of 16 "mutually reinforcing principles" that "reconfirm our commitment to global solidarity, equity, and multilateral cooperation" and to promoting "sustained financing for global health", the G20 leaders said on Friday.

The G20 leaders have issued a joint declaration at the close of the Global Health Summit aimed at coordinating worldwide efforts against the Covid-19 pandemic. The Rome Declaration is made up of 16 "mutually reinforcing principles" that "reconfirm our commitment to global solidarity, equity, and multilateral cooperation" and to promoting "sustained financing for global health", the G20 leaders said on Friday. "We affirm our support for efforts to strengthen supply chains and boost and diversify global vaccine-manufacturing capacity, including for the materials needed to produce vaccines, including by sharing risks, and welcome the vaccines technology transfer hub launched by the WHO," the declaration read. During a joint press conference at the close of the summit, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen expressed their satisfaction with the outcome of the event, which was organised by the Italian G20 Presidency in partnership with the European Commission. "I am very pleased with this summit because of the strength of the commitments that were undertaken, and the absolute conviction and sincerity with which they were made," Draghi told reporters. The Rome Declaration is "groundbreaking and historical because for the first time you have the G20 (members) all committing to basic principles", von der Leyen said. The most important of those principles, she said, is multilateralism, which runs like a golden thread through the Declaration. "This is a very clear `no` to health nationalism, to export bans, to bottlenecks," von der Leyen explained. "Supply chains have to be open. All the G20 members have agreed on that." Draghi followed up by saying that "the involvement of multilateral organizations such as the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) will be the forums where countries will agree on the removal of export bans, the removal of property rights, and ensuring the continuous flow of the supply chains "We have discovered that a complete openness of boundaries is essential to produce vaccines in huge quantities and to make sure they are distributed to everybody," the Prime Minister said. Von der Leyen stressed that the three leading Western manufacturers of Covid vaccines have made major pledges going forward. "Pfizer/BioNTech has committed to delivering one billion doses of their vaccine this year to low-income countries, at zero profit," she said, adding that Johnson & Johnson has committed to delivering 200 million doses and Moderna said it will deliver 100 million doses, under the same terms, this year. Von der Leyen added that Team Europe, which consists of the EU, its member states, the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), will donate 100 million doses to low-income countries this year. Also taking part in the summit was WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who said closing remarks on Friday: "Yesterday alone, more than 13,000 people around the world lost their lives to Covid-19, nine every single minute. Today the number will be similar and people will continue to die as long as the global disparity in vaccines persists." The WHO chief went on to say that while "the rapid development of Covid-19 vaccines is a triumph of science, their inequitable distribution is a failure for humanity". Also attending the one-day virtual conference were representatives from international organisations such as the UN, the African Union, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the World Bank, and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Apart from the G20 members, Singapore, Spain and the Netherlands attended the summit as guest countries. Friday`s summit built on the Coronavirus Global Response, which is the European Commission`s campaign for universal access to affordable coronavirus vaccination, treatment and testing. The campaign launched in May last year has raised 15.9 billion euros ($19.4 billion) so far in pledges.

G20 leaders commit to coordinate against Covid pandemic

Indian Covid vaccine maker Bharat Biotech's Joint Managing Director Suchitra Ella expressed confidence over meeting commitments that have been made to Government of India. The company aims to produce 1 billion Covid vaccines (Covaxin) doses from facilities located in Hyderabad, Bengaluru&nbsp;and Ankleshwar.

Ella co-founded the company along with Dr Krishna M Ella and the company's&nbsp;Covid vaccine along with Covishield and Sputnik are the only 3 vaccines allowed to be administered&nbsp;in India.

Speaking exclusively to Wion's Principal Diplomatic Correspondent Sidhant Sibal, Ella highlighted the supply chain issues and the Ministry of External Affairs reaching "out to us to take this forward to help ease the supply chain in these areas which are specific to vaccine manufacturers." The company needs chemicals for testing and most of these chemicals come from either Europe or the US.

She assured that "Coovaxin was proved to be neutralizing" the double mutant variant found in India and other variants from South Africa, UK, and Brazil. She pointing out that the vaccine has an "edge" in dealing with Covid variant since it is an "inactivated whole-cell vaccine". Asked about clinical trials for the 2-18 age group, she said, "It is getting started in the month of June" and if all goes well, Bharat Biotech hoped to complete the trial in 3 months timeline.

Wion: According to a recent government announcement, 2 billion vaccines will be manufactured in India by the end of December. Out of this 550 million be Covaxin. Where does the production capacity stand? And how do you plan to meet the growing demand in India, by boosting capacity? 
&nbsp; 
Suchitra Ella: We have conveyed our commitments to the govt of India. We have done it in a phased manner because of the reason that we have 3 different facilities in 3 different states or cities of India.&nbsp;

In Hyderbad, we have a volume of about 200 -250 million does per annum. In the city of Bangalore, Karnataka another facility has been deployed which will be able to produce to the tune of 500 million doses and the 3rd one that got included yesterday in our release was the plant which we already operating in Ankleshwar, Gujarat where we also expect to manufacture to the tune of 200 million doses of Covaxin per annum.&nbsp;

So we are looking at close to a billion doses of Covaxin that could be churned out from 3 different plants physically located in 3 different states of India. India's population is known to everyone, and even going by govt's indication and the requirement for the COVID-19, we stand at least 2 billion-plus in order to get the country vaccinated. I would for sure believe that we at Bharat Biotech will be able to fulfill the commitments that have been given to govt of India already and also as much as possible, to ramp up more volumes. Since its 2 doses of vaccine, everything is double, so there is the challenge.

Wion: Vaccine production is a very complicated and sensitive issue. Give us a sense of supply chain challenges.

Suchitra Ella: The supply chain for us mostly comes in terms of a lot of consumables that are needed for testing. Vaccines involve a tremendous amount of quality testing which is done in-house, which is done out of animal labs, product labs, institutes in Kasauli in Himachal Pradesh, so we consume a lot of chemicals for testing protocols which have to be used day-in and day-out for every batch of the vaccine.&nbsp;

Most of these chemicals come from either Europe or the US, and it will be good to have supplies of these. They are not ingredients but testing chemicals. We also need some equipment in terms of bioprocess areas. They are smaller equipments that go into processing where the bulk of the material is processed.&nbsp;

These again are ordered from companies like the US and Europe. These are the main ingredients used on day to day basis. The equipment, more than 60 to 70% of our equipment which is already been procured and has been installed, they also come from western countries where we have internationally validated vendors.&nbsp;

We already have the equipment not just for Covaxin but also for other vaccines. Certainly, it would help, if the supply chain is eased out. Volumes have gone up, what we normally manufacture on an annual basis, say 200 or 300 million doses of say a polio vaccine, today we looking at a billion doses for the same year of Covaxin. Pressure comes because of the high volume of pandemic vaccines that need to be manufactured in a shorter time frame.

Wion: How much of your supply chain is dependent on external sources? Have you taken this up with the Indian govt and if yes what kind of support you have got from them?

Suchitra Ella: It is very well appraised to the concerned department who almost talk to us frequently and aware of many of the areas of the inputs that have to go into vaccine production. Ministry of health, Ministry of Pharma is aware of it.&nbsp;

We have explained to them that these are some of the areas where things can be eased up. Ministries have been extremely proactive and like to say this very clearly that almost all the ministries we have been like dept of science and tech. The MEA being the bridge between us and other economies of the world, these countries are all friends of India and I'm sure they will understand that India is not just seeking for the sake of manufacturing or supplying vaccine for its own population but also we all know, India is 60 per cent supplier of vaccines to the world at large. So it goes to show India has a very large role to play and the MEA has reached out to us to take this forward to help ease the supply chain in these areas which are specific to vaccine manufacturers.

Wion: if you have to expand capacity, how important is it to ensure external flows and smooth supply chains?

