WHO identifies counterfeit versions of Covishield in India
Darpan News Desk IANS, 18 Aug, 2021 08:25 PM
The World Health Organisation (WHO) said it has identified counterfeit versions of India's primary Covid vaccine, Covishield, BBC reported.
The doses were seized by authorities in India and Africa between July and August, a WHO statement said.
It also said the vaccine's maker, the Serum Institute of India, confirmed that the doses were fake.
The WHO warned that fake vaccines "pose a serious risk to global public health".
It called for their removal from circulation.
Covishield is the Indian-made version of AstraZeneca's jab and is the most widely used vaccine in India with more than 486 million doses administered so far.
Serum had supplied millions of Covishield vaccines to countries in Asia, Africa and South America - as part of deals that were inked with various governments and the global Covax scheme for poorer countries.
India, which is the second worst-affected country in the world, aims to vaccinate all its people by the end of this year.
About 13 per cent of the population has been fully vaccinated since the beginning of the drive in January.
The Centre has asked the National Investigation Agency to investigate the recent recovery of huge arms, ammunition and communication hardware in Punjab.
The first Vande Bharat Express launched between Delhi and Varanasi earlier this year had faced incidents of stone throwing enroute, damaging its window panes.
The judgement was in the favour of the Indian government in connection with funds associated with the Nizam of Hyderabad dating back to Partition in 1947.
Apple is in for a bumper festive season sales and the iPhone 11 series -- starting from Rs 58,900 -- has registered very strong demand from the consumers in the country.
Is there a highly secretive N-connection to the burgeoning relations between Pakistan and Turkey, besides of religion, that is making Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan so sharp in his comments against India?
