Sunday, March 29, 2026
ADVT 
India

WHO identifies counterfeit versions of Covishield in India

Darpan News Desk IANS, 18 Aug, 2021 08:25 PM
  • WHO identifies counterfeit versions of Covishield in India

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.

MORE India ARTICLES

Delhi Police Arrest JNU Student Sharjeel Imam In Sedition Case From Bihar

Anti-CAA activist Sharjeel Imam, who was on the run after sedition charges were slapped against him for allegedly making inflammatory statements, was arrested from Bihar's Jehanabad district on Tuesday, state's police chief Gupteshwar Pandey said.

Delhi Police Arrest JNU Student Sharjeel Imam In Sedition Case From Bihar

Indigo, Air India Ban Stand-Up Comedian Kunal Kamra For Six Months From Flying After He Heckles TV Journalist Arnab Goswami On-Flight

Indian airlines Air India and IndiGo Tuesday suspended stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra from flying with the airline for a period of six months after he accosted journalist Arnab Goswami on one of its flights.

Indigo, Air India Ban Stand-Up Comedian Kunal Kamra For Six Months From Flying After He Heckles TV Journalist Arnab Goswami On-Flight

Taranjit Singh Sandhu Appointed India’s Ambassador To US

Seasoned diplomat Taranjit Singh Sandhu has been appointed as India’s Ambassador to the US, replacing Harsh Vardhan Shringla, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Tuesday.

Taranjit Singh Sandhu Appointed India’s Ambassador To US

TV Actress Sejal Sharma Allegedly Commits Suicide In Mumbai: Reports

Reports claim the possible reason behind the suicide might be some disturbance in the late actress's personal life.  

TV Actress Sejal Sharma Allegedly Commits Suicide In Mumbai: Reports

Amarinder Sends Copy Of Hitler's 'Mein Kampf' To Sukhbir To Help Him To Understand CAA Implications

Amarinder Singh, in a statement here, said given the current attempts by the Centre to "replicate Hitler''s agenda" in India, it was important for the SAD leaders to read the former German Chancellor''s autobiography before coming out with "irrational reactions" on the CAA.    

Amarinder Sends Copy Of Hitler's 'Mein Kampf' To Sukhbir To Help Him To Understand CAA Implications

Naseeruddin Shah Calls Anupam Kher A ‘Sycophant, Clown’, The Actor Posts A ‘Polite’ Reply

Naseeruddin Shah has supported actor Deepika Padukone’s visited to the Jawaharlal Nehru University, calling it “courageous”. In a recent interview with The Wire, Naseer talked at length about the protests against the CAA, the deafening silence of big Bollywood celebrities on it, the student protests and Deepika’s decision to show solidarity.  

Naseeruddin Shah Calls Anupam Kher A ‘Sycophant, Clown’, The Actor Posts A ‘Polite’ Reply