Suchitra Ella: We have made our calculations as to how we have factored in for the first 6 months of the year, for the second 6 months of the year, so certainly in order to reach that one billion doses or volume required by us, the input should come in a regulated, frequent and consistent interval. The quantity of these supplies has to be met in a very consistent manner in order to reach this kind of capacity we are talking about. I am hopeful, this will get done and countries of the world will certainly be talking to India and amongst themselves to ensure a free movement of all these inputs that go into vaccine production.

Wion: Sales of vaccines abroad have been done as commercial commitments and to establish our brand globally. &nbsp;How important are these sales to encourage the global supply chains to keep you supplies?

Suchitra Ella: So we are very much aware of our commitments that we have to keep in mind, serving the country, the children of our country and for sure during the pandemic, we know the requirement of the country.&nbsp;

In addition to that, we also cater to many countries of the world. We have supplied to 125 countries around the world. We also supply to Gavi, Unicef who procure directly from us as manufacturers, very high volumes of vaccines that get distributed to poorer nations of the world.&nbsp;

We also have countries, middle and high-income countries, that have the buying power to place procurement with manufacturers for their countries' requirements of the vaccine. The tremendous role and responsibility Indian manufacturers have to play in being able to get this volume but also to the rest of the world in the right and effective time frame, that is very important right now. We are all racing against time. We normally have 12 months to supply. This is not like that, it's a race against time. Humanity needs it, the world needs us, and it's time for all of us to get together in the best possible manner to save lives.

Wion: Lot of talk about patent transfer. Are you okay with sharing the patent of the vaccine with other companies?

Suchitra Ella: Our vaccine has one of the most difficult process technology vaccines which is developed on an inactivated zero cell platform. It's a classical vaccine process that we deploy...in 3 or 4 vaccines that we already manufacture. This is a very stringent process, it is not about giving the patent or the tech transfer.&nbsp; 
This is about having the infrastructure to manufacture such a vaccine. We have one of the most stringent biosafety levels which is the BSL 3 facility in which we make sure organism should not escape to the environment.&nbsp;

It is the negative pressure environment of the facility that has to be deployed in order to make such vaccines such as the Covaxin. It is very important to keep that in mind, that the quality of the product is important and the safety of the environment where this material will be deployed is very important. People who work in these facilities are also human beings and their lives should be extremely protected and safeguarded by the manufacturer.&nbsp;

So this is a tough process to be deployed or given away to anybody out there unless that particular organization has demonstrated or has a very long record of manufacturing viral vaccine under the guidelines that are required and followed the world over.

Wion: Clinical trial for children. How soon can we expect the results? can it be given Emergency Use Authorization or EUA like in the case of the adults?

Suchitra Ella: Clinical trials are a very time-consuming process, though we have timelines for it...standards, timelines, goals etc are conducted as per the special experts' committee and Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) who gives us the authorization to conduct these trials.&nbsp;

Children's trial has been permitted for Covaxin by the Drug Controller General of India and we hope to start it very soon. It is getting started in the month of June.&nbsp;

Since Covaxin has been studied extensively for 8-9 months, and even some parts of the study are still happening in an adult population where we have deployed 27000 volunteers. We have extensive data on safety and immunogenicity and on efficacy. This has been very well established in adults.&nbsp;

In order to ensure children can also receive the vaccine, the drug controller and the national regulatory authorities of the country will permit us and we will take up this clinical study and will take us 2-3 months.&nbsp; 
If all goes well in the pandemic situation we are in, we hope to complete the trial in a 3-month timeline. So the vaccine will be the same. It is the study that is important so that safety aspect is important in the subject who be children this time. That is very important.

We are normally very well acquainted with the pediatric vaccine trial because most of our vaccines cater to the pediatric segment of the world. We are very well acquainted with trials of this nature. But this time around since Covaxin has come in a reverse manner to children, we will certainly able to do this study for safety in children, especially the age group required. So we will be able to demonstrate that study data, and hopeful and positive that Covaxin can be administrated to children once the data is accepted and approved by DCGI.&nbsp;

Wion: Any timeline when it can be given for it?

Suchitra Ella: Sidhant it's very difficult to give a set timeline. We are in a pandemic and to get volunteers to hospitals, trials are not conducted within 4 walls, on laptops or systems. It is a physical trial in a hospital or medical college and conducted by medical practitioners.&nbsp;

It is a site where volunteers have to physically go and a lot of protocols have to be followed. In spite of all this, we are hoping since we already have a lot of data in Covaxin in adult studies we hope...children are children and there is none of us can go and talk to a parent.&nbsp;

As a company, I cannot go to a parent and convenience them to allow the participation of their children in a trial. It is something they have to do by themselves in a voluntary mode. The hospital will create awareness and will educate the parent and the parent have to be willing.&nbsp;

The parent has to give consent, children have to understand the process. It is a medical process and biological process and need to bear in mind it is very sensitive and at the same time, we do it all the time. We have conducted studies involving more than 500,000 infants and children for many of our pediatric vaccines in about 20 countries of the world. We understand the regulation very well and we only hope we will be able to take it forward especially at a time pandemic. Sensitivities involving children, we have to get all aspects put together well and get it done in best possible time frame.

Wion: Recently, government came out with guidelines for the vaccination gap. Covishield has a gap broadened, where it wasn't the case with Covaxin. Why and how is it different?

Suchitra Ella: Most of the guidelines are by the Ministry of Health and DCGI who permit the doses and the administration and scheduling of vaccines. It comes based on the study, also based on prior experience of getting such vaccines done. With Covid vaccine, technical data, research, and academic research going back and forth is almost changing by the day, if not by the hour.&nbsp;

We have studied our vaccine, within 28 days apart, govt has also gone ahead and said we could extend it to 45 days. It's a zero-day and the second dose is within 45 days. The second dose is always a booster dose.&nbsp;

So in order to ensure booster dose is effective in most of people, a little bit of tweaking of the timeline is not going to be a huge problem, because in many vaccine dosages are done between 0 to 30 and 3rd dose is done within 180 days as well, there is a booster dose which comes after a year. These kinds of things are done for many vaccines. In a Covid situation, our is a whole unit vaccine and the entire inactivated vaccine is deployed and its not spike protein. We have a more uniform way of getting antibodies formed at a level that we have indicated.&nbsp;

If there is information oR data coming from WHO or other agencies from around the world who have a lot of studies and work, then it is upon regulator to advise what should be protocol or dosage for the country.&nbsp;

As a manufacturer, our responsibility ends with dispatching vaccines to govt hospital, govt depots or private hospitals at this point of time. Administration of vaccines and distribution happens at the hospital and the govt intuition. The regulation comes from the ministry itself, this is a multi-pronged collective approach, collective data, collective approach, and best of the practices and information sharing coming from rest of the world is also kept in mind when such decisions are made for certain populations of the world.

Wion: Covaxin and its ability to handle Covid variant...

Suchitra Ella: Our vaccine Covaxin has been studied from the very first strain we received last year in the month of may when initial work started. Covaxin was also tested in variants that emerged in countries like South Africa, Brazil, UK. Covaxin was proved to be neutralizing all these variants including the double mutant, which has been observed in India. All this data has been published in peer-reviewed, international medical journals to show that Covaxin has effectively neutralized (the virus) being an inactivated whole-cell vaccine probably gave it an edge to overcome all the different strains, changes that are happening, the mutation that is happening. As of now, it is working well on all of them and it has been proven clinically and studied, subjected to peer review, internationally.

Wion: How do u feel as a women entrepreneur?

Suchitra Ella: Personally, for me, entrepreneurship is not about gender. Entrepreneurship is not gender-based, it's the mindset with which you come. It is the vision, you have to look at the challenge and turn it into an opportunity or try and see if there is a way to finding a solution for it, which is what we as a company from the days our inception is to innovate. Continuously Develop technology, intellectual property to bring solutions to public health.

We collectively, as an organization have a huge team of more than 2000 people on the Hyderabad campus. We have facilities in Bangalore and Ankleshwar, all put together we are a multi-centric company with multi facilities across the state. Through the pandemic, we have been collectively working in bringing Covaxin which is very important for us as an innovative company because we believe that such innovation can also be brought from India. That was the passion, vision. We worked in mission mode and confidently say, not any employee has gone for vacation. It has been physically and emotionally challenging and we have stood together. I am proud and happy to be where we are for Covaxin.

