The Drugs Controller General of India is reviewing the clinical data of molnupiravir, the world's first anti-Covid pill approved in the United Kingdom, for the treatment of Covid-19 in adults in India. Sun Pharmaceutical Industries said it is all set to introduce Merck Sharp Dohme (MSD) and Ridgeback's molnupiravir under the brand name Molxvir. Sun Pharma is one of the companies in India with which Merck entered into voluntary licensing agreements, reports the Hindustan Times. Read:77.8% efficacy, robust antibody response: 5 points from Lancet's new study on Covaxin "The recent authorisation of molnupiravir, licensed from MSD and Ridgeback, by the UK regulator is a positive step. In line with our consistent efforts to accelerate access to new drugs for COVID-19 treatment, we are gearing up to make Molxvir available to patients and healthcare providers across India at an economical price post-approval by DCGI," Sun Pharma India Business CEO Kirti Ganorkar said in a statement. The United States is also going through the data of molnupiravir. Who can take this pill? Adults who are at risk of Covid can take this pill to avoid severe symptoms or hospitalisation. However, experts have warned that anti-Covid pills are not alternatives to vaccines. The pill can be taken within the first few days of Covid symptoms appearing. Read: Pfizer asks FDA to OK COVID-19 booster shots for all adults Molnupiravir, as a small molecule, does not require cold storage like messenger RNA vaccines. In the Phase 3 trial by Merck, Molnupiravir significantly reduced the risk of hospitalisation or death by around 50 per cent in a planned interim analysis of the MOVe-OUT trial in at risk, non-hospitalised adult patients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19. Based on the participants with available viral sequencing data (around 40 per cent of participants), molnupiravir demonstrated consistent efficacy across viral variants like Gamma, Delta and Mu.

Amid an alarming surge in coronavirus cases in the district, authorities at Chittagong Medical College Hospital (CMCH) have decided to turn it into a "Covid facility". In a notification on Monday, the authorities said that the hospital will not admit patients other than those infected with Covid. And all minor or routine operations will remain suspended at the district hospital for the time being. Read:1.84 lakh doses of Moderna, Sinopharm vaccines reach Chattogram Signed by CMCH Director Brigadier General SM Humayun Kabir, the notification said all operations other than that of emergency patients will remain suspended. Only emergency patients would be admitted to the hospital. Also, patients undergoing treatment at the hospital for non-serious diseases will soon be discharged for home treatment, as per the notification. Read:Covid-19: Chattogram logs 14 more deaths The hospital has also made it mandatory for all doctors, nurses and other health workers to wear masks while on duty. Director Humayun told the media that the decision was taken due to the sudden rise in the number of Covid-19 patients. Read: 10 Covid deaths reported in Chattogram in a day "The number of corona patients is increasing by the day. For the time being, it has been decided to admit only those who need emergency support or surgery. The other services will be restricted and the manpower of the hospital will be engaged in Covid-19 treatment," he said. However, the authorities are letting patients in serious condition to stay on in the hospital. "They will also be discharged for home treatment as soon as their condition improves," Director Humayun said.

The icddr,b handed over essential supplies containing medical equipment and medicine to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) for the treatment of critical COVID-19 patients on Wednesday. This is part of a grant agreement between icddr,b and the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation to strengthen icddr,b Dhaka Hospital’s capacity to provide COVID-19 treatment to its staff, and also supporting a healthcare facility serving underprivileged people in Dhaka city. The medical supplies comprised of three units of High Flow Nasal Cannula (HFNC), 20 units of HFNC accessories, three units of patient monitor, 170 vials of broad-spectrum antiviral medication Remdesivir, and 100 vials of anticoagulant injection, all of which are aimed at reinforcing DMCH’s COVID-19 response. The handover ceremony took place at DMCH and was attended by icddr,b’s Head, Hospitals Dr Baharul Alam and Brigadier General Md Nazmul Haque, Director, DMCH. Dr Alam said, “The coronavirus pandemic has led to strained healthcare systems not only in Bangladesh but around the world. Many thanks to the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation for extending their support in strengthening our capacities in treating more patients with quality care. “I am also thankful to Dhaka Medical College Hospital for the support it provides by treating referral patients requiring multidisciplinary care sent from icddr,b Dhaka Hospital,” he added. Brig Gen Haque said, “icddr,b and Dhaka Medical College Hospital have close cooperation in relation to patient care. We are grateful for the generosity of the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation and icddr,b for their support of live-saving equipment and medicines. These will certainly boost our treatment effort by many folds.” Dr Alauddin Al-Azad, Deputy Director, Dr Md Khalequzzaman Khan, Deputy Director, Dr Md Ashraful Alam, Assistant Director, Dr Halima Sultana Haque, Assistant Director, Dr Ashrafun Nahar, Assistant Director, Dr Md Saad Ullah, Senior Store Officer of Dhaka Medical College Hospital and Shihab Uddin Ahmed, Senior Manager, Hospital, of icddr,b were also present at the handover ceremony.

