TOLL PAST 2,000, ICMR, BHARAT BIO IN VACCINE DEAL

The Centre has rushed the director of All India Insitute of Medical Sciences, Delhi, in a special flight to Gujarat, which has the second largest number of cases in India at 7,400 and 449 deaths.

Meanwhile, the Indian Council of Medical Research has partnered with Bharat Biotech International Limited (BBIL), a Hyderabadbased company, to develop a fully indigenous vaccine for Covid019.

The vaccine will be developed using the virus strain isolated at the ICMR's National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune and transferred to BBIL, ICMR said. “Work on vaccine development has been initiated between the two partners. The ICMR-NIV will provide continuous support to BBIL for vaccine development. ICMR and BBIL will seek fasttrack approvals to expedite vaccine development, subsequent animal studies and clinical evaluation of the candidate vaccine,” the health research body said in the statement.

The number of cases nationwide crossed the

60,000 mark on Friday, and the toll crossed 2,000. The number of cases had crossed 50,000 on May 5, while the toll crossed the

1,000 mark on April 29. Meanwhile, the Union health ministry has revised its policy for discharge of Covid-19 patients. Only those developing severe illness or having compromised immunity will have to test negative a through RT-PCR test before discharge. Moderate cases and pre-symptomatic, mild cases need not undergo tests before discharge.