Indian Covid vaccine maker Bharat Biotech's Joint Managing Director Suchitra Ella expressed confidence over meeting commitments that have been made to Government of India.

Indian Covid vaccine maker Bharat Biotech's Joint Managing Director Suchitra Ella expressed confidence over meeting commitments that have been made to Government of India. The company aims to produce 1 billion Covid vaccines (Covaxin) doses from facilities located in Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Ankleshwar. Ella co-founded the company along with Dr Krishna M Ella and the company's Covid vaccine along with Covishield and Sputnik are the only 3 vaccines allowed to be administered in India. Speaking exclusively to Wion's Principal Diplomatic Correspondent Sidhant Sibal, Ella highlighted the supply chain issues and the Ministry of External Affairs reaching "out to us to take this forward to help ease the supply chain in these areas which are specific to vaccine manufacturers." The company needs chemicals for testing and most of these chemicals come from either Europe or the US. She assured that "Coovaxin was proved to be neutralizing" the double mutant variant found in India and other variants from South Africa, UK, and Brazil. She pointing out that the vaccine has an "edge" in dealing with Covid variant since it is an "inactivated whole-cell vaccine". Asked about clinical trials for the 2-18 age group, she said, "It is getting started in the month of June" and if all goes well, Bharat Biotech hoped to complete the trial in 3 months timeline. Wion: According to a recent government announcement, 2 billion vaccines will be manufactured in India by the end of December. Out of this 550 million be Covaxin. Where does the production capacity stand? And how do you plan to meet the growing demand in India, by boosting capacity? Suchitra Ella: We have conveyed our commitments to the govt of India. We have done it in a phased manner because of the reason that we have 3 different facilities in 3 different states or cities of India. In Hyderbad, we have a volume of about 200 -250 million does per annum. In the city of Bangalore, Karnataka another facility has been deployed which will be able to produce to the tune of 500 million doses and the 3rd one that got included yesterday in our release was the plant which we already operating in Ankleshwar, Gujarat where we also expect to manufacture to the tune of 200 million doses of Covaxin per annum. So we are looking at close to a billion doses of Covaxin that could be churned out from 3 different plants physically located in 3 different states of India. India's population is known to everyone, and even going by govt's indication and the requirement for the COVID-19, we stand at least 2 billion-plus in order to get the country vaccinated. I would for sure believe that we at Bharat Biotech will be able to fulfill the commitments that have been given to govt of India already and also as much as possible, to ramp up more volumes. Since its 2 doses of vaccine, everything is double, so there is the challenge. Wion: Vaccine production is a very complicated and sensitive issue. Give us a sense of supply chain challenges. Suchitra Ella: The supply chain for us mostly comes in terms of a lot of consumables that are needed for testing. Vaccines involve a tremendous amount of quality testing which is done in-house, which is done out of animal labs, product labs, institutes in Kasauli in Himachal Pradesh, so we consume a lot of chemicals for testing protocols which have to be used day-in and day-out for every batch of the vaccine. Most of these chemicals come from either Europe or the US, and it will be good to have supplies of these. They are not ingredients but testing chemicals. We also need some equipment in terms of bioprocess areas. They are smaller equipments that go into processing where the bulk of the material is processed. These again are ordered from companies like the US and Europe. These are the main ingredients used on day to day basis. The equipment, more than 60 to 70% of our equipment which is already been procured and has been installed, they also come from western countries where we have internationally validated vendors. We already have the equipment not just for Covaxin but also for other vaccines. Certainly, it would help, if the supply chain is eased out. Volumes have gone up, what we normally manufacture on an annual basis, say 200 or 300 million doses of say a polio vaccine, today we looking at a billion doses for the same year of Covaxin. Pressure comes because of the high volume of pandemic vaccines that need to be manufactured in a shorter time frame. Wion: How much of your supply chain is dependent on external sources? Have you taken this up with the Indian govt and if yes what kind of support you have got from them? Suchitra Ella: It is very well appraised to the concerned department who almost talk to us frequently and aware of many of the areas of the inputs that have to go into vaccine production. Ministry of health, Ministry of Pharma is aware of it. We have explained to them that these are some of the areas where things can be eased up. Ministries have been extremely proactive and like to say this very clearly that almost all the ministries we have been like dept of science and tech. The MEA being the bridge between us and other economies of the world, these countries are all friends of India and I'm sure they will understand that India is not just seeking for the sake of manufacturing or supplying vaccine for its own population but also we all know, India is 60 per cent supplier of vaccines to the world at large. So it goes to show India has a very large role to play and the MEA has reached out to us to take this forward to help ease the supply chain in these areas which are specific to vaccine manufacturers. Wion: if you have to expand capacity, how important is it to ensure external flows and smooth supply chains? Suchitra Ella: We have made our calculations as to how we have factored in for the first 6 months of the year, for the second 6 months of the year, so certainly in order to reach that one billion doses or volume required by us, the input should come in a regulated, frequent and consistent interval. The quantity of these supplies has to be met in a very consistent manner in order to reach this kind of capacity we are talking about. I am hopeful, this will get done and countries of the world will certainly be talking to India and amongst themselves to ensure a free movement of all these inputs that go into vaccine production. Wion: Sales of vaccines abroad have been done as commercial commitments and to establish our brand globally. How important are these sales to encourage the global supply chains to keep you supplies? Suchitra Ella: So we are very much aware of our commitments that we have to keep in mind, serving the country, the children of our country and for sure during the pandemic, we know the requirement of the country. In addition to that, we also cater to many countries of the world. We have supplied to 125 countries around the world. We also supply to Gavi, Unicef who procure directly from us as manufacturers, very high volumes of vaccines that get distributed to poorer nations of the world. We also have countries, middle and high-income countries, that have the buying power to place procurement with manufacturers for their countries' requirements of the vaccine. The tremendous role and responsibility Indian manufacturers have to play in being able to get this volume but also to the rest of the world in the right and effective time frame, that is very important right now. We are all racing against time. We normally have 12 months to supply. This is not like that, it's a race against time. Humanity needs it, the world needs us, and it's time for all of us to get together in the best possible manner to save lives. Wion: Lot of talk about patent transfer. Are you okay with sharing the patent of the vaccine with other companies? Suchitra Ella: Our vaccine has one of the most difficult process technology vaccines which is developed on an inactivated zero cell platform. It's a classical vaccine process that we deploy...in 3 or 4 vaccines that we already manufacture. This is a very stringent process, it is not about giving the patent or the tech transfer. This is about having the infrastructure to manufacture such a vaccine. We have one of the most stringent biosafety levels which is the BSL 3 facility in which we make sure organism should not escape to the environment. It is the negative pressure environment of the facility that has to be deployed in order to make such vaccines such as the Covaxin. It is very important to keep that in mind, that the quality of the product is important and the safety of the environment where this material will be deployed is very important. People who work in these facilities are also human beings and their lives should be extremely protected and safeguarded by the manufacturer. So this is a tough process to be deployed or given away to anybody out there unless that particular organization has demonstrated or has a very long record of manufacturing viral vaccine under the guidelines that are required and followed the world over. Wion: Clinical trial for children. How soon can we expect the results? can it be given Emergency Use Authorization or EUA like in the case of the adults? Suchitra Ella: Clinical trials are a very time-consuming process, though we have timelines for it...standards, timelines, goals etc are conducted as per the special experts' committee and Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) who gives us the authorization to conduct these trials. Children's trial has been permitted for Covaxin by the Drug Controller General of India and we hope to start it very soon. It is getting started in the month of June. Since Covaxin has been studied extensively for 8-9 months, and even some parts of the study are still happening in an adult population where we have deployed 27000 volunteers. We have extensive data on safety and immunogenicity and on efficacy. This has been very well established in adults. In order to ensure children can also receive the vaccine, the drug controller and the national regulatory authorities of the country will permit us and we will take up this clinical study and will take us 2-3 months. If all goes well in the pandemic situation we are in, we hope to complete the trial in a 3-month timeline. So the vaccine will be the same. It is the study that is important so that safety aspect is important in the subject who be children this time. That is very important. We are normally very well acquainted with the pediatric vaccine trial because most of our vaccines cater to the pediatric segment of the world. We are very well acquainted with trials of this nature. But this time around since Covaxin has come in a reverse manner to children, we will certainly able to do this study for safety in children, especially the age group required. So we will be able to demonstrate that study data, and hopeful and positive that Covaxin can be administrated to children once the data is accepted and approved by DCGI. Wion: Any timeline when it can be given for it? Suchitra Ella: Sidhant it's very difficult to give a set timeline. We are in a pandemic and to get volunteers to hospitals, trials are not conducted within 4 walls, on laptops or systems. It is a physical trial in a hospital or medical college and conducted by medical practitioners. It is a site where volunteers have to physically go and a lot of protocols have to be followed. In spite of all this, we are hoping since we already have a lot of data in Covaxin in adult studies we hope...children are children and there is none of us can go and talk to a parent. As a company, I cannot go to a parent and convenience them to allow the participation of their children in a trial. It is something they have to do by themselves in a voluntary mode. The hospital will create awareness and will educate the parent and the parent have to be willing. The parent has to give consent, children have to understand the process. It is a medical process and biological process and need to bear in mind it is very sensitive and at the same time, we do it all the time. We have conducted studies involving more than 500,000 infants and children for many of our pediatric vaccines in about 20 countries of the world. We understand the regulation very well and we only hope we will be able to take it forward especially at a time pandemic. Sensitivities involving children, we have to get all aspects put together well and get it done in best possible time frame. Wion: Recently, government came out with guidelines for the vaccination gap. Covishield has a gap broadened, where it wasn't the case with Covaxin. Why and how is it different? Suchitra Ella: Most of the guidelines are by the Ministry of Health and DCGI who permit the doses and the administration and scheduling of vaccines. It comes based on the study, also based on prior experience of getting such vaccines done. With Covid vaccine, technical data, research, and academic research going back and forth is almost changing by the day, if not by the hour. We have studied our vaccine, within 28 days apart, govt has also gone ahead and said we could extend it to 45 days. It's a zero-day and the second dose is within 45 days. The second dose is always a booster dose. So in order to ensure booster dose is effective in most of people, a little bit of tweaking of the timeline is not going to be a huge problem, because in many vaccine dosages are done between 0 to 30 and 3rd dose is done within 180 days as well, there is a booster dose which comes after a year. These kinds of things are done for many vaccines. In a Covid situation, our is a whole unit vaccine and the entire inactivated vaccine is deployed and its not spike protein. We have a more uniform way of getting antibodies formed at a level that we have indicated. If there is information oR data coming from WHO or other agencies from around the world who have a lot of studies and work, then it is upon regulator to advise what should be protocol or dosage for the country. As a manufacturer, our responsibility ends with dispatching vaccines to govt hospital, govt depots or private hospitals at this point of time. Administration of vaccines and distribution happens at the hospital and the govt intuition. The regulation comes from the ministry itself, this is a multi-pronged collective approach, collective data, collective approach, and best of the practices and information sharing coming from rest of the world is also kept in mind when such decisions are made for certain populations of the world. Wion: Covaxin and its ability to handle Covid variant... Suchitra Ella: Our vaccine Covaxin has been studied from the very first strain we received last year in the month of may when initial work started. Covaxin was also tested in variants that emerged in countries like South Africa, Brazil, UK. Covaxin was proved to be neutralizing all these variants including the double mutant, which has been observed in India. All this data has been published in peer-reviewed, international medical journals to show that Covaxin has effectively neutralized (the virus) being an inactivated whole-cell vaccine probably gave it an edge to overcome all the different strains, changes that are happening, the mutation that is happening. As of now, it is working well on all of them and it has been proven clinically and studied, subjected to peer review, internationally. Wion: How do u feel as a women entrepreneur? Suchitra Ella: Personally, for me, entrepreneurship is not about gender. Entrepreneurship is not gender-based, it's the mindset with which you come. It is the vision, you have to look at the challenge and turn it into an opportunity or try and see if there is a way to finding a solution for it, which is what we as a company from the days our inception is to innovate. Continuously Develop technology, intellectual property to bring solutions to public health. We collectively, as an organization have a huge team of more than 2000 people on the Hyderabad campus. We have facilities in Bangalore and Ankleshwar, all put together we are a multi-centric company with multi facilities across the state. Through the pandemic, we have been collectively working in bringing Covaxin which is very important for us as an innovative company because we believe that such innovation can also be brought from India. That was the passion, vision. We worked in mission mode and confidently say, not any employee has gone for vacation. It has been physically and emotionally challenging and we have stood together. I am proud and happy to be where we are for Covaxin.

