Omicron threat Govt deploys teaching staff for containment measures 91 fresh cases in J&K; Centre nods Corbevax, Covovax, Molnupiravir for restricted emergency

Jammu: The Jammu and Kashmir Tuesday reported one more death and 91 fresh positive cases of COVID-19, thus taking the number of total active cases in the Union Territory to 1,296.
With one more death, the death toll in J&K has reached to 4,525 and 91 fresh positive cases reported on Tuesday have pushed the tally of positive cases to 340,924.
Of the exact number of 340,924 cases, 214,818 are from Kashmir division and 126,106 from Jammu division.
Officials said that among 98 new cases, 59 belong to Kashmir division while as 32 are from Jammu division, adding that the total number of positive cases in Kashmir division have reached to 214,818 including 211,541 recoveries and 2,328 deaths while as total number of positive cases in Jammu division have reached to 126,106 including 123,562 recoveries and 2,197 deaths.
The officials said that the total number of active cases in Jammu and Kashmir are 1,296 including 949 from Kashmir division and 347 from Jammu division.
With 127 more recoveries, the tally of total recoveries in Jammu and Kashmir has reached 335,103 which is 98.28 percent of the total cases.
“Cases tested positive in J&K include 30 from Srinagar, 03 from Baramulla, 05 from Budgam, 03 from Pulwama, 04 from Kupwara, 00 from Anantnag, 05 from Bandipora, 09 from Ganderbal, 00 each from Kulgam and 00 Shopian in Kashmir division while as 32 from Jammu division include 20 from Jammu division, 01 from Udhampur, 02 from Rajouri, 06 from Doda, 01 from Kathua, 00 from Samba, 00 from Kishtwar, 02 from Poonch, 00 from Ramban and 00 from Reasi," officials disclosed.
Meanwhile, authorities said that no fresh cases of Mucormycosis popularly known as black fungus was reported in the UT and the tally stands at 50.
As per officials figures, 78,669 positive cases including 883 deaths and 77,342 recoveries are from Srinagar, 25,948 including 290 deaths and 25,501 recoveries are from Baramulla, 24,476 including 24,208 recoveries and 216 deaths are from Budgam, 15,711 including 15,481 recoveries and 195 deaths are from Pulwama, 14,960 including 167 deaths and 14,725 recoveries are from Kupwara, 16,731 including 16,504 recoveries and 208 deaths are from Anantnag, 10,169 cases including 10,008 and 111 deaths are from Bandipora, 10,989 including 10,795 recoveries and 82 deaths are from Ganderbal, 11,547 including 11,420 recoveries and 117 deaths are from Kulgam and 5,618 including 5,557 recoveries and 59 deaths are from Shopian.
In Jammu division, 54,139 including 52,739 recoveries and 1,156 deaths are from Jammu district, 11,474 including 11,325 recoveries and 139 deaths are from Udhampur, 11,376 including 11,123 recoveries and 239 deaths are from Rajouri, 8,037 including 7,867 recoveries and 136 deaths are from Doda, 9,383 including 9,225 recoveries and 153 deaths are from Kathua, 7,175 including 7,052 recoveries and 120 deaths are from Samba, 4,854 including 4,801 recoveries and 44 deaths are from Kishtwar, 6,596 including 6,479 recoveries and 100 deaths are from Poonch, 6,073 including 6,001 recoveries and 67 deaths are from Ramban and 6,997 including 6,950 recoveries and 43 deaths are from Reasi.
As per the daily information bulletin 5,157,331 persons in Jammu and Kashmir are under observation while 8,293 persons have been kept under home quarantine besides that 1,296 persons are in isolation.
According to the bulletin, 4,710,745 persons have completed the surveillance period and 432,472 persons are under home surveillance besides that so far results of 19,133,058 samples are available. Out of 19,133,058 the number of samples tested negative stands at 18,792,134 while as 340,924 have tested positive, among them 1,296 persons are active, 335,103 persons have recovered and 4,525 persons have died.
Meanwhile, Expanding India's basket of COVID-19 vaccines, the Central Drug Authority has approved Serum Institute of India's vaccine Covovax, Biological E's jab Corbevax and anti-Covid pill Molnupiravir for restricted use in emergency situation.
The announcement by Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Tuesday came a day after the Subject Expert Committee (SEC) on COVID-19 of the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) recommended granting emergency use authorisation (EUA) to the COVID-19 vaccines Covovax and Corbevax with certain conditions.
