Possibility of reinfection rare, says ICMR

India in talks with Russia on the possible use of its Sputnik V vaccine

Even though the trials for the Covid-19 vaccines are on track in India, the government is simultaneously engaging with Russia on the possible use of its Sputnik V vaccine.

“India and Russia are in communication on Sputnik V. Some initial information has been shared. Some detailed information is awaited,” said union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan on Tuesday.

The government may not be in a real hurry to import the Russian vaccines given the fact that three vaccine candidates are already in the advanced stages of clinical trials in India. However, since the two countries are also strategic partners, the possibility of having Sputnik V vaccine to boost the vaccination drive for the huge Indian population cannot be ruled out.

“The Serum Institute of India (Oxfrord University trials) vaccine studies consisting of 1,700 persons are in phase 2 and 3, the one by Biotech has completed phase 1 with 375 persons while that of Zydus Cadilla has entered Phase 2 with about 50 persons being tested. These are two dose vaccines and antibody response is checked after two to four weeks,” said Dr Balram Bhargava, chief of ICMR.

As per Union health ministry, the total number of cases of Coronavirus in India so far reached

31,67,323 till Tuesday morning with nearly

61,000 fresh cases being detected. The toll was

58,390 out of which 848 fatalities were recorded in the last 24 hours.

Bhushan said that for the first time, active cases have reduced in the last 24 hours. “Active cases are only 22 per cent of the total cases we have had so far. There is also a steady decline in positivity rate despite very high increase in testing,” Bhushan said.

He added that in the first week of August, the positivity percentage on a seven day rolling average was 11% which came down to 8% on Tuesday.

The ICMR chief said the report of the second national level sero survey is expected soon that will give an idea about the prevalence of the virus in the population.

The health ministry is keenly following the reports of possibly world’s first case of Covid-19 “reinfection” in Hong Kong though the ICMR chief said that the possibility of a virus infection recurring is very rare.

“We have read with interest the reports of reinfection in Hong Kong. This may depend on the immune status of the person and whether the virus has mutated and become more virulent. But it is just one case and I do not want to be alarmed. Normally it does not happen in viral diseases. For example measles, in which immunity is developed for life,” Dr Bhargawa said.

Meanwhile, Puducherry health minister Malladi Krishna Rao on Tuesday indicated that the Union Territory may have 2-day lockdown every weekend, as part of the government’s efforts to contain spread of Coronavirus.

The Minister told a virtual press conference that presently a complete lockdown was imposed on Tuesdays as Saturdays and Sundays were considered auspicious for holding wedding events.

“I have requested the Chief Minister during a video conference to introduce the two day lockdown on Saturday and Sunday from next month so that the present spike in new cases could be controlled considerably,” he said.

Anticipating not less than 3,000 cases during the coming week, he said the equipment needed for expeditious testing of swabs of patients in all the four regions would be installed.