Exclusive: Bharat Biotech's Joint MD Suchitra Ella confident on Covid vaccine production commitments

Suchitra Ella, joint managing director of Bharat Biotech has expressed confidence on meeting commitments that have been "made to govt of India", with the company aiming to produce 1 billion COVID vaccine COVAXIN doses involving facilities in Hyderabad, Bangalore, and Ankleshwar. Ella co-founded the company along with Dr Krishna M Ella and its COVID vaccine along with Covishield and sputnik are the only 3 vaccines allowed in India.

Bharat Biotech's Suchitra Ella confident on vaccine production commitments

India has reported less than 300,000 COVID cases for the fifth straight day. The country reported more than 259,000 cases in the last 24 hours.

Coronavirus Update: India records less than 300,000 cases for 5th straight day

The Indian Ministry of Health said on Thursday that 50 per cent of the country's&nbsp;population isn't wearing a mask despite the gradual ingress of COVID-19 infection being seen in peri-urban, rural &amp; tribal areas. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/what-is-black-fungus-or-mucormycosis-symptoms-and-treatment-384366">Also read | What is 'Black Fungus' or 'Mucormycosis'?: Symptoms and treatment</a> 
 
According to the study conducted in 25 Indian cities, out of 50% who wear the mask:- 
 
32% of the people do not cover the nose | 10% have it on the chin |&nbsp;1% wear a mask on the neck and only 7% wear it correctly&nbsp;covering the nose, mouth, chin and with a clip-on nose.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IndiaFightsCorona?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IndiaFightsCorona</a> 
 
Half of India isn't wearing a mask! 
 
Around 50% Indians do not wear a <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Mask?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Mask</a> today, only 7% wear it correctly 
 
- <a href="https://twitter.com/MoHFW_INDIA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MoHFW_INDIA</a> quotes a study conducted in 25 cities <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Unite2FightCorona?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Unite2FightCorona</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/StaySafe?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#StaySafe</a> <a href="https://t.co/f85gvG1noQ">pic.twitter.com/f85gvG1noQ</a>
— #IndiaFightsCorona (@COVIDNewsByMIB) <a href="https://twitter.com/COVIDNewsByMIB/status/1395340696546996228?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 20, 2021</a></blockquote>
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During the media briefing, health ministry Joint Secretary Lav Agarwal informed that eight states in the country have more than 100,000&nbsp;active cases, 9 states have between 50,000-100,000&nbsp;active cases and 19 states have less than 50,000 active cases.

"Some states like Karnataka and West Bengal that are showing positivity of over 25 per cent which remain a concern," said Luv Agarwal. 
 
Tamil Nadu, Meghalaya Tripura, Manipur, Nagaland, Sikkim, Mizoram are states showing a rise in cases and rise in positivity in the last three weeks, the health ministry official said.

India has been jolted by the second wave of coronavirus which has crippled its healthcare system.

Till Thursday, India's total of COVID-19 cases climbed to 2,57,72,440 after reporting 2,76,110 new cases in the last 24 hours while the daily deaths were recorded below 4,000 after four days, taking the toll to 2,87,122, according to the Union Health Ministry data update.

