WILL TAKE ONE-AND-A-HALF TO TWO YEARS FOR INDIA TO DEVELOP VACCINE FOR COVID-19: Health Ministry

A positive case of coronavirus, or Covid-19, in Leh was confirmed on Wednesday, taking the total number of positive cases in India to 74.

The latest positive case of coronavirus in Leh adds to the two positive cases confirmed already in the region.

Zakir Hussain was confirmed positive of coronavirus on Friday. Zakir Hussain hails from a village in Leh and is a son of Mohd Hadi, who already is admitted to SNM Hospital.

The latest positive case of coronavirus has brought the confirmed cases to three in Ladakh.

“Test of Zakir Hussain, son of Mohammad Hadi, came positive yesterday [Wednesday]. Six other family members have been quarantined and their samples have been sent to New Delhi,” health department official Sampheal Rigzin said.

Senior health ministry officials said on Thursday that it will take around one-and-a-half to two years for India to develop a vaccine for novel coronavirus even with expedited clinical trials.

Raman R Gangakhedkar, head of the Epidemiology and Communicable Diseases-I (ECD-I), Division of ICMR said the National Institute of Virology in Pune has been successful in isolating the virus.

“There are two ways of going for vaccine preparation. One is either you look at the sequences of the gene which then may lead to development of antibodies, or you actually have the strain and then you try to develop a vaccine which is always an easier option,” he said.

“Coronavirus is difficult to isolate. But the efforts of scientists of National Institute of Virology (NIV) Pune have been successful and about 11 isolates of coronavirus are available which is a prime requisite for doing any kind of research related to viruses. Even with expedited clinical trials and approvals, it will take around one-and-a-half to two years to develop a vaccine,” Gangakhedkar asserted.
The official said the Indian government has made 52 laboratories functional for testing samples, while 57 labs have been designated for helping in sample collection for
Covid-19 to enhance capacity for diagnosis and detection of the disease.
“We have around 1 lakh testing kits and additional kits have been ordered,” another health ministry official said.

The health ministry on Thursday asked people not to panic in the wake of increasing number of coronavirus cases in the country saying the focus is on preventive approach and there are adequate facilities available for testing.