World Tour
Austria As the debate on whether the use of masks can stem COVID-19’s spread continues, wearing them in supermarkets and other food and drug stores has been made compulsory in Austria. The idea is gaining support among its neighbours too—in Slovakia, Czech Republic and parts of Germany, wearing face masks has been made compulsory.
Brazil Amazon’s indigenous communities are in danger of being “wiped out” by the coronavirus, warn health experts. Brazil had over 11,000 infections and 486 deaths from the didease. Respiratory illnesses from influenza are the main cause of death for native communities. Initially, it concentrated around São Paulo. Now, it has covered the entire country—including the Amazon basin.
United states Senator Bernie Sanders dropped out of the presidential campaign, clearing the way for Joe Biden’s nomination as the Democratic Party candidate against Donald Trump in the elections due in November. “I have concluded that this battle for the Democratic nomination will not be successful,” he said announcing the suspension of his campaign.
Foreign Hand
The debate whether hydroxychloroquine, a malaria medicine, is a possible cure for COVID-19 was given a new twist on April 6, and India was placed right in the middle of it. Reports said during their recent conversation Donald Trump asked Narendra Modi to supply the drug to the US, the new epicentre of the coronavirus pandemic. Trump calls hydroxychloroquine a “game changer” in the fight against COVID-19, noting that India has a large stockpile of it. PMModi had banned the export of the drug some days ago.
Hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine are drugs used to treat malaria, lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved its use to treat novel coronavirus patients under the Emergency Use Authorisation—something that should be done only under a doctor’s strict supervision. Thus far, scientists and physicians have been cautious about using it for the purpose. Drug companies Sandoz, a division of Novartis, has decided to donate 30 million doses of hydroxychloroquine and Bayer a million doses of chloroquine to the existing stockpile of the US.
But at a recent press conference Trump seemed less sure. “Let’s see how it works,” he said, adding, “It may, it may not.” Despite the positive data in 40 coronavirus patients, the French health ministry has warned against its use for COVID-19.
Trump’s keenness for the drug was criticised by detractors, who called it a “brazen willingness to distort” and “outright defying of expert opinion and scientific evidence”. Standing alongside two top public health officials who declined to endorse his call for widely administering the drug, Trump was reported by the NYT as saying, “What do I know? I am not a doctor,” But he added, “If it does work, it would be a shame we did not do it early.”
However, with a spike in active cases of infection and with over 100 deaths, India banned the export of the drug “without any exception” last weekend. After Trump’s request, India might have to reconsider the ban. Sources said a decision would be made after assessing India’s own stockpile. A representative of the Indian Drug Manufacturer’s Association, Ashok Kumar Madan, told the BBC, “India definitely has the capacity to cater to both global and local markets. Of course, domestic considerations must come first, but we have the capacity.”
Conceding to the request strengthens India’s humanitarian track record, while deepening the bond between Trump and Modi.