(With inputs from agencies)

The Indian Ministry of Health said on Thursday that 50 per cent of the country's population isn't wearing a mask despite the gradual ingress of COVID-19 infection being seen in peri-urban, rural & tribal areas.

The Indian Ministry of Health said on Thursday that 50 per cent of the country's population isn't wearing a mask despite the gradual ingress of COVID-19 infection being seen in peri-urban, rural & tribal areas. Also read | What is 'Black Fungus' or 'Mucormycosis'?: Symptoms and treatment According to the study conducted in 25 Indian cities, out of 50% who wear the mask:- 32% of the people do not cover the nose | 10% have it on the chin | 1% wear a mask on the neck and only 7% wear it correctly covering the nose, mouth, chin and with a clip-on nose. #IndiaFightsCorona Half of India isn't wearing a mask! Around 50% Indians do not wear a #Mask today, only 7% wear it correctly - @MoHFW_INDIA quotes a study conducted in 25 cities #Unite2FightCorona #StaySafe pic.twitter.com/f85gvG1noQ — #IndiaFightsCorona (@COVIDNewsByMIB) May 20, 2021 × During the media briefing, health ministry Joint Secretary Lav Agarwal informed that eight states in the country have more than 100,000 active cases, 9 states have between 50,000-100,000 active cases and 19 states have less than 50,000 active cases. "Some states like Karnataka and West Bengal that are showing positivity of over 25 per cent which remain a concern," said Luv Agarwal. Tamil Nadu, Meghalaya Tripura, Manipur, Nagaland, Sikkim, Mizoram are states showing a rise in cases and rise in positivity in the last three weeks, the health ministry official said. India has been jolted by the second wave of coronavirus which has crippled its healthcare system. Till Thursday, India's total of COVID-19 cases climbed to 2,57,72,440 after reporting 2,76,110 new cases in the last 24 hours while the daily deaths were recorded below 4,000 after four days, taking the toll to 2,87,122, according to the Union Health Ministry data update. (With inputs from agencies)

50% of Indians don't wear a mask, only 7% wear it correctly: Ministry of Health

Indians can now test themselves for the Wuhan virus at home. ICMR has approved India's first home test kits for COVID-19. The kit costs Rs 250 and is expected to be available within weeks. WION's Palki Sharma brings you all the details.

Gravitas: ICMR approves COVID self-testing kit

Argentina's COVID death toll mounts amidst a new wave. They are threatening a strike if they are not vaccinated.

Argentina's Gravediggers are pleading for vaccines

A video of Provenzano went viral this week after his speech during the meeting last week called the district's mandate unfair to children.

Fourth grader who spoke out against school mask mandate

After Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli's appeal to the international community, help has been coming from different corners of the world to Nepal to help it fight the Covid pandemic.

Nepal started its vaccination drive in January with 2.35 million doses of the AstraZeneca shot provided by India and Covax. Nepal has indicated that no vaccines are left and 1.55 million people are waiting for their second dose.

With a population of 30 million people, Nepal has been facing a severe COVID-19 resurgence. The government has finally started procurement process of COVID-19 vaccines from India and Russia. &nbsp;There is a shortage of hospital beds, oxygen and other medical equipment and the virus has taken a toll over the country’s health care infrastructure.&nbsp;

Besides India, several countries in the world have offered a helping hand to Nepal.

China

China had committed help of more than USD 700 thousand worth of medical help to Nepal.

Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian had committed to help Nepal and said, “China will continue to do its best to offer support to Nepal in its fight against COVID-19. We believe the Nepalese people will defeat the virus at an early date.”

In first batch, 400 oxygen cylinders, 10 ventilators and 170 concentrators were donated to Nepal by China.

Ambassador Hou Yanqi confirmed that China's Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) provided Nepal with 30,000 litres of liquid oxygen, 800 oxygen cylinders, 10 oxygen concentrators, 5 ventilators, 200 ICU beds and 15,000 antigen kits. &nbsp;

United States

The United States has provided a total of USD 45.1 million worth of assistance to Nepal through USAID in response to the pandemic.&nbsp;

“Since the beginning of the pandemic, USAID’s COVID-19 assistance has reached over 55 percent of the population across Nepal by working with partners at the community, municipal, and federal levels to provide life-saving treatments, equipment, and services,” according to the American Embassy in Nepal.&nbsp;

Nepal has received 100 ventilators, 10,000 PPE kits from the US so far. On May 13, Department of Defence (DoD) announced an additional USD 2.75 million in emergency funding that will provide oxygen cylinders and liquid oxygen storage tanks.

The Embassy said that the United States was the largest donor to COVAX, and had committed USD 2 billion to the program, with another USD 2 billion to come. Nepal was among the first in Asia to receive COVAX donations.

USAID had earlier said that 8,500 pieces of critically needed commodities have been provided to hospitals across Nepal.&nbsp;

UK

On Thursday (May 20), British Ambassador to Nepal Nicola Pollit met Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli.&nbsp;

Surya Thapa, press advisor to PM Oli said that the PM thanked UK for its support and requested AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines for Nepal.&nbsp;

“Pleased UK is providing oxygen plant already sustaining over 150 lives a day, funding for temporary Covid treatment centres in Pokhara and Bhaktapur, and medical equipment to hotspots across the country,” Pollit said in a tweet.&nbsp;

Earlier this month, the country had installed duplex oxygen plant at Nepal Police Headquarters Hospital in Maharajgunj with the capacity to generate 160 large cylinders of oxygen in a day.

Nepal Foreign Affairs Minister Pradeep Gyawali and UK State Minister Lord Tariq Ahmad exchanged views on the challenges in a virtual interaction that took place on May 19.

The European Union

The EU has provided key COVID-19 equipment and supplies including oxygen cylinders, oxygen concentrators, home care kits, diagnostics including antigen test kits, personal protection equipment.&nbsp;

According to an official statement, Nepal has also activated the EU Civil Protection Mechanism. Finland is the first member state to offer more than 2 million surgical facemasks, 350,000 FFP2 masks, 52500 pairs of vinyl gloves and 30,000 isolation gowns.

On May 12, the EU announced that it would provide 2 million Euros in emergency humanitarian aid to Nepal.&nbsp;

Spain

Spain through the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID), has sent a humanitarian cargo to Nepal to help halt the spread of the disease.

The shipment, with more than 5 tonnes of health material, includes 15 respirators, 10 oxygen concentrators, together with consumables and spare parts necessary for their use, 144000 FFP2 face masks and some 125000 antigen tests.

After Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli's appeal to the international community, help has been coming from different corners of the world to Nepal to help it fight the Covid pandemic.

After Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli's appeal to the international community, help has been coming from different corners of the world to Nepal to help it fight the Covid pandemic. Nepal started its vaccination drive in January with 2.35 million doses of the AstraZeneca shot provided by India and Covax. Nepal has indicated that no vaccines are left and 1.55 million people are waiting for their second dose. With a population of 30 million people, Nepal has been facing a severe COVID-19 resurgence. The government has finally started procurement process of COVID-19 vaccines from India and Russia. There is a shortage of hospital beds, oxygen and other medical equipment and the virus has taken a toll over the country’s health care infrastructure. Besides India, several countries in the world have offered a helping hand to Nepal. China China had committed help of more than USD 700 thousand worth of medical help to Nepal. Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian had committed to help Nepal and said, “China will continue to do its best to offer support to Nepal in its fight against COVID-19. We believe the Nepalese people will defeat the virus at an early date.” In first batch, 400 oxygen cylinders, 10 ventilators and 170 concentrators were donated to Nepal by China. Ambassador Hou Yanqi confirmed that China's Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) provided Nepal with 30,000 litres of liquid oxygen, 800 oxygen cylinders, 10 oxygen concentrators, 5 ventilators, 200 ICU beds and 15,000 antigen kits. United States The United States has provided a total of USD 45.1 million worth of assistance to Nepal through USAID in response to the pandemic. “Since the beginning of the pandemic, USAID’s COVID-19 assistance has reached over 55 percent of the population across Nepal by working with partners at the community, municipal, and federal levels to provide life-saving treatments, equipment, and services,” according to the American Embassy in Nepal. Nepal has received 100 ventilators, 10,000 PPE kits from the US so far. On May 13, Department of Defence (DoD) announced an additional USD 2.75 million in emergency funding that will provide oxygen cylinders and liquid oxygen storage tanks. The Embassy said that the United States was the largest donor to COVAX, and had committed USD 2 billion to the program, with another USD 2 billion to come. Nepal was among the first in Asia to receive COVAX donations. USAID had earlier said that 8,500 pieces of critically needed commodities have been provided to hospitals across Nepal. UK On Thursday (May 20), British Ambassador to Nepal Nicola Pollit met Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli. Surya Thapa, press advisor to PM Oli said that the PM thanked UK for its support and requested AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines for Nepal. “Pleased UK is providing oxygen plant already sustaining over 150 lives a day, funding for temporary Covid treatment centres in Pokhara and Bhaktapur, and medical equipment to hotspots across the country,” Pollit said in a tweet. Earlier this month, the country had installed duplex oxygen plant at Nepal Police Headquarters Hospital in Maharajgunj with the capacity to generate 160 large cylinders of oxygen in a day. Nepal Foreign Affairs Minister Pradeep Gyawali and UK State Minister Lord Tariq Ahmad exchanged views on the challenges in a virtual interaction that took place on May 19. The European Union The EU has provided key COVID-19 equipment and supplies including oxygen cylinders, oxygen concentrators, home care kits, diagnostics including antigen test kits, personal protection equipment. According to an official statement, Nepal has also activated the EU Civil Protection Mechanism. Finland is the first member state to offer more than 2 million surgical facemasks, 350,000 FFP2 masks, 52500 pairs of vinyl gloves and 30,000 isolation gowns. On May 12, the EU announced that it would provide 2 million Euros in emergency humanitarian aid to Nepal. Spain Spain through the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID), has sent a humanitarian cargo to Nepal to help halt the spread of the disease. The shipment, with more than 5 tonnes of health material, includes 15 respirators, 10 oxygen concentrators, together with consumables and spare parts necessary for their use, 144000 FFP2 face masks and some 125000 antigen tests.

Help pours in for Nepal to fight the Covid pandemic

Bangladesh sent the second consignment of assistance to India&nbsp;earlier this week to help with the second wave of&nbsp;Covid pandemic.&nbsp;The consignment included two&nbsp;trucks&nbsp;containing 2,672 boxes of medicines and protective equipment.

The assistance was handed over by Bangladesh's Deputy High Commissioner Toufique Hasan in Kolkata to the Indian Red Cross Society.&nbsp;The consignment contains 18&nbsp;kinds of Covid-related supplies which include antibiotics, paracetamols, different kind of injections/vials, hand sanitisers, etc.

In the first week of May, Bangladesh sent India&nbsp;10,000 vials of remdesivir. They were handed over at the Indian border port of Petrapole by&nbsp;Deputy High Commissioner&nbsp;Hasan. The&nbsp;10,000&nbsp;injections were manufactured by Bangladesh's biggest pharma company BEXIMCO Pharmaceuticals and were sent after "instruction of the Prime Minister of Bangladesh", the Bangladeshi foreign ministry in a release had said.&nbsp;

The entire consignment of remdesivir&nbsp;has been direct to India's&nbsp; northeastern states of Meghalaya, Manipur, Sikkim, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Mizoram, and institutes like the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences and North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS).&nbsp;

Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina recently wrote a letter to Indian PM Modi conveying her condolences in the backdrop of the Covid crisis in the country. She "expressed her sympathy for the Indian people and reiterated Bangladesh's support to stand by her closest neighboyr India during their critical time and expressed readiness to offer support in every possible way", Bangladesh foreign ministry said.

Amid the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic in India, 42 countries have pledged support to New Delhi. Assistance from 20 countries has already reached. The aid includes oxygen-producing equipments, ventilators, oxygen cylinders.

In India's neighbourhood, Mauritius, Bangladesh, and Bhutan have reached out.&nbsp;Bhutan&nbsp;will be supplying 40 metric tonnes of liquid oxygen to Assam via a&nbsp;new plant from Motanga Industrial Estate in eastern&nbsp;Bhutan's Samdrup Jongkhar district.&nbsp;Mauritius had also sent 200 oxygen concentrators.

Bangladesh sent the second consignment of assistance to India earlier this week to help with the second wave of Covid pandemic. The consignment included two trucks containing 2,672 boxes of medicines and protective equipment.

Bangladesh sent the second consignment of assistance to India earlier this week to help with the second wave of Covid pandemic. The consignment included two trucks containing 2,672 boxes of medicines and protective equipment. The assistance was handed over by Bangladesh's Deputy High Commissioner Toufique Hasan in Kolkata to the Indian Red Cross Society. The consignment contains 18 kinds of Covid-related supplies which include antibiotics, paracetamols, different kind of injections/vials, hand sanitisers, etc. In the first week of May, Bangladesh sent India 10,000 vials of remdesivir. They were handed over at the Indian border port of Petrapole by Deputy High Commissioner Hasan. The 10,000 injections were manufactured by Bangladesh's biggest pharma company BEXIMCO Pharmaceuticals and were sent after "instruction of the Prime Minister of Bangladesh", the Bangladeshi foreign ministry in a release had said. The entire consignment of remdesivir has been direct to India's northeastern states of Meghalaya, Manipur, Sikkim, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Mizoram, and institutes like the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences and North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS). Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina recently wrote a letter to Indian PM Modi conveying her condolences in the backdrop of the Covid crisis in the country. She "expressed her sympathy for the Indian people and reiterated Bangladesh's support to stand by her closest neighboyr India during their critical time and expressed readiness to offer support in every possible way", Bangladesh foreign ministry said. Amid the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic in India, 42 countries have pledged support to New Delhi. Assistance from 20 countries has already reached. The aid includes oxygen-producing equipments, ventilators, oxygen cylinders. In India's neighbourhood, Mauritius, Bangladesh, and Bhutan have reached out. Bhutan will be supplying 40 metric tonnes of liquid oxygen to Assam via a new plant from Motanga Industrial Estate in eastern Bhutan's Samdrup Jongkhar district. Mauritius had also sent 200 oxygen concentrators.

Covid crisis: Bangladesh sends second consignment of aid to India

France President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday (May 18) welcomed African leaders for a summit in Paris. The summit is aimed at finding ways to finance African economies that are hurt by COVID-19 pandemic.

"Africa has all it takes to succeed. It has a youth, a productive force, and the ability to take on challenges, such as the climate and food emergencies in particular, if we, collectively, decide to propose a new deal," Macron said.

The summit is part of Macron's efforts to recast France's engagement in Africa, where it was once a colonial power, at a time the continent faces a near 300 billion dollar deficit by the end of 2023 while trying to recover from the downturn.

About 30 African and European heads of state, as well as heads of financial institutions like International Monetary Fund have come together in the summit.

"We are gathered here to reverse what has developed as a very dangerous divergence between advanced economies and developing countries, especially Africa," IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva. "We have to go back to the strong development Africa had before COVID, for Africa and for the rest of the world."

The African Development Bank estimates that as many as 39 million people could fall below the poverty line this year with many African countries at risk of debt distress because of the pandemic.

Macron has said he believes Africa needs a "New Deal" to give the continent a breath of fresh air.

World finance chiefs agreed in April to boost reserves (SDR) at the International Monetary Fund by $650 billion and extend a debt-servicing freeze to help developing countries deal with the pandemic, although only $34 billion will be allocated to Africa.

The replenishment of the World Bank's International Development Association, which provides emergency aid, private sector investment, and the broader question of how to treat the debt crisis will be discussed.

(With inputs from agencies)

France President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday (May 18) welcomed African leaders for a summit in Paris. The summit is aimed at finding ways to finance African economies that are hurt by COVID-19 pandemic.

