The number of Covid-19 positive cases in West Bengal have increased to 89 while the number of deaths remains at 5. “The audit committee is confirming whether deaths are due to Covid-19 or any other reason, only then are we announcing the deaths.” Said West Bengal Chief Secretary Rajiv Sinha.
The Chief Secretary further said that there are five government and two private laboratories where a total of 2095 cases have been tested, while 25600 ppe kits, 1371550 masks and 46251 litre of hand sanitizer were distributed.
The number of government quarantine centres have been increased by 20 which takes the number up to 582. Total number of people released from government quarantine were 450 while 113 have been added to quarantine list at hospitals. Of the 55498 persons who were in home quarantine, 1388 persons have been cleared while 44474 persons are still under home quarantine.
Meanwhile Bengal Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals in West Bengal received clearance from the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) and state Directorate of Drug Control on Friday to manufacture hydroxychloroquine — which is being used as a preventive drug for Novel Coronavirus which is in demand all over the world as it is being said to be effective in reducing the time for recovery of Covid-19 patients.
Some studies have found the drug to be decreasing the virus levels quicker in combination with azithromycin. However, all these results were obtained under strictly controlled settings. The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) gave clearance to it’s usage as a preventive medicine for Covid-19.
Officials of the company say they are equipped to produce the drug. The only problem would be acquiring the key raw material, quinine produced from the cinchona tree and also synthetically. The company does not have it’s own cinchona plantation and will have to bring raw materials from other states which is currently impossible due to the country-wide lockdown.
At a meeting a day earlier at Nabanna, state secretariat, Sinha had assured sufficient stock of raw materials needed for producing hydroxychloroquine in the state and that the matter will be taken care of by the government. Sinha also asked the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) North Bengal to talk to cinchona planters there about the supply of quinine.
