NEWS

Pfizer Inc on Friday, November 5, said that its experimental antiviral pill for COVID-19 cut rates of hospitalisation and death by nearly 90% as the drugmaker joins the race to bring the first easy-to-use medication against coronavirus to the US market.

Currently, all Covid-19 treatments used in the US require an IV or injection. Competitor Merck's Covid-19 pill is already under review at the Food and Drug Administration after showing strong initial results, and on Thursday the United Kingdom became the first country to approve it.

Pfizer said it will ask the FDA and international regulators to authorize its pill as soon as possible after independent experts recommended halting the company's study based on the strength of its results. Once Pfizer applies, the FDA could make a decision within weeks or months.

India has sent 100,000 kg of Nano Nitrogen fertiliser to Sri Lanka in the backdrop of the latter barring the use of contaminated Chinese fertilisers. Sri Lanka had barred Chinese organic fertilizer from unloading after it was found to be contaminated with bacteria, a development that has miffed Beijing which was quick to blacklist People's Bank of Sri Lanka in a quid pro quo move. The People's Bank is the second largest commercial bank in Sri Lanka.

The Indian supplies reached on two Indian Air force Globemaster aircrafts on Thursday morning. The supplies were requested by the Sri Lankan Government. A release by the Indian high commission in Colombo said, "The deployment was essentially to support the Government of Sri Lanka's initiative towards Organic farming and to expedite availability of Nano Nitrogen Fertiliser to the Sri Lankan farmers".

As politics over fuel prices bubbles and boils, the oil ministry on Friday said that 22 states and UTs have lowered VAT on petrol and diesel after the Centre slashed excise duty on Wednesday. The Centre noted that 14 states, including major opposition-ruled ones like Maharashtra, Delhi, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Kerala, are among those that are yet to lower their levies.

Government data showed that since the Centre reduced excise duty, Leh had seen the sharpest reduction in petrol (Rs 13.43 a litre) and diesel (Rs 19.61 a litre) prices. Among the bigger cities, Bangalore topped the list with petrol and diesel prices falling by Rs 13.35 and Rs 19.49 a litre.

India saw a single-day rise of 12,885 new COVID-19 cases, taking the country's infection tally to 3,43,21,025, while the count of active cases has declined to 1,48,579, the lowest in 253 days, according to Union Health Ministry data on Thursday.

The death toll due to the disease has climbed to 4,59,652, with 461 daily fatalities being recorded, the data updated at 8 am showed. The daily rise in new coronavirus infections has been below 20,000 for 27 straight days, and less than 50,000 daily new cases have been reported for 130 consecutive days now.

The tally of active cases has declined to 1,48,579 which comprises 0.43 per cent of the total infections, the lowest since March 2020, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate was recorded at 98.23 per cent, the highest since March 2020, the health ministry said.