France President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday (May 18) welcomed African leaders for a summit in Paris. The summit is aimed at finding ways to finance African economies that are hurt by COVID-19 pandemic. "Africa has all it takes to succeed. It has a youth, a productive force, and the ability to take on challenges, such as the climate and food emergencies in particular, if we, collectively, decide to propose a new deal," Macron said. The summit is part of Macron's efforts to recast France's engagement in Africa, where it was once a colonial power, at a time the continent faces a near 300 billion dollar deficit by the end of 2023 while trying to recover from the downturn. About 30 African and European heads of state, as well as heads of financial institutions like International Monetary Fund have come together in the summit. "We are gathered here to reverse what has developed as a very dangerous divergence between advanced economies and developing countries, especially Africa," IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva. "We have to go back to the strong development Africa had before COVID, for Africa and for the rest of the world." The African Development Bank estimates that as many as 39 million people could fall below the poverty line this year with many African countries at risk of debt distress because of the pandemic. Macron has said he believes Africa needs a "New Deal" to give the continent a breath of fresh air. World finance chiefs agreed in April to boost reserves (SDR) at the International Monetary Fund by $650 billion and extend a debt-servicing freeze to help developing countries deal with the pandemic, although only $34 billion will be allocated to Africa. The replenishment of the World Bank's International Development Association, which provides emergency aid, private sector investment, and the broader question of how to treat the debt crisis will be discussed. (With inputs from agencies)

Paris Summit: Macron calls for investment, good governance in Africa

India's Biological E. will produce the Johnson &amp; Johnson COVID-19 vaccine alongside its own candidate, its managing director told Reuters on Tuesday, which could boost the country's overall supplies amid a shortage.

"The infrastructure and plants are completely separate for both the products and we will be producing both independent of each other," Mahima Datla said in a text message, declining to give any timeline or other details.

She told Reuters in February that Biological E. was looking to contract-manufacture about 600 million doses of the J&amp;J vaccine annually. India's government, however, did not factor in any production of J&amp;J this year in the country in a list of likely vaccine output released last week.

J&amp;J confirmed to Reuters it was working with Biological E. on manufacturing its vaccine.

"We believe Biological E. will be an important part of our global COVID-19 vaccine supply network, where multiple manufacturing sites are involved in the production of our vaccine across different facilities, sometimes in different countries and continents, before the vaccine can be distributed," a J&amp;J India spokesperson said in an email.

J&amp;J said last month it had sought permission to conduct a local clinical trial in India for its single-dose vaccine.

Biological E., based in the southern Indian city of Hyderabad, also plans to produce 75 million to 80 million doses of its own vaccine a month from August. The drug has been developed with Baylor College of Medicine in Houston and Dynavax Technologies Corp.

The United States said in March it would finance Biological E.'s efforts to produce at least 1 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines by the end of 2022.

Reuters reported on Tuesday that India was unlikely to resume major exports of COVID-19 vaccines until at least October as it diverts shots for domestic use, a longer-than-expected delay set to worsen supply shortages from the global COVAX initiative.

India's Biological E. will produce the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine alongside its own candidate, its managing director told Reuters on Tuesday, which could boost the country's overall supplies amid a shortage.

India's Biological E. will produce the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine alongside its own candidate, its managing director told Reuters on Tuesday, which could boost the country's overall supplies amid a shortage. "The infrastructure and plants are completely separate for both the products and we will be producing both independent of each other," Mahima Datla said in a text message, declining to give any timeline or other details. She told Reuters in February that Biological E. was looking to contract-manufacture about 600 million doses of the J&J vaccine annually. India's government, however, did not factor in any production of J&J this year in the country in a list of likely vaccine output released last week. J&J confirmed to Reuters it was working with Biological E. on manufacturing its vaccine. "We believe Biological E. will be an important part of our global COVID-19 vaccine supply network, where multiple manufacturing sites are involved in the production of our vaccine across different facilities, sometimes in different countries and continents, before the vaccine can be distributed," a J&J India spokesperson said in an email. J&J said last month it had sought permission to conduct a local clinical trial in India for its single-dose vaccine. Biological E., based in the southern Indian city of Hyderabad, also plans to produce 75 million to 80 million doses of its own vaccine a month from August. The drug has been developed with Baylor College of Medicine in Houston and Dynavax Technologies Corp. The United States said in March it would finance Biological E.'s efforts to produce at least 1 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines by the end of 2022. Reuters reported on Tuesday that India was unlikely to resume major exports of COVID-19 vaccines until at least October as it diverts shots for domestic use, a longer-than-expected delay set to worsen supply shortages from the global COVAX initiative.

India's Biological E. to produce J&J COVID-19 vaccine

Germany will ditch its Covid vaccine priority list and start offering jabs to all adults from June 7, Health Minister Jens Spahn said Monday, as the inoculation drive in Europe's top economy gathers pace. 
 
The move means anyone aged 16 and up will be eligible for a vaccine in Germany, scrapping the existing priority criteria based on age, jobs and pre-existing medical conditions. 
 
"We have agreed to lift the priority system on June 7... in doctor's practices, among company doctors and in vaccination centres," Spahn said after talks with Germany's 16 regional health ministers.

After a stuttering start, Germany's jabs campaign has kicked into high gear in recent weeks as vaccine supplies increased and general practitioners joined the effort alongside vaccination centres.

Germany last week hit a fresh record when it vaccinated more than 1.35 million in a single day. 
 
Overall, 37 percent of adults in Germany, Europe's most populous country, have now had their first jab. More than 11 percent are fully vaccinated. 
 
Spahn said Germany had been right to prioritise the most vulnerable at the start of the vaccination campaign, saying it had "saved lives". 
 
But given the fast progress of the vaccination campaign, "we can now plan the next step", he added. 
 
"Even when the prioritisation is lifted that doesn't mean anyone who wants to can get vaccinated in June," he told reporters. Doctors and vaccination centres were still working their way through the current priority group, he said. 
 
"But I can say that anyone in Germany who wants to be vaccinated to protect themselves and others, will get an offer." 
 
Several German states, including Berlin, Baden-Wuerttemberg and Bavaria, have already gone ahead and scrapped their priority lists from this week. That has left doctor's offices inundated with calls and emails from patients looking to get jabbed. 
 
Germany is currently vaccinating priority group 3, which includes people over 60, those with pre-existing health concerns and people in frontline jobs such as supermarket staff, lawyers and bus drivers.

Germany will ditch its Covid vaccine priority list and start offering jabs to all adults from June 7, Health Minister Jens Spahn said Monday, as the inoculation drive in Europe's top economy gathers pace.

Germany will ditch its Covid vaccine priority list and start offering jabs to all adults from June 7, Health Minister Jens Spahn said Monday, as the inoculation drive in Europe's top economy gathers pace. The move means anyone aged 16 and up will be eligible for a vaccine in Germany, scrapping the existing priority criteria based on age, jobs and pre-existing medical conditions. "We have agreed to lift the priority system on June 7... in doctor's practices, among company doctors and in vaccination centres," Spahn said after talks with Germany's 16 regional health ministers. After a stuttering start, Germany's jabs campaign has kicked into high gear in recent weeks as vaccine supplies increased and general practitioners joined the effort alongside vaccination centres. Germany last week hit a fresh record when it vaccinated more than 1.35 million in a single day. Overall, 37 percent of adults in Germany, Europe's most populous country, have now had their first jab. More than 11 percent are fully vaccinated. Spahn said Germany had been right to prioritise the most vulnerable at the start of the vaccination campaign, saying it had "saved lives". But given the fast progress of the vaccination campaign, "we can now plan the next step", he added. "Even when the prioritisation is lifted that doesn't mean anyone who wants to can get vaccinated in June," he told reporters. Doctors and vaccination centres were still working their way through the current priority group, he said. "But I can say that anyone in Germany who wants to be vaccinated to protect themselves and others, will get an offer." Several German states, including Berlin, Baden-Wuerttemberg and Bavaria, have already gone ahead and scrapped their priority lists from this week. That has left doctor's offices inundated with calls and emails from patients looking to get jabbed. Germany is currently vaccinating priority group 3, which includes people over 60, those with pre-existing health concerns and people in frontline jobs such as supermarket staff, lawyers and bus drivers.