The committee also had recommended granting restricted emergency use approval to the drug Molnupiravir for treatment of adult patients with COVID-19 and who have high risk of progression of the disease.
In a tweet, the minister said, "Congratulations India. Further strengthening the fight against COVID-19, CDSCO, @MoHFW_INDIA has given 3 approvals in a single day for: - CORBEVAX vaccine - COVOVAX vaccine - Anti-viral drug Molnupiravir For restricted use in emergency situation".
With this approval, the number of Covid vaccines which have received EUA in the country has increased to eight.
Six COVID-19 vaccines -- Serum Institute's Covishield, Bharat Biotech's Covaxin, Zydus Cadila's ZyCoV-D, Russia's Sputnik V and the US-made Moderna and Johnson and Johnson -- had already received EUA from the Indian drug regulator earlier.
"Corbevax vaccine is India's 1st indigenously developed RBD protein sub-unit vaccine against #COVID19, Made by Hyderabad-based firm Biological-E. It's a hat-trick! It's now 3rd vaccine developed in India," Mandaviya said in another tweet.
The Nanoparticle Vaccine, Covovax, will be manufactured by Pune-based firm Serum Institute of India, he said.
"Molnupiravir, an antiviral drug, will now be manufactured in the country by 13 companies for restricted use under emergency situation for treatment of adult patients with COVID-19 and who have high risk of progression of the disease," Mandaviya said.
The minister said the approvals will further strengthen the global fight against the pandemic.
"PM @NarendraModiJi has led the battle against #COVID19 from the front. All these approvals will further strengthen the global fight against the pandemic. Our Pharma Industries are asset for the entire world," Mandaviya said.
Healthcare, frontline workers and citizens above 60 years of age with comorbidities would be administered the third dose of the same vaccine they had been given before as for now. Any decision on whether the two new vaccines -Corbevax and Covovax which were cleared on Tuesday can be used for third dose would be taken in due course, sources said.
The Corbevax vaccine is administered through intramuscular route with two dose schedule of day 0 and 28 and is stored at 2 degrees Celsiua to 8 degrees C temperatures and presented as 0.5 ml (single dose) and 5 ml (10 doses) vial pack, a health ministry statement said.
The company has conducted phase 1/2, 2/3 clinical trials of its Covid-19 vaccine in the country. Further, it has conducted phase 3 active comparator clinical trial to evaluate superiority against Covishield vaccine, it said.
The EUA proposal for Corbevax was reviewed by SEC on 10.12.2021 and 27.12.2021 wherein after detailed deliberation, it recommended for grant of permission for restricted use in emergency situation to manufacture and market Corbevax in 18 years and above, it said.
The Covovax vaccine of SII is a technology transfer of Novavax USA vaccine.
It is administered through intramuscular route with two dose schedule of day 0 and 21.The vaccine is stored at 2 degreees C to 8 degrees Celsius temperatures and presented as 0.5 ml (singledose) and 5 ml (10 doses) vial pack.
Serum has conducted phase 2/3 immuno bridging clinical in the country for comparing safety and immunogenicity of Covovax of Serum and Novavax vaccine.
The Novavax has conducted phase-3 efficacy trials in the USA and UK wherein the efficacy of vaccine is reported to be 90.4 per cent and 86.9 per cent respectively, the statement said.
"The EUA proposal for Covovax was reviewed by SEC on November 24 and Dec 27 after which it recommended grant of permission for restricted use in emergency situation to manufacture and market the jab," it said.
Molnupiravir is an antiviral that inhibits SARS-CoV-2 replication by viral mutagenesis. The UK MHRA on December 4 granted approval for Molnupiravir under special condition for treatment of mild to moderate coronavirus disease in adults with a positive SARS-COV-2 diagnostic test and who have at least one risk factor for developing severe illness, the statement said.
The US FDA on December 23 has granted EUA for Molnupiravir for the treatment of mild-to-moderate coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in adults with positive results of direct SARS-CoV-2 viral testing, and who are at high risk for progression to severe COVID-19, including hospitalization or death, and for whom alternative COVID-19 treatment options authorized by the FDA are not accessible or clinically appropriate.
"Considering the emergency and unmet medical need in Covid-19, the SEC on December 27 recommended for grant of permission to manufacture and market the Molnupiravir 200mg capsule for restricted use under emergency situation in the country for treatment of adult patients with COVID-19...," the statement said.
As per conditions the drug should be sold by retail only under prescription of medical specialists and the recommended dose should be 800mg twice daily for 5 days.