COVID-19 news from across the nation

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy directed officials to focus on the 10-day special drive to create awareness about the precautions against Coronavirus. Meanwhile, Kerala Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala on Thursday demanded a comprehensive judicial probe into deaths in COVID-19 hospitals across the state due to alleged medical negligence and ill-treatment.

Hyderabad:IAVI, a non-profit scientific research organisation and Serum Institute of India announced an agreement with Merck to develop SARS-CoV-2 neutralising monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) co-invented by IAVI and Scripps Research as innovative interventions to address the Covid-19 pandemic.

The agreement builds on the advanced antibody discovery and optimization expertise of IAVI and Scripps Research, gained from years of experience in HIV broadly neutralising antibody research and development, and on Merck's and Serum Institute's significant capabilities in design and scale-up of accelerated manufacturing processes for mAb production. The global development plan is being led by the three organisations in partnership. The two companies have broad networks across complementary geographic areas that will be crucial to reach given the worldwide spread of Covid-19.

COVID-19 cases in India

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy directed officials to focus on the 10-day special drive to create awareness about the precautions against Coronavirus. The Andhra Pradesh government has started a 10-day coronavirus awareness program to make people more aware of the importance of social distancing and other precautions that should be taken in order to keep themselves and society safe from coronavirus.

Bihar

After Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Syed Shahnawaz Hussain, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Modi has also been found positive for Covid-19 amid the electoral chaos in the state. It is noteworthy that Sushil Modi has been active these days for the Assembly elections and was constantly involved in the election campaign. He also addressed several public meetings in various constituencies.

Kerala

Kerala Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala on Thursday demanded a comprehensive judicial probe into deaths in COVID-19 hospitals across the state due to alleged medical negligence and ill-treatment. Addressing a press conference here, Chennithala said that Kerala was witnessing a string of cases of medical negligence and the government was silencing people who raised their voices.

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Thursday announced that his government will provide Covid-19 vaccine to all the people in the state free of cost, once it is ready. Addressing media in Pudukkottai district of the state, Palaniswami said, "Once the COVID19 vaccine is ready, it will be provided to all people of the state free of cost." The Tamil Nadu chief minister's promise of free Covid-19 vaccine comes after the BJP in its manifesto for the Bihar ahead of polls in the state promised free Covid vaccination for all in Bihar.

West Bengal

Amid the COVID-19 crisis, authorities of all correctional homes in West Bengal have taken a series of precautionary measures and formulated a standard operating procedure to organise Durga Pujas in jails. The authorities have bought idols this year, instead of their regular practice of making them in correctional homes, to avoid gatherings of inmates there.