Remdesivir Medicine For COVID-19 Patients Arrives In Odisha

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government on Monday received the first consignment of Remdesivir medicine for the treatment of COVID-19 patients.

Informing the media, additional chief secretary, Health and Family Welfare, Pradipta Mahapatra said that the medicine will be used only in the treatment of critically-ill COVID-19 patients in the state. The medicines have been sent to all COVID hospitals, he added.

Mahapatra said that the medicine, a nucleoside analogue prodrug, has inhibitory effects on pathogenic animal and human coronaviruses, including severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in vitro, and inhibits Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus, SARS-CoV-1, and SARS-CoV-2 replication in animal models.

Sold under the brand name Veklury, Remdesivir is a broad-spectrum antiviral medication developed by the biopharmaceutical company Gilead Sciences. It is administered via injection into a vein, he pointed out.

Referring to the serological survey in the state, Mahapatra said the survey which has started in Puri district from July 27, will begin in Bhubaneswar, Ganjam and Gajapati districts and Badamba-Narasinghpur area in Cuttack district from July 1.

Also Read: COVID Outbreak: Serological Survey To Kick Off In Odisha On June 27 With Puri

“During the survey, people will undergo rapid antibody test. We have received the first consignment of the antibody test kits approved by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) while the second consignments of 50,000 kits will arrive in the state soon,” he added.