The seven individuals who were arrested today for having escaped from Jashore General Hospital (JGH) while admitted as Covid-19 patients have been released on bail following a court appearance. Jashore Judicial Magistrate Mahadi Hasan granted their bail application at 4:30 pm today, confirmed our Jashore correspondent. Earlier today, seven of the ten individuals who caused a furore by fleeing from the 250-bed district general hospital last April 23-24 (they were later brought back) were arrested by the police upon discharge from JGH. Although they were later found and brought back to the medical facility,  the incident triggered concern regarding the spread of a highly transmissible and deadly Indian variant of Covid-19, as seven of the escapees had just returned from India.  The arrestees  have been identified as MoniMala Datta, 49,  Milon Hossain, 32,  Nasima Aktar, 50,  Bibekananda, 52, Amirul Sana, 52, Sohel Sardar, 17,  and Fatema, 19. They were held immediately upon release from the hospital. Besides, the court arrest warrants were issued on Sunday against all 10 people who had escaped from the hospital on April 23-24. The other three are still undergoing treatment at the hospital. The arrest warrants were issued after Jashore Kotwali police station filed a non-FIR prosecution under Section 25 (2) of the Infectious Diseases Prevention (Prevention, Control and Eradication) Act, 2016. Kotwali Police Station OC Tajul Islam said the court had issued arrest warrants against 10 people who had escaped from the hospital while under treatment for Covid-19. Seven of them were arrested and sent to court today, he added. Also read: Fled from Dhaka, coronavirus-infected couple held in Rajbari Indian variant in Bangladesh Two cases of the Indian Covid-19 variant were detected  at the Genome Centre of Jessore University of Science and Technology on May 8  Earlier in that day, the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) confirmed the first case of Indian coronavirus variant in Bangladesh The Indian strain of the virus was detected in a sample test at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka and it has been published on Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data (GISAID), said chief scientific officer of IEDCR ASM Alamgir. Also read: 98 workers held who fled EPZs, sent to home quarantine Bangladesh suspends border with India for 14 more days Bangladesh on Saturday extended the closure of land borders with India for 14 more days, hours after the country detected six cases of the Indian variant of the COVID-19.  The land borders with India were sealed on April 26 in view of the worsening coronavirus situation in the neighbouring country. Members of Border Guard Bangladesh held 27 people including women and children while trying to enter through Jhenaidah border today, which proves the government's commitment in executing the decision. 

Three homegrown treatments for the novel coronavirus are expected to receive approval as early as the first half of this year as the country speeds up the approval process amid the pandemic.

Country's largest mobile financial service provider bKash has donated six ventilators to the Central Police Hospital (CPH) to improve the COVID-19 treatment.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued an emergency use authorization (EUA) for American drugmaker Eli Lilly's monoclonal antibody therapy to treat mild-to-moderate COVID-19 in adult and pediatric patients.

Favipiravir, a drug used to treat COVID-19, has received permanent registration in Russia, Russian Deputy Health Minister Viktor Fisenko said on Thursday, reports TASS.

The nearly 1 million people around the world who have lost their lives to COVID-19 have left us a gift: Through desperate efforts to save their lives, scientists now better understand how to treat and prevent the disease — and millions of others may survive.

Researchers from Australia's nuclear science agency have suggested that the unique immune system of alpacas could help in curing coronavirus.