分类： bharat

Coronavirus LIVE Updates: The global death toll due to Covid-19 pandemic has now crossed 108,700 even as the US eclipsed Italy’s death tally for the highest in the world on Saturday at about 20,000. France reported a fall in daily deaths from Covid-19 while Mainland China reported 99 new confirmed coronavirus cases, a jump from the previous day. Meanwhile, amid speculations whether the lockdown will be extended across India, the number of cases in the country rose by more than 900, taking the total cases to over 8,000. Some states including Maharashtra, Punjab and Telangana have already announced an extension of the lockdown. In a video-conference with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday, the chief ministers of several states had suggested him to extend the period of lockdown to contain the spread of novel coronavirus. Follow Indiatoday.in for live updates on coronavirus in India and world.

A consignment of hydroxychloroquine from India arrived in the United States on Saturday, days after New Delhi lifted a ban on the export of the anti-malaria drug, seen as a possible cure for Covid-19, to the US and some other countries on humanitarian grounds.

Earlier this week, India at the request of President Donald Trump cleared the export of 35.82 lakh tablets of hydroxychloroquine to the US along with nine metric tons of active pharmaceutical ingredient or API required in the manufacturing of the drug.

“Supporting our partners in the fight against Covid-19. Consignment of hydroxychloroquine from India arrived at Newark airport today,” India’s Ambassador to the US Taranjit Singh Sandhu tweeted.

Trump, during a phone call last week, asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to lift the hold on American order of the anti-malarial drug, of which India is the major producer. India, which manufactures 70 per cent of the world’s supply of hydroxychloroquine, lifted the ban on April 7.

Hydroxychloroquine has been identified by the US Food and Drug Administration as a possible treatment for the Covid-19 and it is being tested on more than 1,500 coronavirus patients in New York.

Anticipating that it will work, given initial positive results, Trump has bought more than 29 million doses of hydroxychloroquine for the potential treatment of Covid-19 patients.

The arrival of the consignment was welcomed by Americans. “US will never forget this great humanitarian gesture by India. Under President Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the two largest democracies of the world have come together than ever in the past,” said New York-based Al Mason, a real estate consultant and a Trump supporter.