India Coronavirus Dispatch: Over 1,700 new deaths in record daily spike

People are self-prescribing drugs, more zero-to-19-year-olds hospitalised in second wave, insight into US ban on exports of vaccine raw materials-news relevant to India's fight against Covid-19

As many as 1,761 new fatalities

India reported 259,170 fresh coronavirus cases on Tuesday, taking the cumulative tally to 15.3 million infections, according to central health ministry data. The country has registered over 200,000 cases for the sixth day in a row. The country saw 1,761 deaths due to the pandemic, taking the death toll to 180,530. This is the highest single-day rise in deaths so far. The active caseload is at 2 million infections, while the total recoveries have surged to 13.1 million. As many as 127 million shots have been administered since the nationwide inoculation programme kicked off on January 16. Of these, 3.2 million were given on Monday. Read more here 

Indians are self-prescribing ivermectin, HCQ, dexamethasone

In a growing trend, Indians are now taking Covid drugs—normally given to people in hospitals immediately after testing positive—without a prescription, a report in ThePrint said. These patients turn up at hospitals in later stages and confess to consuming "known Covid drugs” such as hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), ivermectin, doxycycline and dexamethasone to prevent “severe” disease. Read more here

More zero-to-19-year-olds hospitalised in the second wave

The proportion of zero-to-19-year-olds affected in the second wave of Covid-19 has seen a slight increase from the first wave, according to a report in ThePrint that cited an analysis of data for hospitalised patients. Around 5.8 per cent of the patients hospitalised during the second wave of Covid-19 are from this age group, compared to 4.2 per cent in the first wave, from September to November 2020, according to the analysis.

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EXPLAINED: The ban on US exports of vaccine raw materials

US exports of key raw materials used in the production of some Covid-19 vaccines have been blocked as a result of President Joe Biden’s decision to invoke the US Defense Production Act earlier this year, an explainer in The Indian Express said. While the 1950 Act was originally passed to help ensure supplies during the Korean War, its scope today extends beyond the military to cover natural hazards, terrorist attacks and other national emergencies. Through this law, the US President can order domestic businesses to prioritise federal contracts in such events. Read more here

Regulate remdesivir, but ensure regular supply: Madhya Pradesh HC

Amid a surge in coronavirus cases, the Madhya Pradesh high court has asked the state government to ensure a regular supply of medical oxygen and life-saving drugs such as Remdesivir used in the treatment of Covid-19, a report in the Hindustan Times said. Hearing five petitions that alleged the state government had failed to deal with the spike in cases, the court said, “the state government may regulate the supply of Remdesivir injections and other lifesaving drugs, but the process adopted for this purpose should be hassle-free and should not be cumbersome so as to ensure the supply of the drug in such a way that the time limit from requisition by the treating doctors and supply of medicines does not exceed an hour”. Read more here