Germany to offer coronavirus vaccines to all adults from June 7

A virologist part of India’s top forum of scientific advisers to detect and track Covid variants in the country recently resigned from his post.

Shahid Jameel, chair of the forum’s advisory group known as INSACOG confirmed his resignation to Reuters on Sunday. The advisory group was set up by the Indian government amid fears of new variants emerging in the country.

"I am not obliged to give a reason," he reportedly told Reuters over a text message on Sunday, not clarifying the reasons for his departure. He did add that he left the group on Friday.

Another member of INSACOG told Reuters that he was unaware of any direct disagreements between Jameel and the government. Another scientist who is part of the forum also told Reuters that Jameel’s departure is bound to cause little impact on the agency’s assessment of variants.

INSACOG, or the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genetics Consortium is responsible for tracking Covid variants. In March, it had warned the Indian government that a new more contagious variant was spreading the country.

The variant is officially known as B.1.617 and is considered the primary cause of the ongoing surge in the country.

On Monday, India reported&nbsp;281,386 new cases of coronavirus, marking the lowest surge in 26 days.&nbsp;According to the data shared by the Union Health Ministry, the country saw a total of 378,741 discharges in the last 24 hours, taking the total recovery to 211,74,076.&nbsp;

A virologist part of India’s top forum of scientific advisers to detect and track Covid variants in the country recently resigned from his post. Shahid Jameel, chair of the forum’s advisory group known as INSACOG confirmed his resignation to Reuters on Sunday.

A virologist part of India’s top forum of scientific advisers to detect and track Covid variants in the country recently resigned from his post. Shahid Jameel, chair of the forum’s advisory group known as INSACOG confirmed his resignation to Reuters on Sunday. The advisory group was set up by the Indian government amid fears of new variants emerging in the country. "I am not obliged to give a reason," he reportedly told Reuters over a text message on Sunday, not clarifying the reasons for his departure. He did add that he left the group on Friday. Another member of INSACOG told Reuters that he was unaware of any direct disagreements between Jameel and the government. Another scientist who is part of the forum also told Reuters that Jameel’s departure is bound to cause little impact on the agency’s assessment of variants. INSACOG, or the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genetics Consortium is responsible for tracking Covid variants. In March, it had warned the Indian government that a new more contagious variant was spreading the country. The variant is officially known as B.1.617 and is considered the primary cause of the ongoing surge in the country. On Monday, India reported 281,386 new cases of coronavirus, marking the lowest surge in 26 days. According to the data shared by the Union Health Ministry, the country saw a total of 378,741 discharges in the last 24 hours, taking the total recovery to 211,74,076.

India's top virologist resigns from government panel which tracks Covid variants

The first batch of the Indian made anti-Covid drug called “2-DG” or “2-deoxy-D-glucose” was released for medical use on Monday. Touted as a wonder drug to help ailing patients while reducing the dependency on supplementary oxygen, it is believed that the medicines could immensely take the load off India’s strained healthcare system and could also help limit the fatalities in rural areas which have been ravaged in the ongoing second wave of COVID-19.

Here’s what we know so far

How was it created?

The formulation of the drug was cleared for emergency medical use by India’s national drug regulator - Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) on May 1 to treat Covid patients with moderate to severe infections.

2-DG was created by the Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Sciences (INMAS), a lab which functions under the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). The lab collaborated with Dr Reddy’s Laboratories (DRL), as stated in the Defence Ministry’s release from earlier in May.

What does it do?

Based on clinical data, it appears that the constituent molecules of the 2-DG accentuate the recovery of patients that are witnessing moderate to severe symptoms of COVID-19, especially ones who have undergone hospitalisation and are heavily dependent on oxygen support.&nbsp;

According to available trial data, the drug gathers all cells that are infected with the virus. Then, it prevents further viral multiplication of the virus and halts the production go energy, effectively limiting the spread of the disease. The drug is being touted as a magic cure for its ability to accumulate infected cells in an infected person.

How much data do we have?

The clinical trials for 2-DG began in summer 2020, when India witnessing its first wave of COVID-19. According to the INMAS-DRDO trials, the molecule in the drug effectively fights COVID-19 and stops the growth of the virus. The phase 2 trials for 2-DG began in May 2020 among COVID-19 patients. The trials were undertaken for 110 patients between May and October in 2020.

According to trials, the first part of the phase 2 trials was conducted in six hospitals, while the second part was done at 11 hospitals. Phase 3 trials began in November 2020. Between December 2020 and March 2021, 220 patients underwent trials from 27 hospitals spread across Delhi, West Bengal, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

What’s the proof?

According to government data, 2-DG was not only safe among Covid patients, but in fact helped improve the recovery. The trial data says the patients who received 2-DG recovered quicker than those who received standard treatments.

Phase 3 trials showed that 2-DG recipients were off supplementary oxygen (42 per cent as opposed to 31 per cent who were receiving standard care) by the third day of being administered the drug.

If this works out well, the drug could change the route of treatments being commissioned in India right now.

The first batch of the Indian made anti-Covid drug called “2-DG” or “2-deoxy-D-glucose” was released for medical use on Monday. Touted as a wonder drug to help ailing patients while reducing the dependency on supplementary oxygen, it is believed that the medicines could immensely take the load off India’s strained healthcare system and could also help limit the fatalities in rural areas which have been ravaged in the ongoing second wave of COVID-19.

The first batch of the Indian made anti-Covid drug called “2-DG” or “2-deoxy-D-glucose” was released for medical use on Monday. Touted as a wonder drug to help ailing patients while reducing the dependency on supplementary oxygen, it is believed that the medicines could immensely take the load off India’s strained healthcare system and could also help limit the fatalities in rural areas which have been ravaged in the ongoing second wave of COVID-19. Here’s what we know so far How was it created? The formulation of the drug was cleared for emergency medical use by India’s national drug regulator - Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) on May 1 to treat Covid patients with moderate to severe infections. 2-DG was created by the Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Sciences (INMAS), a lab which functions under the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). The lab collaborated with Dr Reddy’s Laboratories (DRL), as stated in the Defence Ministry’s release from earlier in May. What does it do? Based on clinical data, it appears that the constituent molecules of the 2-DG accentuate the recovery of patients that are witnessing moderate to severe symptoms of COVID-19, especially ones who have undergone hospitalisation and are heavily dependent on oxygen support. According to available trial data, the drug gathers all cells that are infected with the virus. Then, it prevents further viral multiplication of the virus and halts the production go energy, effectively limiting the spread of the disease. The drug is being touted as a magic cure for its ability to accumulate infected cells in an infected person. How much data do we have? The clinical trials for 2-DG began in summer 2020, when India witnessing its first wave of COVID-19. According to the INMAS-DRDO trials, the molecule in the drug effectively fights COVID-19 and stops the growth of the virus. The phase 2 trials for 2-DG began in May 2020 among COVID-19 patients. The trials were undertaken for 110 patients between May and October in 2020. According to trials, the first part of the phase 2 trials was conducted in six hospitals, while the second part was done at 11 hospitals. Phase 3 trials began in November 2020. Between December 2020 and March 2021, 220 patients underwent trials from 27 hospitals spread across Delhi, West Bengal, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. What’s the proof? According to government data, 2-DG was not only safe among Covid patients, but in fact helped improve the recovery. The trial data says the patients who received 2-DG recovered quicker than those who received standard treatments. Phase 3 trials showed that 2-DG recipients were off supplementary oxygen (42 per cent as opposed to 31 per cent who were receiving standard care) by the third day of being administered the drug. If this works out well, the drug could change the route of treatments being commissioned in India right now.

Explainer: What is 2-DG, India's new anti-Covid drug? How does it work?

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