• India’s health ministry has confirmed 767,296 Covid-19 cases (269,789 active cases) and 21,129 fatalities. 24,879 fresh cases were recorded on Wednesday. The Times of India, based on state figures, reported 25,530 fresh cases while total cases were 768,322.
• Fatalities across the world are 549,508 (over 12.04 million infections).

The numbers are as of Thursday, 12:30 pm IST. Check out the latest data here

• The Union health ministry has asked the three companies — Hetero, Cipla and Mylan — making generic versions of Covid-19 drug Remdesivir in India to regularly give details of production, stocks and sales. That was after complaints of shortage-driven blackmarketing and overcharging. The drug marketed by Hetero, which has an MRP of Rs 5,400, was allegedly being sold at a price of “anywhere between Rs 15,000 to Rs 60,000”.
• The Food and Drug Control Administration of Gujarat has busted a racket where agents were selling the Covid-19 life-saving immunosuppressive drug Tocilizumab sold as Acterma at a premium price of Rs 75,000 and even went up to Rs 90,000, while its retail price is Rs 40,545. The drug, which comes in 80 mg, 200 mg and 400 mg injections, is imported from Switzerland by just one Indian drug major.
• In Hyderabad, hospitals are running out of cylinders due to panic buying. People are apparently buying oxygen cylinders in bulk — 5 to 10 cylinders at a go. Doctors have suggested that the sale of cylinders without a prescription be stopped immediately.
• In Mumbai, some private hospitals have been using chest CT scans alongside the Covid test (RT-PCR) to screen every patient getting hospitalised for non-Covid treatment. Such scans are not only not recommended but also increase the cost for patients.
• While the market finds new ways of profiting from the pandemic, there’s no escape for patients and even those with health insurance are feeling the pinch. While the average insurance claim amount increased to Rs 1.64 lakh in July from Rs 1.56 lakh in June, the average settlement reduced to Rs 80,427 from Rs 90,118, indicating that policyholders were getting lower pay-outs even after Covid-19 treatment costs increased.

• A study by researchers from Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s (MIT) Sloan School of Management has painted a grim picture of Covid-19 situation in India: the country could record close to 3 lakh — 2.87 lakh, to be precise — fresh cases per day by February 2021 in the absence of a vaccine. Using a standard mathematical model used by epidemiologists to predict the spread of infectious diseases, the researchers said India will be the worst affected country by end of February next year, overtaking the US, which is expected to record the second highest number of fresh cases — 95,000 — around the same time.
  

• Highlighting the importance and urgency of finding either a cure or a vaccine for Covid-19, the study, based on data from 84 countries with a combined population of 4.75 billion, points out that globally, by March-May 2021, there could be a total of 249 million cases with 1.75 million deaths in just these 84 countries. The calculations are premised on three different hypotheses — current testing rates and their response; an increase in testing by 0.1 per cent per day from July 1, 2020; and increased transmission risk with one infected person infecting 8 others, even as testing remains at current levels.
• The study also says that “the magnitude of epidemic is widely under-reported with much variation globally” but despite that, no country is anywhere near attaining herd-immunity against Covid-19. It points out to the example of Chile, which, it says, came closest to achieving herd immunity when at its peak infection rate was “194 days away from infection of 80% of its total population” — implying the percentage of population that would need to be infected to achieve herd immunity. In India’s case, that would mean more than 100 crore people!

• Zoos across India that reopened to the public are adopting a host of safety measures. Take the Bannerghatta Biological Park (BBP) in Bengaluru, where all visitors are provided an umbrella to keep others from getting too close. While Rajasthan’s Sajjangarh Biological Park has painted social distancing circles on the floor, other zoos have introduced ‘sanitisation breaks’ during which cleaning drives are conducted before letting the next batch of visitors in. RK Singh, director of Nawab Wajid Ali Shah Zoological Garden, Lucknow, said the zoo was opened thrice a day, for two-hour durations. “The breaks are used to sanitise the premises. Besides, ticket sales are now online,” he added.
• The safety of animals is important too. Bhopal’s Van Vihar National Park, which now allows only 600 visitors a day, has tied ropes along animal enclosures to ensure visitors are nowhere near them. Sonali Ghosh, DIG Central Zoo Authority (CZA), told TOI that a manual for animal safety in zoos, which includes directions such as extra vitamin supplements to boost immunity in animals and guidelines for animal carers, has been developed by CZA in collaboration with The Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Bareilly. “The protocol laid in the manual has to be followed by all zoos as they reopen,” she said.
• But visitor numbers have plummeted. Chhattisgarh’s Nandanvan Jungle Safari recorded an average footfall of 10,000 per week pre-Covid. Since they reopened on July 1, 300 people have turned up, according to director Mercy Bella. The numbers are also down due to age restrictions — vulnerable groups such as those below age of 10 and above 65 are not allowed.
• That has led zoos that are not aided by government funds to appeal for donations or introduce cost-saving measures. BBP is breeding fish to feed it to carnivores while also growing grass varieties that herbivores could graze on. The zoo also started animal adoption drives during lockdown which led to donations of Rs 25 lakh in the past two months.

• Pharma major Cipla has launched its generic version of antiviral drug remdesivir called Cipremi at Rs 4,000 per vial, which is cheaper than the generics of Hetero and Mylan, and is looking to supply over 80,000 vials within the first month.
• The drug has been approved by the Drug Controller General of India for restricted emergency use in the country.
• Cipremi will be available through government and hospital channels only to ensure equitable distribution, the company said.