NEW DELHI: Over 73.5 lakh samples have been tested for Covid-19 till June 23, of which 2.15 lakh were examined on Tuesday, the highest in a day since the beginning of the pandemic, ICMR officials said on Wednesday.
The apex health research body validated the 1,000th testing laboratory, ramping up the capacity for detection of Covid-19 in the country. Currently, three lakh samples can be tested per day, an official said.
Here are the top developments:
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India
- Hetero Healthcare on Wednesday said is set to deliver 20,000 vials of its antiviral drug Covifor (remdesivir) across the country for the treatment of Covid-19, at a maximum retail price of Rs 5,400 per vial.
- The company is set to deliver the first set of 20,000 vials in two equal lots of 10,000 each, one of which will be immediately supplied to Hyderabad, Delhi, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Mumbai and other parts of Maharashtra.
- The government has relaxed norms of having in-house testing for three kinds of Personal Protective Equipments (PPEs) to promote the supply of quality gears during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, according to an official order.
- The norms have been relaxed for filter half masks, surgical face masks and eye protectors by the Bureau of Indian Standards. Earlier, license to manufacture these products was given to those having in-house testing facilities.
- Union minister Shripad Naik said that Patanjali Ayurved has submitted to the Ayush ministry its report on the company’s medicine, which it has launched with the claim that it can cure coronavirus in seven days. The Ayush minister said that the ministry would look into the report and then decide about giving final permission to the company over the medicine.
- Indian armed forces personnel, who need to be quarantined after coming back from leave or temporary posting, will not be required to undergo Covid-19 testing before