DCGI Approves Remdesivir for Restricted Emergency Use for Covid-19 Treatment

India edges closer to two lakh cases

India on Tuesday added over 8,000 new Covid-19 cases for the third day in a row, even as the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) granted US pharma giant Gilead Sciences marketing authorisation for its anti-viral drug remdesivir for “restricted emergency use” on hospitalised Covid-19 patients.

“We have reviewed evidence on basis of which remdesivir has been given emergency approval for use in Covid-19 patients,” said Lav Agarwal, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW).

India now has 1,98,706 confirmed cases, of which about 48 per cent, or 95,527 individuals, have recovered, said MoHFW.

Maharashtra continues to hold the record for the largest number of cases. On Tuesday, its tally crossed the 70,000-mark, with 70,013 cases, of which 30,108 have recovered. At 43 per cent, its recovery rate is slightly lower than the national average. About 2,362 people have died of the disease in the State.

Delhi crossed the 20,000-mark with 20,834 cases on June 2. Of these, 8,746 (42 per cent) have recovered while 523 have died. At present, 2,748 patients are admitted in over 15 hospitals across Delhi, of which 219 are in ICU and 42 are on ventilator.

Another 164 positive cases with mild symptoms have been admitted to dedicated Covid-19 health centres, while 672 others have been quarantined in nine dedicated care centres that are mostly government flats, hostels and a hotel. The Delhi government provided a break-up of 50 audited deaths between April 7 and May 31; of these, the maximum, 10, occurred on May 30. Around 6,238 others are in home isolation.

Gujarat, among the four worst affected States/UTs, has recorded up to 17,200 cases, of which around 10,780 (62 per cent) have recovered. Though the State has recorded 1,063 deaths, its recovery rate is way above the national average.

Agarwal said all States have been provided with a projection tool to understand the potential rise in cases and the infrastructural preparedness that they will need to maintain.